Latest news with #GOOutdoors
Daily Record
08-07-2025
- Daily Record
Scottish loch crowned 'most scenic lake' in UK blowing Lake District out the water
Six lochs have been named among the most picturesque across the UK. A Scottish loch has been named the "most scenic lake" in the UK. It triumphed over popular beauty spots in the renowned Lake District in England. Scotland features more than 30,000 freshwater lochs in total. Some of these are famous around the world, while many others are hidden gems known only by locals. On Monday, July 7, GO Outdoors shared a list of the most picturesque lochs and lakes across the UK according to social media postings on Instagram and TikTok. Six out of the 10 beauty spots named are located in Scotland. Coming in at number one on the experts' list is Loch Lomond. Situated in the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, the loch has 672,500 social media posts in total. According to GO Outdoors, there are 629,000 posts on Instagram tagging Loch Lomond. Meanwhile, there are 43,500 videos on TikTok of the iconic loch. Loch Lomond is the largest freshwater body of water in Great Britain by surface area, measuring 22.6 miles long and featuring a surface area of 27.5 square miles. Famously featuring in the song 'The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond', it is among the most popular beauty spots in the country. Loch Lomond is a top hiking destination, surrounded by dramatic hills. Visitors can climb the nearby Ben Lomond mountain to get incredible views out over the water. Following behind in second place on the experts' roundup is Loch Ness. The beauty spot, which is located in the Scottish Highlands, has received 585,700 total social media posts according to GO Outdoors. Loch Ness has the largest volume and is the second-deepest of any freshwater body of water in Great Britain. The loch is best known around the world for the supposed sightings of the mythical Loch Ness Monster, affectionately known as 'Nessie'. In addition to Nessie, Loch Ness is famous for being the site of the picturesque Urquhart Castle. The ruined castle dates back to the 13th century, and was passed between Scotland and England during the Wars of Independence. Elsewhere in Scotland, Loch Fyne placed at number five on the list of the "most scenic lakes" in the UK. The loch on the west coast of Argyll and Bute was found to have 66,025 total posts on Instagram on TikTok. Other lochs to be included on the roundup are Loch Tay in the Central Highlands, Loch Leven in Kinross, and Loch Morlich at the foot of Cairngorm Mountain. The three beauty spots were found to have 53,217, 52,818, and 49,223 social media posts about them respectively. Author and outdoor enthusiast at GO Outdoors Natalie Wolfenden commented: "From Loch Lomond to Wast Water, the UK is home to spectacular lakes, and as the weather gets warmer, there's no better time to get outside and enjoy their natural beauty. "To make the most of your lake visit, it is important to be prepared. Walking boots and sturdy waterproof jackets will ensure you remain comfortable no matter the weather, while a day pack to carry essentials, like a reusable water bottle and snacks, will ensure you are well-equipped for your lake adventure!" GO Outdoors website. The 'most scenic lakes' in the UK Loch Lomond, Scotland Loch Ness, Scotland Derwentwater, England Windermere, England Loch Fyne, Scotland Loch Tay, Scotland Loch Leven, Scotland Wast Water, England Loch Morlich, Scotland Coniston Water, England
Daily Record
07-07-2025
- Daily Record
Scotland's best lochs to explore this summer as selected by outdoor experts
Scotland's most scenic lochs were ranked based on Instagram and TikTok posts, just in time for summer As summer reaches its peak and the sun begins to shine more and more (hopefully), many of us feel the pull of water, whether it's the seaside or the stillness of a loch. And for those who prefer tranquillity over crowded sands, a visit to one of Scotland's stunning lochs might be just the ticket. To help inspire your next waterside escape, the experts at GO Outdoors have compiled a list of the most scenic lochs for a visit in Scotland. The analysis is based on the number of Instagram and TikTok posts the beauty spots have attracted. Unsurprisingly, two iconic bodies of water top the chart, Loch Lomond and Loch Ness. Loch Lomond, nestled within the breathtaking Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, has been named the most picturesque lake in the UK, boasting over 600,000 social media mentions. Stretching for 22 miles, it is the largest lake in Britain by surface area and is surrounded by rolling hills, making it a picture-perfect destination for nature lovers and photographers alike. Visitors can hike up nearby Ben Lomond for sweeping views from the famous Munro, or stay closer to the water and enjoy a variety of outdoor activities. The loch, which lies a short drive to the west of Glasgow, is also one of Scotland's top destinations for boating and watersports, offering everything from kayaking and canoeing to jet skiing and windsurfing. In the words of GO Outdoors: 'Arguably the most famous loch that doesn't feature a monster... and not far from Glasgow, [it] is the largest mainland body of water (in surface area) in Britain… "The real draw of Loch Lomond though is the beauty of the area and is well worth a visit.' Taking second place is the legendary Loch Ness, with over 500,000 posts across TikTok and Instagram. Known around the world for its mysterious monster, Nessie, the loch also delivers on scenery, history and adventure. Urquhart Castle stands watch over the deep waters, while nearby woodlands and hills provide a dramatic backdrop. From boat trips to castle tours and scenic walks, the loch offers something for everyone. GO Outdoors wrote: 'We couldn't really create this list without the world famous Loch Ness. "If the pursuit of the 'mythical' Loch Ness Monster wasn't enough to entice you to the Highlands of Scotland, then let the picturesque landscapes surrounding the Loch draw you in. "Loch Ness is 23 miles long and offers everything you'd expect from a Loch of its size… what you'll also find on the banks of Loch Ness is Urquhart Castle watching over the sometimes misty waters.' For those planning a visit, Natalie Wolfenden, author and outdoor enthusiast at GO Outdoors, had some advice: 'From Loch Lomond to Loch Tay, Scotland is home to spectacular lakes, and as the weather gets warmer, there's no better time to get outside and enjoy their natural beauty. 'To make the most of your lake visit, it is important to be prepared. Walking boots and sturdy waterproof jackets will ensure you remain comfortable no matter the weather. "And a day pack to carry essentials, like a reusable water bottle and snacks, will ensure you are well-equipped for your lake adventure.'
Daily Record
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
The Scottish seaside holiday park with its own private beach and restaurant
The popular park has earned rave reviews from visitors and was named the best in the UK last year. If you are stuck for ideas on where to head for a holiday this summer, a holiday park is a great idea. All over Scotland, there are countless family parks that will delight visitors both young and old. One spot that has received numerous awards and is popular amongst guests too is Auchenlarie Holiday Park. The park, which is situated along the stunning coastline of Dumfries and Galloway, was named the best in the UK last year by experts at GO Outdoors. Auchenlarie Holiday Park offers a range of different accommodation options, including cottages that sleep between four and nine guests, lodges, and holiday homes—both of which sleep up to six. There are also a variety of hardstanding and grass pitches available. Among the highlights of Auchenlarie, especially as we enter the peak of summer, is its direct access to a secluded beach. Overlooking the gorgeous Wigtown Bay, the private cove is compact but perfect to soak up some sun and for little ones to run around in. Meanwhile, if you don't get lucky with the weather, there is also a Leisure Suite with a heated indoor swimming pool —including a shallow area for younger visitors to splash around in. The leisure facilities also include a fully equipped gymnasium. As well as the beach and pool, there is The Zone amusement arcade and games room that features a range of coin-operated amusements. There are also kids' clubs and family entertainment available for little ones. Elsewhere, there are a number of other activities specifically catered towards children. These include face painting and jewellery-making classes. Another top feature of Auchenlarie Holiday Park is its Tide and Table restaurant. The eatery serves up a broad variety dishes including classic fish and chips, burgers, steaks, and pasta. Tide and Table also includes the Tides Takeaway, where visitors can order food to enjoy back in their accommodation. Pizza, burgers, fish and chips, and even a dedicated children's menu are available. For adults, there is a sports bar that features four screens showing most sporting events. In addition to beer, the bar also offers a new gin and wine menu. Guests have the opportunity to pick up essentials and non-essentials at Auchenlarie Holiday Park's own convenience store. The shop stocks everything from milk and bread to sandwiches, sweets, and ice cream. On camping, glamping, caravan, and holiday park website Pitchup, Auchenlarie Holiday Park has received very positive reviews from past visitors. The park has an overall rating of 8.8 out of 10 based on 234 reviews. One recent guest shared: "Caravan was spotless. Nice and big. Did a few crafts, the kids liked that. Everything is kept clean." A second wrote: "Good value for money. Ideal for couples and families.
Daily Record
18-06-2025
- Daily Record
Three Scottish beaches named among best UK spots for paddleboarding this summer
Three Scottish beaches have made the UK's top 10 paddleboarding spots according to a new research With warmer weather sweeping in and paddleboards being dusted off across the country, new research has revealed the best places in the UK to enjoy stand-up paddleboarding, and three Scottish beaches have made the top 10. The analysis, conducted by outdoor experts at GO Outdoors, considered key factors such as water quality, annual sunshine hours, wind speeds, rainfall, and the availability of lessons to rank the top destinations. Leading the Scottish entries is Wardie Bay in Edinburgh, coming in fourth place with a paddleboarding score of 8.37 out of 10 . Tucked between Granton Harbour and Newhaven on the Firth of Forth, Wardie Bay is celebrated for its calm, sheltered waters, thanks to the nearby harbour wall. These conditions make it an ideal spot for both beginners and experienced paddleboarders. With excellent water classification and an average annual wind speed of 8.56 metres per second, the beach also receives 1,428 hours of sunshine each year. The bay has become a hub for Edinburgh's outdoor water lovers, home to a thriving community of wild swimmers and paddlers who gather year-round. Easily reachable by bus and with nearby parking, it is growing in popularity as one of the city's top watersport destinations. Further north, Cullen Beach in Moray ranks seventh overall with a paddleboarding score of 7.55 . Known for its expansive golden sands and excellent water quality, Cullen Bay is nestled beneath the iconic 'Three Kings' rock formations. Its sheltered waters and scenic surroundings make it a favourite among wildlife watchers too, with dolphins often spotted offshore. The beach sits below Cullen Golf Course and is surrounded by dramatic cliffs, making for an unforgettable paddle. Free parking is available under the viaduct, with public facilities near the clubhouse and summer refreshments from an ice cream van. The town centre also offers a selection of shops and places to eat. Portobello Beach , also in Edinburgh, rounds out the Scottish entries at number eight, scoring 7.46 . While its water quality is listed as 'sufficient,' Portobello's charm lies in its proximity to the capital and its sweeping views of Arthur's Seat. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. The beach offers two miles of sandy coastline and a lively promenade filled with cafés. Located just three miles from Edinburgh's city centre, Portobello is a convenient and scenic location for paddleboarding when conditions are right, although it does not currently offer formal lessons. Rank Location Local Authority Country Water classification Average annual sunshine hours Average annual rainfall (mm) Mean wind speed (m/s) per 10m Paddleboarding lessons Paddleboarding score /10 1 Boscombe Pier Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole England Excellent 1,694 919 8.36 Yes 9.73 2 River Dart Devon England Good 1,729 901 8.35 Yes 8.82 3 Whitby North Yorkshire England Excellent 1,567 906 9.41 Yes 8.73 4 Wardie Bay City of Edinburgh Scotland Excellent 1,428 933 8.56 Yes 8.37 5 Cotswold Water Park Cotswolds England Excellent 1,514 790 9.98 Yes 8.00 5 Marazion Beach Cornwall England Good 1,753 1,003 8.50 Yes 8.00 7 Cullen Beach Moray Scotland Excellent 1,455 1,005 9.73 Yes 7.55 8 Portobello Beach City of Edinburgh Scotland Sufficient 1,428 933 7.60 No 7.46 10 Swansea Bay Swansea Wales Good 1,573 1,334 8.30 Yes 7.45 With a more modest wind speed of 7.60 m/s, it provides a calmer paddling environment, especially for those looking to stay closer to shore. England's Boscombe Pier in Bournemouth claimed the top spot with a near-perfect score of 9.73 , boasting excellent water quality, paddleboarding lessons, and ideal wind and sunshine conditions.
Scotsman
09-06-2025
- Scotsman
The UK's most picturesque biking spots named ahead of Bike Week 2025
Ahead of Bike Week on June 9, new research has revealed the UK's most picturesque cycling routes. In the UK there are countless beautiful bike trails to explore, bringing plenty of opportunities to snap those visually appealing photos for your Instagram. Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... As such, the experts at GO Outdoors have revealed the most beautiful and Instagrammable bike trails in the UK. Natalie Wolfenden, Content Manager and outdoor specialist at GO Outdoors, commented: 'As the warmer weather approaches, people will be getting outdoors more and on biking or hiking trails to explore the natural beauty of the UK. But, it is essential to make sure you are properly prepared before you endeavour into the wilderness of the UK on your bike. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Ensure that your bike is in full working condition. This includes ensuring your tyres are pumped to the correct pressure, which is usually written on the sidewall of your tyres. There may be a recommended range to adjust for different conditions. You should check your brakes are in working order as well, and it may be a good idea to pack repair kits for your tyres, just in case. Tell us your news 'You may also want to research the bike trail you'll be travelling along before heading out to make sure there are no potentially unpleasant surprises. There are sites, such as All Trails, that give each trail a difficulty rating, estimated completion time and best starting point to help you choose the optimum route along the trail.' The most beautiful bike trails in the UK: Rank Route Name Location Total Number of Reviews TripAdvisor Reviews that Mention "Beautiful" Percentage of Reviews that Mention "Beautiful" 1 Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal Brecon Beacons, Wales 536 150 28.0% 2 Kielder Water & Forest Park Kielder, England 778 217 27.9% 3 Beddgelert Forest Beddgelert, Wales 70 19 27.1% 4 Manifold Way Hulme End, England 98 26 26.5% 5 Great Stour Way Canterbury, England 89 20 22.5% 6 Tarka Trail North Devon, England 253 55 21.7% 7 The River Avon Trail Stratford-upon-Avon, England 393 83 21.1% 8 Kinnoull Hill Perth, Scotland 310 63 20.3% 9 The Granite Way Okehampton, England 249 50 20.1% 10 Drakes Trail Plymouth, England 51 10 19.6% 11 The Camel Trail Wadebridge, England 641 115 17.9% 12 Longdendale Trail Glossop, England 74 12 16.2% 13 Tissington Trail Peak District, England 478 70 14.6% 14 Exe Trail Exmouth, England 82 12 14.6% 15 Grizedale Forest Hawkshead, Lake District, England 995 133 13.4% Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal, Brecon Beacons Percentage of Reviews that Mention "beautiful": 28.0% Of the most popular bike trails in the UK, the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal trail is the one with the highest proportion of reviews including the word 'beautiful'. Of the 536 reviews for this trail on TripAdvisor, 28% of them mentioned how beautiful the sights along the trail are. One such reviewer commented, 'The canal and surrounding countryside was beautiful' and another on the 'beautiful surrounding countryside and wildlife' the trail provides. Kielder Water & Forest Park, Kielder Percentage of Reviews that Mention "beautiful": 27.9% Praised for its beauty by 27.9% of the 778 reviews on TripAdvisor, in second place for the most beautiful bike trail in the UK, we have the Kielder Water and Forest Park trail. Home to northern Europe's largest man-made lake and England's largest forest, reviewers said, 'The walks are just beautiful, it is so scenic', and another commented on the 'Beautiful views of the water and spotted an osprey catching a fish'. Beddgelert Forest, Beddgelert Percentage of Reviews that Mention "beautiful": 27.1% Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad And in third place for the most beautiful bike trails in the UK, we have the Beddgelert Forest trail. One of the more remote and less known trails, it has 70 reviews on TripAdvisor, but of those reviews, over one in four (27%) of them mention the beauty of this trail. One reviewer commented that it is a 'beautiful place, great for de-stressing', and another of the 'views of forest fauna and the essential mountains'. The most Instagrammable bike trails in the UK: Rank Route Name Location Number of Instagram Posts 1 Tarka Trail North Devon, England 18,045 2 Grizedale Forest Hawkshead, Lake District, England 17,648 3 Tissington Trail Peak District, England 11,443 4 Kinnoull Hill Perth, Scotland 8,909 5 Antur Stiniog Blaenau Ffestiniog, Snowdonia-Eryi, Wales 7,743 6 Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal Brecon Beacons, Wales 4,734 7 Strawberry Line Cheddar, Somerset, England 4,586 8 Cuckoo Trail Polegate, East Sussex, England 3,780 9 Hicks Lodge Ashby-de-la-Zouch, England 3,034 10 Longdendale Trail Glossop, England 2,095 11 Beddgelert Forest Beddgelert, Wales 1,881 12 Kielder Water & Forest Park Kielder, England 1,705 13 Drakes Trail Plymouth, England 1,596 14 Alvaston Park Alvaston, Derbyshire, England 1,482 15 Crab & Winkle Way Whitstable, England 1,377 Tarka Trail Number of Instagram Posts: 18,045 Among the most popular bike trails in the UK, the Tarka Trail comes out as the one with the most Instagram posts. The trail runs from Braunton to Meeth down in Devon, and there are currently 18,045 posts on the social media site. There's a vast array of pictures of people biking and the gorgeous views of the river along the trail, as well as old railway infrastructure for those interested in trains. Grizedale Forest Number of Instagram Posts: 17,648 Grizedale Forest comes in second place for popular UK bike trails with the most Instagram posts. The trail is in the heart of the Lake District, near Hawkshead, and has 17,648 posts on Instagram. Many of these posts show off the unique and wondrous sites along the trail, including the musical tree in which you can wind a key inserted into it, and a melody is played. Tissington Trail Number of Instagram Posts: 11,443 And in third place, we have Tissington Trail, a popular cycling route in the Peak District. This trail appears in 11,443 posts for #tissingtontrail on Instagram, which displays yet another vast array of people's images showcasing the cycling route and the beauty you can find along it, including vast fields of wildflowers and oftentimes sheep.
