A sleepy British village keeps making it on to lists for the 'best in the world' - and visitors believe its 'unspoiled' charm might be the reason why.
Castle Combe in Wiltshire is surrounded by the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and boasts plenty of scenic walks and quaint old streets waiting to be explored.
It has been regularly featured as a film location and has been featured in The Wolf Man, Stardust and Stephen Spielberg’s War Horse - as well as the original Dr Doolittle film.
Its church, St Andrew’s, dates back to the 13th Century, and boasts a unique faceless clock which is reputed to be one of the oldest working clocks in the country.
When it's time to unwind, Castle Combe has a handful of pubs and a luxury hotel with a golf course.
The village's frozen-in-time feel has certainly left an impression on tourists, with some calling it "stunning" and claiming it looks just as good in real life as it does in photos.
One happy visitor wrote on Trip advisor: “Castle Combe is as picturesque in real life as it looks online. Truly the prettiest village I have visited.
"Quiet and peaceful; mostly privately owned and residential homes to people so I’d hope people respect this.
“The river is beautiful, the buildings are stunning, the roads are quiet yet small, so drive carefully through the village.
“I managed to find a parking space on the hill, which was free, although there is also a pay and display car park at the top of the hill. There are no pavements on the way down.”
Those who have never been there also seem to be attracted to the village's picturesque scenery.
Last year, an eye-tracking technology experiment by Estate Agent comparison site GetAgent conducted to find out which of the world’s most beautiful streets are most aesthetically pleasing saw Castle Combe rank in the top 20.
It ranked alongside Philosopher’s Path in Kyoto and Paris's Rue de l'Abreuvoir, reports Wiltshire Live.
Participants were asked to examine a set of images depicting over 50 of the world’s most picturesque roads, and AI technology was used to analyse their eye movements in order to rank which streets are truly the most eye-catching.
Its appeal has however also had some inevitable impacts on narrow old roads, and the village struggles with huge traffic problem at peak times with limited parking space available.
Another user posted on a review website: “Lovely village but avoid like the plague on Bank Holidays and busy weekends.
“The car park gets full early and there is nowhere else to park. Even if you do make it into the village you can't get the views you want and the atmosphere is completely spoilt by too many people. It is far better to visit during the week or in the off-season.”
Laurence, owner of Oldbury travel agency told the Express.co.uk that Castle Combe can become congested as "cars have to be parked at the hills" - but the village it is "extremely popular" despite this, because it is "very well preserved.”
Earlier this year, Dunns Lane car park in the village was at the heart of a dispute as it overflowed and vehicles parked "illegally and dangerously" over the busy Easter holiday weekend.
