Five stars for scenery? Go to Fort William and Pitlochry
Scots towns named among the best for beauty, peace and quiet
TOWNS in Scotland have been voted among the best in Britain for those seeking beautiful scenery, peace and quiet and attractions to visit.
Aberfeldy and Pitlochry, in Perthshire, and Fort William, in Inverness-shire, were included in a list of the most desirable small towns and villages after a survey of more than 2,000 members of consumer group Which?.
Aberfeldy, lauded in song by Robert Burns and boasting a famous distillery, was the highest ranked Scottish town, coming in at 16th out of 60.
It received five stars for scenery and four stars for peace and quiet. Pitlochry, with its own Festival Theatre and spectacular views at nearby Loch Tummel, was ranked 24th and awarded five stars for scenery
Fort William, in 51st place, also won five stars for scenery – due to its proximity to Ben Nevis.
Joining them on the list were picturesque spots south of the Border such as Keswick, in the Lake District, Stratford-uponAvon in Warwickshire, and Matlock Bath in Derbyshire.
Avebury and Castle Combe, which are both in Wiltshire, were judged to be the best places to retreat far from the madding crowd. Avebury, which is ringed by a prehistoric stone circle, received a destination score of 90 per cent, and was given five stars for scenery and tourist attractions, including ‘a quaint village pub with a thatched roof’.
It also received four stars for peace and quiet, attractiveness, and value for money.
Castle Combe was described by Which? as being ‘the quintessentially English village’ and was awarded five stars for scenery and attractiveness.
Which? said: ‘The village has appeared in a number of cinematic productions, including War Horse and Downton Abbey, and is revered as one of England’s prettiest villages.’
Joint second place went to Wells in Somerset, which is technically a city, on account of its cathedral.
Highest-ranked in Wales was ‘the town of books’ Hay-on-Wye in Powys, with a destination score of 84 per cent. The small market town received four stars for scenery, attractiveness and peace and quiet.
The editor of Which? Travel, Rory Boland, said: ‘The UK is full of towns and villages bursting with character and history, many of which are relatively quiet and unspoilt, making them perfect destinations for a day trip or a holiday.’
‘Bursting with character’