Britain's beautiful landscapes feature picturesque waterfalls, stunning coastal views and charming castles, while our historical cities, towns and villages offer the perfect holiday destination for a romantic weekend break. It is easy to see why the UK's landscape continues to provide a cinematic backdrop to romantic films and TV shows.
Ahead of Valentine's Day 2023, we look at a selection of the most beautiful places to visit in Britain. We've also compiled a gift guide of Valentine's Day gifts for the outdoors lover in your life.
Most beautiful landscapes in Britain
Lake District
Few things in these islands can match the natural beauty of the Lake District. These stunning English fells stand tall, hiding lengthy lakes amongst sumptuous valleys. There are countless little villages worth staying in to get away from it all. It’s easy to see why the region inspired poets and writers like Wordsworth and Wainwright.
Almost everywhere in Lakeland offers relaxing isolation and hill walking of all varieties, from gentle strolls along winding rivers, to tackling Scafell Pike, England’s highest peak from which you can see Scotland, Ireland, Wales and the Isle of Man on a clear day.
Best walks in the Lake District National Park
Of all the national parks in Britain, the Lake District in Cumbria is arguably the most celebrated – discover the the area's fells, rivers, waters and towns with our favourite walks
The Lake District National Park comprises 912 square miles of high mountains, lakes, rivers and coastline, and receives almost 16 million visitors a year. No wonder, then, that it was loved so dearly by Beatrix potter, Alfred Wainwright, Arthur Ransome and William and Dorothy Wordsworth.
New Forest
The New Forest in Hampshire is, to some, deceptively named. Far from a thick green blanket of trees covering he majority of this country, it is a balance of woods and open countryside. While there are wooded areas of varying sizes and densities, it is largely made up of heathland, smattered with heather and horses.
It is area brimming with wildlife as well as livestock and domestic animals that you will encounter at regular intervals as you amble along the attractive, level landscape that stretches out from the coast at Lymington, up towards Salisbury.
Best walks in New Forest National Park
New Forest National Park is famed for its beautiful heathland and myriad forest trails – discover its beauty on foot with our favourite hikes.
The New Forest is anything but new. It was created by William the Conqueror in 1079 as a place where he could hunt deer and wild pigs – the so called ‘beasts of the chase’. Nowadays, the landscape’s use has change dramatically, largely thanks to the designation of the New Forest National Park in 2005.
From vast heathland hills and ancient trees, to butterflies, reptiles, wading birds and wild ponies, the national park is a vital refuge for some of Britain’s most precious species.
See our guide to the best walks in the New Forest National Park
Snowdonia
In the north west of Wales, on the edge of Snowdonia National Park, the village of Portmeirion is an enchanting place. Its vibrantly coloured cottages look quite continental in their design, while Victorian castellated mansion Castell Deudraeth looks as British a building as they come.
Swallow Falls in Snowdonia National Park is regarded as one of the country’s most beautiful natural locations. Elsewhere, the beautiful Cwm Pennant valley provides a little more seclusion for the romantics who want to forget the outside world for a while.
Best walks in Snowdonia National Park
Packed with great mountain climbs, idyllic river walks, lakeside rambles and coastal hikes, Snowdonia National Park is the perfect getaway location for hiking – our pick of the best walks in Snowdonia, Wales.
Snowdonia National Park covers 823 square miles of north-west Wales and contains the country’s highest peak, Snowdon.
The region, designated as a national park in 1951, was sculpted by glaciers, leaving behind a spectacular landscape of craggy mountains and hills, deep valleys and over 100 lakes.
Yorkshire Dales
The Yorkshire Dales offer glorious hills, stunning waterfalls (Hardraw Force, Janet’s Foss and Aysgarth Falls in particular) and pretty farm villages populated with many a pleasant pub. Again, it’s an area of northern England that is perfect for hill walking, although here the peaks are considerably less high than those in Lakeland.
Dorset
Home to the iconic landmark Durdle Door and the spectacular Corfe Castle, it is easy to see why this spectacular stretch of coastline inspired the famous novelist Jane Austen who holidayed in the area in 1804.The harbour in Lyme Regis, better known as The Cobb, has a panoramic view of the dramatic coastline and has been used in numerous films over the years. Enjoy an atmospheric visit to ruins of Corfe Castle and enjoy views of the surrounding countryside.
Ynys Llanddwyn (Llanddwyn Island), Anglesey
Llanddwyn Island in Anglesey is named after St Dwynwen, who retreated to the small tidal island off the coast of Anglesey in the early fifth century after an unhappy love affair. She had fallen in love with a youth named Maelon but her father, King Brychan, wanted her to marry someone else. According to legend, an angel visited her and gave her a potion that healed her loss and turned Maelon into ice.
Dwynwen was granted three wishes: firstly, that Maelon would be thawed; secondly, that true lovers would have their dreams fulfilled; finally, she would never marry. She then devoted her life to God and lived on the island until her death in AD465. She is remembered in Wales by the exchange of cards on 25 January – St Dwynwen’s Day – every year.
Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland
Straddling the coast at Bamburgh, this majestic stronghold was once the seat of the kings of Northumbria, and is today the largest inhabited castle in England. The first written reference to the existence of a fort on this whinstone outcrop dates to 547AD, when the citadel was captured by the Anglo-Saxon Ida of Bernicia – it was later built upon by Normans and later again by Henry II, all the while fending off raids from Scots over the border.
In the late-18th century, Joseph Mallord William Turner sketched the castle in his famed Romantic style. Today it stands proud and inimitable against the sky and sea, a magnificent relic of years of warfare and strife, and the Romanticism movement.
Dedham Vale and the River Stour, Suffolk/Essex
The Stour in Suffolk could be the most celebrated river in the country after the Thames. Why? Because it features in one of Britain’s favourite artworks, The Hay Wain, painted by John Constable in 1821 – one of the most iconic artist of the Romanticism movement.
Dedham Vale’s stout oaks, weeping willows, wildflower meadows and meandering rivers are well known to many who have never been there, thanks to landscapes painted by 18th-century artist. Many of his most famous works, such as The Hay Wain, The Cornfield and The Leaping Horse, depict the romantic lowland countryside and charming villages of the Stour Valley.
Constable studied nature rather than artistic principles, often painting outside rather than working from sketches. Instead of enhancing and stylising his works in the manner of most contemporary artists, he sought to capture the exact colours of the countryside and fleeting effects of light and shade (which he used the Italian word chiaroscuro to describe).
Waterfall County, Powys
The spilling water, mossy riverbeds and tree-shrouded caverns of Waterfall Country create the perfect settling for one of Britain's most romantic landscapes. “I cannot call to mind a single valley that… comprises so much beautiful and picturesque scenery and so many interesting and special features.” wrote Victorian naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace.
Isle of Skye, Inner Hebrides
The largest and most northerly island of the Inner Hebrides, Skye is larger than many of its brothers at 639 square miles, and has a bustling island life to match. Skye is tethered to the mainland by Skye Bridge on the A87, but ferries run from Mallaig for those who want to cross by water. There’s plenty of choice for gourmets, too – the Three Chimneys in Colbost and Kinloch Lodge in Sleat both offer Michelin-star treats.
Frequent boat trips offer sea angling experiences and wildlife tours for spotting sea eagles and dolphins, while golden eagles are sometimes visible on the mainland. The more adventurous visitor can try their hand at climbing the Cuillin ridge, a climb stretching 12km from end to end with sumptuous views, visit the rocky pinnacles of Northern peninsula Trotternish, or aim slightly lower with guided gorge walking – the perfect way to experience all Skye’s nooks and crannies.
Edinburgh, Scotland
The best thing about living in Edinburgh is having a favourite hill quite literally on your doorstep. Arthur’s Seat, situated just a stone’s throw from the city centre in Holyrood Park, is the remains of an ancient volcano and, at 250m high, it dominates the city’s skyline.
As you reach the summit, the views across Edinburgh and beyond are a treat and are particularly good in the afternoon, when the sun sets behind the Old Town and castle of a city lucky enough to have a volcano at its heart.
