SEEING the Northern Lights from the Isle of Skye has been named the top must-do UK staycation experience, according to research. 

The spectacle, also known as the aurora borealis, is more frequently visible from Scotland when conditions are right - including limited light pollution and strong solar activity. 

A study, of 2,000 adults, also saw the Eden Project in Cornwall, the Titanic Museum in Belfast, and Stonehenge in Wiltshire, among the top 30 things to see and do within the UK. 

Also on the list was a trip to the home of spectacular caves, cliffs and Cheddar cheese - Cheddar Gorge in Somerset.

The 84-mile round-trip on the Jacobsite Steam Train from Fort William to Mallaig in Scotland, which takes you across the Glenfinnan viaduct as seen in Harry Potter, similarly ranked within the top 10. 

The must-do activities that should be on the nation’s bucket list was compiled by UK travel expert, Richard Madden, and Sykes Holiday Cottages, which commissioned the research.  

It found more than eight in 10 (81 per cent) feel you don’t have to travel to far-flung destinations abroad to expand your horizons. 

Graham Donoghue, chief executive of the holiday let agency, said: “There is so much on our doorstep when it comes to holidays and activities, with the UK boasting a whole host of exciting things to see and do.

“Our research has shown that Brits have a strong desire to tick off a wide range of experiences in this country, including must-visit museums, natural phenomena, and popular nature spots. 

“While the UK might be smaller in size in comparison to other countries, there is still plenty to pack into a staycation. 

"Sometimes it’s just knowing where to start, but this jam-packed list should provide some inspiration.” 

People gather at Glastonbury Tor for the summer solstice.People gather at Glastonbury Tor for the summer solstice. (Image: Mike Jefferies, Somerset Camera Club)

The research also found 78 per cent of Brits are determined to explore more of the UK, with a quarter having a dedicated bucket list of UK experiences they want to tick off. 

But money (50 per cent), the unpredictable weather (35 per cent), and work commitments (22 per cent) mean they don’t always do this as much as they would like. 

Of those who holiday in the UK, 44 per cent do so because of the convenience of it, and 33 per cent consider it to be more affordable. 

But 54 per cent simply want to explore more of what the UK has to offer, according to the OnePoll.com data. 

It also emerged that 45 per cent are still yet to explore interesting places within an hour’s drive of where they live, despite the average adult typically venturing as far as 216 miles from home to holiday somewhere else within the UK.  

Documentaries and non-fiction TV series provide the most bucket list inspiration to travellers (37 per cent), along with family (33 per cent), friends (32 per cent) and the films they watch (23 per cent). 

 

Award-winning travel writer and author Richard MaddenThe northern lights captured through a wndow at Duntulm Castle in the north of Skye.The northern lights captured through a wndow at Duntulm Castle in the north of Skye. (Image: SWNS)  added: “It’s great to see that travellers’ sense of adventure is just as strong while on a staycation as it is when abroad. 

“During my time as a travel writer, I’ve discovered that the UK is not short of unforgettable locations, historic landmarks, unique experiences, and impressive wildlife. 

"Hopefully this new research will spark ideas for trips closer to home this year.” 

Sykes Holiday Cottages’ Graham Donoghue, which has created a guide on the UK’s top 30 experiences [https://www.sykescottages.co.uk/blog/ultimate-uk-bucket-list/], added: “Some of the activities that have topped our bucket list might only be a stone’s throw away from where you live and with summer officially beginning, there is no better time to head out your door and explore.” 

Expert's top 30 UK experiences Brits would most like to try: 

  1. Seeing the Northern Lights from the Isle of Skye, Scotland
  2. Visiting the Eden Project in Cornwall
  3. Visiting the Titanic Museum in Belfast, Northern Ireland
  4. Visiting Stonehenge in Wiltshire
  5. Driving along the Isle of Arran’s coast in Scotland
  6. Visiting Cheddar Gorge in Somerset
  7. Spend the day at Portmeirion Village in North Wales
  8. A round trip on The Jacobite Steam Train from Fort William to Mallaig
  9. Fossil hunting along the Jurassic Coast in Dorset
  10. Watch otters play in the Avalon Marches in Somerset
  11. Seal spotting at Blakeney Point, Norfolk
  12. Visiting Lindisfarne & the Farne Islands in Northumbria
  13. Hiring a canal boat along the Kennet and Avon canal (Reading to Bristol)
  14. Visiting Bletchley Park in Milton Keynes
  15. Visiting Brownsea Island in Dorset to spot its red squirrels
  16. Watching a play at the Minack Theatre in Cornwall
  17. Watching starling murmurations at the River Exe Estuary (Devon), in Dungeness (Kent), in Leighton Moss (Lancashire), or from Aberystwyth Pier (Ceredigion)
  18. Visiting Fountains Abbey a World Heritage site in Yorkshire
  19. Visiting Housesteads Fort on Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland
  20. Visiting the Gower Peninsular in Glamorgan, Wales
  21. Riding the SteamLights at The Bluebell Railway in East Sussex
  22. Hiking up the Glastonbury Tor, a hill rising 518 feet, in Somerset
  23. Visiting the family home of Sir Winston Churchill in Kent
  24. Attending the Dark Skies Festival in February in Yorkshire
  25. Surfing in Newquay, Cornwall
  26. Visiting the burial site of Raedwald, King of East Anglia, at Sutton Hoo Ship Burial in Suffolk
  27. Visiting WWT Slimbridge, a wetland nature reserve, in Somerset
  28. Bird watching at St Abb’s Head National Nature Reserve in Berwickshire, Scotland
  29. Cycling or walking The Ridgeway in Wiltshire/Buckinghamshire
  30. Watching the Cooper’s Hill annual Cheese Rolling contest in Gloucestershire