discover Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty

Holiday cottages and accommodation in AONBs across the UK

Choose from a wide selection of holiday cottages, hotels, self-catering properties, inns, lodges, Travelodges, Premier Inns etc in AONBs across the UK. Pictured is Seatown in the Dorset AONB.

Sponsorsed Advertisement

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Visitor & Tourism Guide

What is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or AONB?
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or AONB is an area of beautiful and important land within the UK. These areas are not as highly protected as National Parks but nevertheless contain landscapes and attractions that pull in tens of millions of visitors a year.

The National Scenic Area or NSA is the Scottish equivalent of the AONB.

Some of the UK's most popular holiday spots
In the UK, AONBs/NSAs are not well known despite the vast tourist industry that many of them support. This is why we list them here in a separate section.

If you're heading off for your summer holidays to the South Hams in South Devon or the coastline of Cornwall then it's highly likely that you'll be in a part of an AONB. Visiting the Cotswolds? Again, an AONB. Northumberland Coast? Yes, an AONB.

So, if you're looking to discover an amazing new place, these AONBs are a fine place to start.

Some recommendations but explore for yourself
For coastline, try: South Devon, Cornwall, North Devon, Isles of Scilly, Northumberland Coast, the Gower and Norfolk Coast.

For rolling countryside, try: the Shropshire Hills, the Lincolnshire Wolds, the Cotswolds and the Chilterns.

For heathland, try: Suffolk Coast and Heaths.

Try National Parks, too
Clearly, if you're into Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty or their Scottish equivalents, the National Scenic Areas, then we'd recommend spending some time planning trips to the UK's National Parks.

All Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Anglesey, Antrim Coast and Glens, Arnside and Silverdale, Binevenagh, Blackdown Hills, Cannock Chase, Causeway Coast, Chichester Harbour, Chilterns, Clwydian Range, Cornwall, Cotswolds, Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs, Dedham Vale, Dorset, East Devon, East Hampshire, Forest of Bowland, Gower, High Weald, Howardian Hills, Isle of Wight, Isles of Scilly, Kent Downs, Lagan Valley, Lecale Coast, Lincolnshire Wolds, Lleyn, Malvern Hills, Mendip Hills, Mourne, Nidderdale, Norfolk Coast, North Devon, North Pennines, North Wessex Downs, Northumberland Coast, Quantock Hills, Ring of Gullion, Shropshire Hills, Solway Coast, South Devon, Sperrin, Strangford Lough, Suffolk Coast and Heaths, Surrey Hills, Sussex Downs, Tamar Valley, Wye Valley