With beautiful family-friendly beaches, stunning hidden coves and picturesque coastal walks, it's no surprise that people travel from all over the world to spend a few days exploring the gorgeous Gower peninsula in south Wales. The region was actually the first in Britain to be recognised and safeguarded as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) back in 1956 - and remains just as popular today.
The region, which spans about 70 miles, boasts a diverse landscape with beaches, salt marsh and rolling hills bursting with animals and other wildlife has now been named one of the UK's favourite scenic destinations. Which? - the consumer review and testing company - has rated all the Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and the National Scenic Areas (NSAs) in Scotland against eight criteria: peace and quiet, walks, opportunities for wildlife spotting, visitor facilities, food and drink, scenery, accommodation, and attractions.
Which? then calculated an overall score based on the rankings and how likely reviewers were to recommend the area - and ultimately, Gower has been ranked the joint-second top AONB with an impressive overall score of 83/100. For the latest Swansea (and Gower) news, sign up to our newsletter here
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Overall, the Isles of Scilly and the Northumberland Coast tied in first place, with scores of 89%, with Gower and the Antrim Coast and Glens, and the Causeway Coast, both of Northern Ireland, just behind with 83%.
Gower scored five stars for the quality of its walks on offer and four stars for its scenery, peace and quiet, and visitor facilities. Visitors praised the peninsula's "unspoiled bays" and "super scenery" in their reviews, Which? said, with one reviewer even praising the region as "heaven on Earth".
But the high scores and brilliant reviews weren't quite enough for the top spot. Ahead of the pack for the third year in a row, the Isles of Scilly has impressed visitors with its "spectacular scenery" and "beautiful beaches". The Isles scored five stars for scenery, walks, accommodation and peace and quiet, and four stars for wildlife spotting opportunities and visitor facilities.
Also at the top of the list, reviewers said they loved the Northumberland Coast's "beautiful unspoilt scenery" and "fantastic sea views" and gave it five stars for its scenery, walks and attractions, and four stars in the other categories. You can read the full findings of the Which? survey online here.
Sharing the rankings, editor of Which? Travel Rory Boland said: "The UK is blessed with a fantastic choice of unspoilt natural landscapes, and this year's survey shines a light on some of the most beautiful locations these isles have to offer.
"Whether you want to explore historical sites, spot wildlife in their natural habitats or get active in nature, there’s bound to be a unique scenic area on your doorstep just waiting to be explored."
