Summer is a season of excitement with holidays booked, out of offices on, and the stress of the daily grind beginning to fade. The idea of relaxing and escaping reality is a necessity for many people, and with this in mind, experts at ICE Headshop sought to discover the most peaceful destinations for a staycation in the UK.
An index was created by compiling a seed list of peaceful locations, and analysed weighted variables for each including; crime rates, Instagram hashtags, population and peaceful outdoor activities. Then, the findings were combined to establish an overall peace score out of 100 for each of the 53 analysed locations in order to reveal the top 10 most peaceful UK destinations.
The UK’s most peaceful destinations:
| Rank | Peaceful Destination | Population | Crime rate (per 1,000 habitants) | Hiking Trails | Bird watching trails | Fishing trails | Instagram hashtags | Peacefulness score (/100) |
| 1 | Over Haddon, Peak District | 259 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 1,441 | 85.92 |
| 2 | Bassenthwaite, Cumbria | 384 | 76 | 39 | 29 | 11 | 18,696 | 82.66 |
| 3 | Bakewell, Derbyshire | 4,258 | 57 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 1,563 | 79.29 |
| 4 | Reeth, North Yorkshire | 658 | 23 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 17,166 | 78.64 |
| 5 | Broadway, Worcestershire | 2,716 | 41 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 3,924 | 77.21 |
| 6 | Portmeirion, Gwynedd | 1,987 | 53 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 2,461 | 76.24 |
| 7 | Rye, East Sussex | 4,480 | 67 | 19 | 10 | 1 | 36,921 | 75.68 |
| 8 | Hathersage, Derbyshire | 1,860 | 42 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 34,214 | 75.54 |
| 9 | Hawes, North Yorkshire | 1,039 | 38 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 33,461 | 75.30 |
| 10 | Mullion, Cornwall | 2,300 | 24 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 25,386 | 72.66 |
To view the full dataset, please click here.
Findings revealed that Over Haddon, a village in the Peak District, is the most peaceful UK destination, with a peace score of 85.92 out of 100. The area is home to 12 hiking trails and 6 bird watching trails. Set peacefully among the rolling fields of the White Peak, the main attraction is by far the beautiful views which stretch for miles making it great for walking. Of all the areas in the research, it has the fewest number of Instagram hashtags (100), giving it the ‘hidden gem’ status! With just 12 crimes per 1,000 inhabitants, it has the lowest crime rate of all destinations.
Bassenthwaite, Cumbria ranks as the second most peaceful destination for a staycation, with an impressive peace score of 82.66 out of 100. Filled with wildlife and water, the village sits quietly in a valley at the north end of the Lake District and has plenty of exercise options holding the highest number of hiking trails at 39.
Next on the list is another Peak District gem. Located in Derbyshire, Bakewell stands as the third most peaceful location to visit. With a population of just 4,258 inhabitants, this picturesque town has a peace score of 79.29 out of 100, and whilst it lacks fishing trails, it does boast 13 hiking trails and a town filled with treasures.
Dr Gurpreet Kaur, chartered clinical psychologist & EMDR practitioner commented on the importance of breaks to reduce burnout:
To reduce burnout, there needs to be some level of acceptance that life is hard and looking after your emotions, mental and physical wellbeing is key. Taking a break teaches the mind and body that it is safe, and that relaxing is an important skill. Taking a break more regularly teaches the mind not only that it is important to switch off from stress but also how to switch off from stress. The common mistake people make is only switching off when they absolutely need to, this is not resting this is simply recovering in order to go and get back into fight mode.
Dr Gurpreet Kaur, chartered clinical psychologist & EMDR practitioner
Joanne is the editor for Workplace Wellbeing Professional and has a keen interest in promoting the safety and wellbeing of the global workforce. After earning a bachelor's degree in English literature and media studies, she taught English in China and Vietnam for two years. Before joining Work Well Pro, Joanne worked as a marketing coordinator for luxury property, where her responsibilities included blog writing, photography, and video creation.
