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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Sean Murphy

St Andrews named among 10 of the most tranquil UK destinations to unwind

With the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns leading to 79% of the UK workforce stating they have experienced burnout, it seems we could all do with having a relaxing holiday. And instead of dealing with the stressful uncertainty of overseas travel, having a staycation may be the easiest and best way to unwind for some stress-free time away.

With that in mind, the experts at WellBox were intrigued to uncover which UK destinations are the best for a peaceful staycation to unwind, and ultimately reduce the effects of burnout.

An index was created by analysing weighted variables including; crime rates, population and peaceful outdoor activities. Combining these to then establish an overall peace score out of 100 for each of the 53 analysed locations. Thus revealing the top 10 most peaceful UK destinations.

And surprisingly, only one Scottish location makes the top 10 – we were expecting at least a few more.

WellBox revealed that Dartmouth , in Devon, is the most peaceful UK destination, with a peace score of 81.1 out of 100.

While St Andrews was named as the most tranquil in Scotland.

The Fife town ranked seventh, and despite having a population of over 18,000, the crime rate stands at just 38 per 1000 inhabitants. The surrounding area boasts a total of 16 hiking trails to remove yourself from the hustle and bustle of the Scottish town.

The east coast holiday favourite is famous for its long golden beaches and rich history, meaning there are plenty of relaxing walks on offer.

It's also famous for its golfing options, with some of Scotland's most famous courses to be found here, not only that local distillers Eden Mill, Lindores Abbey and Kingsbarns offers relaxing tours where you can enjoy a wee dram or two at the end.


The UK’s 10 most tranquil staycations:

Rank

Peaceful destination

Population

Crime rate
(per 1,000 inhabitants)

Hiking trails

Bird watching trails

Fishing trails

Peace Score (/100)

#1

Dartmouth , Devon

5,064

42

27

13

3

81.1

#2

Kingswear , Devon

1,217

17

8

6

2

78.6

#3

Over Haddon , Peak District

255

17

12

6

0

75.9

#4

Reeth , North Yorkshire

724

12

11

3

0

71.6

#5

Croyde , Devon

644

24

10

6

0

71.3

#6

Keswick , Cumbria

5,243

61

31

12

4

70.9

#7

St Andrews , Fife

18,410

38

16

4

0

70.5

#8

Bassenthwaite , Cumbria

481

63

39

29

11

69.4

#9

Aldeburgh , Suffolk

2,466

39

13

7

0

68.1

#10

Broadway , Worcestershire

2,540

37

12

3

0

65.0

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