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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Alexander Smail

Four quaint Scottish villages named as spots travellers desperate to visit by TripAdvisor

A new report has named four villages in Scotland as some of the most up-and-coming travel destinations in the UK.

While major cities such as Edinburgh, London, and Belfast top the charts for travellers, many people are looking to head to rural locations increasing in popularity for something a little different.

Some of the top rural destinations include Onich and Morar in the Scottish Highlands, as well as Ratho - a village outside Edinburgh - and Balmaha off Loch Lomond, according to TripAdvisor's Winter Travel Index.

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The travel website analysed travel trends for the upcoming season and found that the majority of people in the country are keen to travel in the coming months.

UK travellers were found to prioritise affordability when planning a trip, with 71 per cent now considering it the most important factor. It also said 62 per cent of holidaymakers intend to change their travel behaviours due to the cost of living crisis, with 31 per cent planning to holiday closer to home.

The TripAdvisor report also identified the top 10 up-and-coming UK destinations.

Morar is known for its white sand beaches (Carlos G. Lopez / Getty Images)

While Borrowdale in the Lake District is the top fastest growing destination in the UK, Scotland makes up almost half of the list.

Onich and Morar, both in the Scottish Highlands, are in the top 10, as are Ratho in Edinburgh and Balmaha in Stirling.

Found on the eastern shore of Loch Linnhe, Onich is approximately five miles from Glencoe Village. It offers stunning views of Loch Linnhe and the mountains of Morven, as well as amenities such as a shop and post office, a petrol station, and a church.

Morar, meanwhile, is located approximately 50 miles northwest of Onich on the west coast of Scotland. It's well known for its beaches, which are called the White Sands of Morar, as well as the nearby Loch Morar, which is the deepest freshwater body in the British Isles.

Balmaha is right on the edge of Loch Lomond (Dennis Barnes / Getty Images)

Journeying south, Ratho is a village in the Rural West Edinburgh area of Edinburgh, standing on a ridge on the southeast side of the plain of the River Almond.

The older part of the village has been designated a Conservation Area, while newer attractions include the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena.

Rounding out the Scottish locations in the top 10, Balmaha is a village on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond that is known as a popular tourist destination for picnickers and day trippers from Glasgow. It is also a good base for climbing Conic Hill and exploring the island of Inchcailloch.

Top 10 up-and-coming UK destinations this winter according to TripAdvisor

  1. Borrowdale, Cumbria
  2. Castle Combe, Wiltshire
  3. Woolverton, Somerset
  4. Stuckton, Hampshire
  5. Onich, Scottish Highlands
  6. Morar, Scottish Highlands
  7. Ratho, Edinburgh
  8. Tewitfield, Lancashire
  9. Gosforth, Cumbria
  10. Balmaha, Stirling

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