Seeing Northern Lights on Scottish island named top must-do UK experience

Journeying to one Scottish island to see the Northern Lights has been named among the best staycation experiences in the UK.

With July just around the corner, there is an endless list of ways to spend the summer holidays. While jetting off abroad is an option for some, there are also plenty of holiday destinations closer to home worth checking out.

Award-winning travel writer and author Richard Madden and cottage rental website Sykes Holiday Cottages conducted a study asking 2,000 adults what they thought were the top things to see and do within the UK. According to the results, coming in at number one is seeing the aurora borealis from the Isle of Skye.

The colourful spectacle is visible more commonly in Scotland than any other part of the UK thanks to the country’s northern position. When light pollution is low and solar activity is strong, Skye is illuminated in dazzling shades of green, red, and purple.

Known for its especially dark skies, the largest island in the Inner Hebrides has long been a popular destination amongst tourists far and wide hoping to catch a glimpse of the aurora. The more northern and remote areas of Skye, such as the community-owned estate of Glendale, are said to be particular hotspots.

Another experience in Scotland was also named as one of the top staycation experiences in the nation, with driving along the Isle of Arran’s coast placing at number five. Taking just a few hours to loop around the spectacular island in the Firth of Clyde, you will take in a wide variety of landscapes — from rugged mountains to tranquil sandy beaches.

Elsewhere in Scotland, the Jacobsite Steam Train from Fort William to Mallaig also ranks in the top 10 according to the results. The 84-mile round-trip, which takes passengers along the iconic Glenfinnan viaduct famous for its role in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets places at number eight.

Meanwhile, The Eden Project botanical garden in Cornwall was named as the number two experience in the UK to try. The Titanic Museum in Belfast and the ancient Stonehenge site in Wiltshire follow behind in third and fourth place respectively.

Chief executive of Sykes Holiday Cottages Graham Donoghue commented: “There is so much on our doorstep when it comes to holidays and activities, with the UK boasting a whole host of exciting things to see and do. Our research has shown that Brits have a strong desire to tick off a wide range of experiences in this country, including must-visit museums, natural phenomena, and popular nature spots.

“While the UK might be smaller in size in comparison to other countries, there is still plenty to pack into a staycation. Sometimes it’s just knowing where to start, but this jam-packed list should provide some inspiration.

“Some of the activities that have topped our bucket list might only be a stone’s throw away from where you live and with summer officially beginning, there is no better time to head out your door and explore.”

Mr Madden added: “It’s great to see that travellers’ sense of adventure is just as strong while on a staycation as it is when abroad. During my time as a travel writer, I’ve discovered that the UK is not short of unforgettable locations, historic landmarks, unique experiences, and impressive wildlife.

“Hopefully this new research will spark ideas for trips closer to home this year.”

The top 30 UK experiences Brits would most like to try

1. Seeing the Northern Lights from the Isle of Skye, Scotland
2. Visiting the Eden Project in Cornwall
3. Visiting the Titanic Museum in Belfast, Northern Ireland
4. Visiting Stonehenge in Wiltshire
5. Driving along the Isle of Arran’s coast in Scotland
6. Visiting Cheddar Gorge in Somerset
7. Spend the day at Portmeirion Village in North Wales
8. A round trip on The Jacobite Steam Train from Fort William to Mallaig
9. Fossil hunting along the Jurassic Coast in Dorset
10. Watch otters play in the Avalon Marches in Somerset
11. Seal spotting at Blakeney Point, Norfolk
12. Visiting Lindisfarne & the Farne Islands in Northumbria
13. Hiring a canal boat along the Kennet and Avon canal (Reading to Bristol)
14. Visiting Bletchley Park in Milton Keynes
15. Visiting Brownsea Island in Dorset to spot its red squirrels
16. Watching a play at the Minack Theatre in Cornwall
17. Watching starling murmurations at the River Exe Estuary (Devon), in Dungeness (Kent), in Leighton Moss (Lancashire), or from Aberystwyth Pier (Ceredigion)
18. Visiting Fountains Abbey a World Heritage site in Yorkshire
19. Visiting Housesteads Fort on Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland
20. Visiting the Gower Peninsular in Glamorgan, Wales
21. Riding the SteamLights at The Bluebell Railway in East Sussex
22. Hiking up the Glastonbury Tor, a hill rising 518 feet, in Somerset
23. Visiting the family home of Sir Winston Churchill in Kent
24. Attending the Dark Skies Festival in February in Yorkshire
25. Surfing in Newquay, Cornwall
26. Visiting the burial site of Raedwald, King of East Anglia, at Sutton Hoo Ship Burial in Suffolk
27. Visiting WWT Slimbridge, a wetland nature reserve, in Somerset
28. Bird watching at St Abb’s Head National Nature Reserve in Berwickshire, Scotland
29. Cycling or walking The Ridgeway in Wiltshire/Buckinghamshire
30. Watching the Cooper’s Hill annual Cheese Rolling contest in Gloucestershire

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