UK’s 20 most Instagrammable villages revealed based on hashtags
From the Devon coast to Northumberland via Wales: Britain’s 20 most ‘Instagrammable’ villages revealed
- Researchers created a top 20 ranking by assessing the number of hashtags for 100 villages around the UK
- Among those on the list is a Northumberland village with an imposing castle and several Cotswolds hamlets
- No villages in Scotland or Northern Ireland made it – but their most Instagrammable villages are at the bottom
By Jennifer Newton for MailOnline
Published: 08:30 EDT, 15 July 2020 | Updated: 19:11 EDT, 15 July 2020
When it comes to pretty villages, Britain is undoubtedly a class act.
And so this picture-list of its most ‘Instagrammable’ hamlets is sweet eye-candy indeed.
It has been compiled by property website Bankrate, which took to image-sharing site Instagram and assessed the number of hashtags 100 villages dotted around the UK each had.
Then it created a top 20 ranking of the most hashtagged hamlets.
The list includes a stunning harbour village in Devon, an Italian-style settlement in Wales, a Northumberland location with an imposing castle and several picture-perfect destinations in the enchanting Cotswolds. No places in Scotland or Northern Ireland garnered enough hashtags to make the top 20 ranking – but we’ve included pictures of their most Instagrammable villages at the very bottom.
We present the list here in reverse order, so the villages become lovelier (in theory) as you scroll down…
SHANKLIN, ISLE OF WIGHT – 29,478 INSTAGRAM HASHTAGS: The Old Village in Shanklin is best known for its thatched dwellings, pictured, which are among the oldest buildings on the Isle of Wight
LYNMOUTH, DEVON – 30,392 HASHTAGS: Located on the rugged Exmoor coastline, Lynmouth was described by the painter Thomas Gainsborough as ‘the most delightful place for a landscape painter this country can boast’
STAITHES, NORTH YORKSHIRE – 36,055 HASHTAGS: This Yorkshire fishing village was once one of the busiest on the north-east coast and was a one-time home of explorer Captain James Cook
WARKWORTH, NORTHUMBERLAND – 37,123 HASHTAGS: Standing on a loop of the River Coquet, Warkworth is best known for its medieval castle, which dominates the village’s skyline
LACOCK, WILTSHIRE- 42,317 HASHTAGS: Most visitors to Lacock are drawn to Lacock Abbey, pictured, a country house owned by the National Trust that celebrates the life of William Henry Fox Talbot, inventor of the photographic negative
LAVENHAM, SUFFOLK – 44,396 HASHTAGS: The timber-framed Tudor-style buildings here are particularly photogenic. The village is often considered as the best-preserved medieval village in Britain
MOUSEHOLE, CORNWALL – 47,784 HASHTAGS: This historical fishing village lies two miles from Penzance and was once described by the poet Dylan Thomas as the ‘loveliest village in England’
POLPERRO, CORNWALL – 50,906 HASHTAGS: Polperro, in south Cornwall, is best known for its tightly-packed fishermen’s houses and its pretty harbour
LYMM, CHESHIRE – 54,348 HASHTAGS: Here visitors can enjoy a walk along the Bridgwater Canal, which once connected Runcorn, Manchester and Leigh
DEDHAM, ESSEX – 57,078 HASHTAGS: Situated on the River Stour and the border with Suffolk, Dedham harbours some of England’s most beautiful lowland landscapes, according to visitessex.com
CORFE CASTLE, DORSET – 62,995 HASHTAGS: This village takes its name after its ruined castle, which dates back over 1,000 years and was partially demolished in 1646 during the English Civil War
BIBURY, GLOUCESTERSHIRE – 63,835 HASHTAGS: This Cotswolds village is best known for its row of 17th-century weavers’ cottages and its water meadow
BAMBURGH, NORTHUMBERLAND – 64,682 HASHTAGS: Thousands of visitors flock to Bamburgh each year to see its famous castle and walk along its rugged coastline
ROBIN HOOD’S BAY, NORTH YORKSHIRE- 65,477 HASHTAGS: This village on the Heritage Coast of the North York Moors is famous for its steep and twisting streets and alleys that lead down to the beach
BOURTON-ON-THE-WATER, GLOUCESTERSHIRE – 71,873 HASHTAGS: This popular village, through which the River Windrush flows, has been described as the ‘Venice of the Cotswolds’
GRASMERE, CUMBRIA – 87,367 HASHTAGS: A popular tourist spot, Grasmere is best known for being the place where poet William Wordsworth lived. His home here, from 1799 to 1808, was called Dove Cottage
CASTLETON, DERBYSHIRE- 91,848 HASHTAGS: Located in the heart of the Peak District, Castleton is popular thanks to its show caves, history and beautiful scenery, such as the nearby 1,696ft hill Mam Tor
CASTLE COMBE, WILTSHIRE – 99,641 HASHTAGS: This Cotswolds village is a popular filming location and has been used as a set for movies including The Wolfman, Stardust and Steven Spielberg’s War Horse
PORTMEIRION, WALES – 114,323 HASHTAGS: An Italianate tourist village in North Wales, Portmeirion was designed by architect Clough Williams-Ellis. Its pastel-coloured buildings attract hundreds of thousands of visitors every year
CLOVELLY, DEVON – 134,353 HASHTAGS: Clinging to the side of a 400ft cliff, Clovelly is renowned for its steep cobbled streets, where cars are banned
Clovelly, pictured, remains a working fishing village and has enchanting views out across the Bristol Channel
BRITAIN’S 20 MOST INSTAGRAMMABLE VILLAGES
1. Clovelly, North Devon – 134,355 hashtags
2. Portmeirion, Wales – 114,323 hashtags
3. Castle Combe, Wiltshire – 99,641 hashtags
4. Castleton, Derbyshire – 91,848 hashtags
5. Grasmere, Cumbria – 87,367 hashtags
6. Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire – 71,873 hashtags
7. Robin Hood’s Bay, North Yorkshire – 65,477 hashtags
8. Bamburgh, Northumberland – 64,682 hashtags
9. Bibury, Gloucestershire – 63,835 hashtags
10. Corfe Castle, Dorset – 62,995 hashtags
11. Dedham, Essex – 57,078 hashtags
12. Lymm, Cheshire – 54,348 hashtags
13. Polperro, Cornwall – 50,906 hashtags
14. Mousehole, Cornwall – 47,784 hashtags
15. Lavenham, Suffolk – 44,396 hashtags
16. Lacock, Wiltshire – 42,317 hashtags
17. Warkworth, Northumberland – 37,123 hashtags
18. Staithes, North Yorkshire – 36,055 hashtags
19. Lynmouth, Devon – 30,392 hashtags
20. Shanklin, Isle of Wight – 29,478 hashtags
Source: Bankrate
And the most Instagrammable villages in Scotland and Northern Ireland are…
GROOMSPORT, COUNTY DOWN – 6,458 HASHTAGS: A former fishing port, Groomsport is now a popular destination for watersports such as sailing and powerboating
CARNLOUGH, COUNTY ANTRIM – 6,928 HASHTAGS: Game of Thrones fans might just recognise Carnlough. That’s because the stone steps down to the harbour feature in a season six episode, where Arya Stark crawls up from the water after being stabbed by the Waif
CUSHENDUN, COUNTY ANTRIM – 7,258 HASHTAGS: The harbour village of Cushendun boasts a series of scenic paths and caves that have been used as a filming location for Game of Thrones
PLOCKTON, SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS – 14,569 HASHTAGS: Situated on a bay overlooking Loch Carron, Plockton has appeared on screen in the movie The Wicker Man and the BBC series Hamish Macbeth
FORT AUGUSTUS, SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS – 24,609 HASHTAGS: The Caledonian Canal snakes right through Fort Augustus, which affords visitors magnificent views of Loch Ness
CRAIL, FIFE, SCOTLAND – 26,834 HASHTAGS: Pretty and peaceful, Crail boasts cobbled streets that lead down to a quaint harbour
