Look at a beauty spot to lift your spirits

APART from being with our families, the thing that makes us happiest is gazing at the nation’s stunning scenery, a survey claims.

A third say beauty spots lift their spirits, with places such as the Lake District, the Scottish Highlands and Snowdonia improving the mood of visitors and giving them a sense of mental well-being.

A survey of 2,000 UK adults by insurers Ecclesiastical, which insures many of Britain’s heritage sites, asked people what in the country they would hate to be without.

A third polled said that national parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty are their favourite places to visit, with heritage sites and historic buildings at 14 per cent. Parks and public spaces also scored 14 per cent. Over half (58 per cent) said if they lost their local park they would lose a place of beauty. Angus Roy, Director of Education and Heritage at Ecclesiastical, said: ‘This research provides a fascinating insight into the places that the UK would be lost without. There’s a clear message that beautiful places and spaces – whether natural treasures or historic buildings – are irreplaceable.’