Top 10 Least-Visited Places in the UK For Discovering

Laelia Yang April 20, 2023 | 20:57

If you’re looking to escape the crowds, or need ideas for a return trip, try these nontouristy places to visit in the UK below.

Top 10 Most Haunted Roads In The UK With The Ghost Story

Top 10 Insanely Cheapest Places To Travel In The UK Today

Top 10 Least-Visited Places in the UK For Discovering

Top 10 Least Popular Places in the UK That You Don't Want to Visit. Photo: KnowInsiders.com

As the birthplace of Shakespeare and the home of The Beatles, it's no surprise that the United Kingdom is a popular tourist destination for visitors from all over the world. However, if you're tired of standing in long lines just to see a building that could be on any postcard - if you want to go on a trip that's not entirely touristy - this article is for you.

We've compiled a list of ten of the UK's least visited locations that still have amazing things to see and do. With coastal towns, countrysides, and historic castles spread across England, Scotland, and Wales, here are the places you can visit without bumping into other tourists!

What Are The Least Popular Destinations in the UK

(Compiled and introduced by KnowInsiders)

1. Sunbiggin Tarn, Cumbria

Photo: pixels

In the Yorkshire Dales National Park, lakes of any size are extremely scarce. Due to its rarity, Sunbiggin Tarn is favored by both wildlife and tourists.

All seasons of the year, interesting birds can be seen here, but the starling murmurations are probably this location's biggest claim to fame. Tens of thousands of birds participate in one of the biggest and most impressive displays in the nation, which takes place here at dusk on the majority of autumnal and winter evenings.

2. Rutland, England

The Latin motto of this market town, multum in parvo, which translates to "much in little," is a sleepy hub of the smallest county in England. Horseshoes are embedded in the walls of Oakham Castle, a Norman-era fortress surrounded by stone terraces and Georgian villas. Beyond the town, broadleaf woodland and plump hills abound. Along the gently undulating lanes are some impressive taverns and gastropubs, like the Old White Hart in nearby Lyddington, a beaming old-timer with flower-filled window boxes and summertime pétanque matches in the garden.

Hambleton Hall, a sizable country mansion overlooking Rutland Water, has been welcoming visitors since 1980. Its on-site restaurant has held a Michelin star since 1982—the longest tenure of any establishment in the UK. Owners Tim and Stefa Hart are among the best in Britain at keeping things classic and alluring, from the polished oak staircases to the crackling sitting-room hearth. Normally, such a resistance to change would lead to staleness.

3. Ross Back Sands, Northumberland

Photo: acornleisureholidays

From Budle Bay to Lindisfarne, this gorgeously deserted sandy spit stretches for 5 kilometers. The 1.5 km footpath through Ross Farm and across the dunes is the only way to get there, which discourages most tourists from visiting.

Your reward, however, is an unbeatable view of white sand, blue water, and Lindisfarne Castle at one end and Bamburgh Castle and the Farne Islands at the other. Binoculars will be useful for a variety of reasons, including observing the seals lounging in Lindisfarne Bay (best seen from Guile Point) and scouting the water for divers, grebes, and scoters in the winter and terns in the summer.

4. Castleton Village, Peak District

Photo: peakdistrictkids

One of the best places in the UK for a cheap getaway is the tiny chocolate box village of Castleton in the Peak District. This charming location, which can be found in Derbyshire's Hope Valley, is a favorite among outdoor enthusiasts and hikers.

Mam Tor, also referred to as the Shivering Mountain and located in Castleton, is well-known for its dramatic views of the entire Peak District. The best part is that you won't pay a dime for this hike or any of the others nearby, including Winnats Pass and the Great Ridge, making Castleton a very affordable vacation destination.

Visit the Peveril Castle, which dates back to the 11th century and overlooks the village, for more reasonably priced things to do in Castleton. The ruins of this early Norman fortress in England can be seen by taking a quick hike above Hope Valley. A traditional afternoon tea or a pub lunch can be enjoyed in the village center after you've worked up an appetite, and then you can retire to one of the best low-cost hotels I've ever stayed at.

The YHA Castleton Losehill Hall, a Grade I listed gothic mansion that has recently undergone renovation by the YHA, is only a short stroll from the village and offers affordable lodging for anyone looking to visit Castleton without breaking the bank. Castleton is a place you'd want to visit repeatedly because of the mansion's old world charm and surrounding forests.

Top 10 Highest Mountains in England

5. The Grey Mare’s Tail Nature Reserve, Dumfries & Galloway

This Dumfries and Galloway National Trust for Scotland reserve's untamed and rocky landscape offers a taste of the highlands in the lowlands. The fifth-highest waterfall in the UK, Grey Mare's Tail, is 60 meters high; a hike up its side will eventually take you to remote Loch Skeen and Britain's most endangered native freshwater fish, the vendace.

If the weather is favorable, continue climbing to the summit of Dumfriesshire's highest peak, White Coomb (821m), for breathtaking views of the Scottish Borders and possibly farther. Watch out for the recently reintroduced peregrine falcons, osprey, and, if you're lucky, golden eagle.

6. Berwickshire, Scotland

Photo: thetimes

Scotland's Berwickshire county is historically significant and is home to castles from the twelfth century. Because of its proximity to the sea, the county is able to experience humid, rainy weather, which is ideal for gardens and flowers. The natural and wildlife areas that surround Berwickshire are a must-see for garden tourists. They are impressive to see, especially in the sun.

Berwickshire is a fantastic getaway from the city because it is surrounded by enormous, gently rolling hills that offer stunning views of the Scottish coastline. You shouldn't miss it.

7. Hunstanton, Norfolk

Photo: picturesofengland

The magnificent banded cliffs of Old Hunstanton can be found a short distance along the beach from the Victorian resort of Hunstanton (also known as "Sunny Hunny"). The cliffs are framed by a foreground of chalky sand and green, seaweed-covered rocks. The cliffs are made up of layers of rusty ginger sandstone (also known as "carrstone"), red limestone (also known as "red chalk"), and chalk on top.

They face west, which is unusual for East Anglia—actually, it's unique. This is the kind of location that holds great appeal for romantics and landscape photographers alike, with the setting sun lighting up the cliffs as it lowers across Wash and a painterly combination of red, white, green, and blue.

Top 10 Famous and Beautiful Temples in the UK

8. Yorkshire, England

Photo: thecrazytourist

The county of Yorkshire in northern England is the go-to location for history buffs and those who love and appreciate ancient European architecture because of its Roman and Viking history. Yorkshire is a well-liked escape from London because of its national parks, gothic-style castles, and cathedrals from the 13th century.

Yorkshire is a place that has something for everyone and a great place to really start learning about daily life in the English countryside. It is close enough to the city of Manchester where you can catch live entertainment and sporting events, but just far enough from the stunning rolling fields of the English countryside.

9. Walberswick, Suffolk

Photo: thetimes

Before its harbor sank, Walberswick was a tiny trading port. The former fishing village has long since transformed into a haven for media types after being long adopted as a bohemian retreat by artists like Philip Wilson Steer and Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

These days, young families who want to unwind and go crabbing in the creek frequent it along with walkers and birdwatchers. The rowing-boat ferry across the River Blyth from Southwold, a business that has been in the same family for five generations, is the most atmospheric way to get to Walberswick, though.

10. Carn Euny, Cornwall

Photo: countrylife

The sense of private discovery is overwhelming, despite the fact that English Heritage is in charge of maintaining this ancient hut settlement. From the Chapel Carn Brea parking lot, head northeast over Tredinney Common and past the very natural, gurgling holy well that designates St. Euny's Chapel's location.

Under a gentle canopy of turf and wildflowers, the low stone walls of the roundhouses are clearly visible, and the entrance to a mysterious fogou (underground structure) is also visible. On a south-facing slope, this secluded and picturesque acre is a place to linger, perhaps with a picnic and a bottle of local cider.