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Wellness Escapes: The UK's best locations to recharge and reconnect
With life getting busier and more demanding, many of us are left craving a proper escape where we can truly unwind and recharge. In recent years, we’ve seen a huge shift from wellness being a nice-to-have to an absolute necessity, with more people realising the value of dedicated spaces to decompress.
04 June 2025
Owning a holiday home in an area that encourages you to spend time focusing on your mental and physical wellbeing - whether that’s spending time outdoors or taking care of your fitness at the gym - can be a sure way to escape the hustle and bustle of modern life.
To find the UK’s best locations for wellbeing escapes and where prospective holiday home owners should be looking, holiday home sales providers, Away Resorts, has analysed 182 UK destinations for a series of ‘wellness’ factors, with each location being scored on a scale of 1 to 100. These factors include:
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Availability of walking trails within 10km
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Square miles of green space per person
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Hours of sunshine per year
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Availability of gyms
Which UK destinations are the best for a wellness escape?
With the summer season approaching and many prospective owners looking at where to purchase their new holiday home, we’ve rounded up the best spots to truly switch off and hit the reset button.
1. Oxford
Oxford takes the ranking’s first spot, as the UK’s best destination for a wellness lover. With 100 walking routes, including the landscape of the Thames Path, over 30 square metres of green space per person, 48 gyms and a dynamic atmosphere, Oxford can give holiday home owners an escape from chaotic life without losing out on the buzz of city life!
2. Guildford
Guildford is a walker’s paradise, with an extensive network of scenic trails like the North Downs Way and riverside paths along the River Wey. In fact, the West Surrey town offers over 280 walking routes within 10km.
3. Bristol
Bristol combines vibrant city life with plenty of green escapes, offering residents and visitors the best of both worlds! The city is known for its extensive network of over 150 nearby walking routes, including the scenic Bristol Harbourside and the Clifton Downs. With a thriving arts scene and plenty of independent cafes and shops, Bristol is perfect for those who want to stay active while enjoying a lively urban environment.
4. Hastings
Hastings shines with 1914 hours of sunshine per year, the highest of any location in our top 10. The weather pairs perfectly with its coastal walking routes like the famous Hastings Country Park trails and almost 50 square metres of green space per person.
5. Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the only Scottish destination to make it into the top 10 locations, with an overall score of 70.99. With one of the highest number of walking trails within 10km, from Arthur’s Seat and Blackford Hill to the Portobello Beach promenade, Scotland’s capital offers its visitors the perfect blend of greenery and coastline, all a stone’s throw away from the city centre.
6. Wokingham
For outdoor lovers, Wokingham is home to 85.2 square metres of green space per person, the second of any UK destination analysed - perfect for a recharge in the sunny Dinton Pastures Country Park! The Berkshire town also offers locals upwards of 180 walking trails within 10km to keep active.
7. Maidenhead
With the beautiful Thames Path running through it, Maidenhead provides walkers with scenic riverside walking routes to enjoy and over 85 square metres of green space per person - for only a 20-minute train from London, this market town has so much to offer.
8. Southampton
With over 300 walking routes nearby along the River Itchen and the nearby coast, and over 1700 hours of sunshine per year, Southampton is the perfect environment for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle, without completely sacrificing city life. Only a 40 minute drive from our Sandy Balls Holiday Village, holiday home owners can get a taste of Southampton, with all their home comforts nearby!
9. Chelmsford
Chelmsford offers nearly 50 square metres of green space per person, one of the highest among UK destinations analysed. Hylands Park, spanning 574 acres, provides a tranquil setting with woodlands, lakes, and gardens, perfect for outdoor relaxation. Additionally, the nearby River Chelmer offers numerous walking trails, allowing for peaceful riverside strolls.
10. Brighton and Hove
Long stretch of pebbles coastline make Brighton like no other place in the UK - ideal for sea swimming, paddleboarding, or simply soaking up the sun, all 1891 hours per year of it! The city also offers peaceful green spots like Queen’s Park and a lively atmosphere that makes unwinding feel easy.
Methodology:
To find the UK’s best locations for wellbeing escapes and where prospective holiday home owners should be looking, holiday home sales providers, Away Resorts, has analysed 182 UK destinations for a series of ‘wellness’ factors, with each location being scored on a scale of 1 to 100. These factors include:
-
Availability of walking trails within 10km
-
Square miles of green space per person
-
Hours of sunshine per year
-
Availability of gyms
About Away Resorts:
Away Resorts is one of the UK’s most popular holiday park operators, with 25 locations across the UK, including Scotland, Lincolnshire, Isle of Wight, North Wales, Hampshire, Dorset, Cornwall, Hayling Island and Essex.