New study reveals 39% of Brits would visit a rural destination solely for social media-worthy photos

• New research has revealed the UK’s top picturesque remote locations with Loch Awe, Cornwall’s St Michael’s Mount, the Isle of Skye and the Holy Island of Lindisfarne coming out on top.

• Four in 10 (39%) said they would visit a remote destination for Instagram-worthy photos, with over a quarter (26%) saying signal strength is a big priority when looking at destinations.

• Research was commissioned by Sky Mobile who offer 99% coverage across the UK, as Brits are destined for more staycations this August bank holiday

As Brits head for a staycation bank holiday, the UK’s top 10 most ‘picturesque’ remote locations have been revealed, with Cornwall’s St Michael’s Mount (20%), Isle of Skye in Scotland (19%) and Northumberland’s Holy Island of Lindisfarne (14%) topping the list.

Loch Awe, one of the largest freshwater lochs in Scotland, also features in the top 10.

The poll, commissioned by Sky Mobile, whose 99% coverage across the UK allows stay-cationers to be snap and post-ready, revealed that almost half (49%) of Brits are planning a staycation instead of holidays abroad.

They cited the abundance of lovely locations in the UK (50%), the cost-of-living crisis (31%), and the desire to avoid the stresses of traveling (29%) as reasons they’ll be staying in the UK.

The survey of 2,000 British adults also identified what Brits have on their ‘wish list’ for a perfect staycation with beautiful landscapes (51%), picturesque locations (48%) and peace and quiet (45%) topping the list.

Getting content for the ‘gram’ is important to Brits as over a third (39%) are likely to visit a remote picturesque location to get that social media shot. A third (31%) of 18-35s admitted to taking just 5 minutes to post on their socials, but the over 45s are slower to upload, taking an average of 30 minutes to get live.

The 10 most picturesque remote locations in the UK are:
1. St Michael’s Mount, Cornwall (20%)
2. Isle of Skye, Scotland (19%)
3. The Holy Island of Lindisfarne, Northumberland (14%)
4. Fort William, Scotland (11%)
5. Orkney, Scotland (11%)
6. Loch Awe, Scotland (7%)
7. Wye Valley, Herefordshire (6%)
8. Old Harry Rocks, Dorset (6%)
9. Fair Isle, Shetlands (6%)
10. Llyn Peninsula, Wales (6%)

When it comes to UK vs abroad, a third (33%) of those polled say UK’s off the beaten track locations are much more exciting to explore than some found abroad and nine in 10 (90%) admit to not realising how many beautiful places there are in the UK.

When looking for the perfect location, a beautiful landscape (51%), good or natural lighting (44%) and unspoiled natural background (36%) were the top things Brits think are key to securing the best shot.

Despite beautiful landscapes being key to the perfect picture, of those surveyed over a fifth (21%) aged between 18-35 admitted they always edit their photos before posting them on social media, compared to just 9% of over 45s who prefer to leave their photos as nature intended.

Taking snaps whilst on holiday (36%), travelling (26%) and when exploring somewhere new (24%) are the top occasions for people to post on social media. Mealtimes also peaked as a snap-worthy occasion for 18-35s (17%) but the phone is evidently not allowed at the table according to over 45s with only 3% citing this as an occasion.

Furthermore, the ability to stay connected with friends whilst away is high on the wish list for the social media generation, with 54% of those aged 18-35 admitting they would research network coverage before booking hotels and travel.

The research unveils Brits’ top considerations when choosing their mobile network is good value for money (67%), followed closely by reliable network coverage for six in 10 (60%) and flexibility with data plans (23%).

Sky Mobile offers 99% network coverage across the UK, meaning UK staycation holidaymakers can post their holiday snaps from anywhere.

Paul Sweeney, Managing Director, Sky Mobile said: “It is important to be able to keep in touch when you’re exploring the picturesque locations we are lucky to have in the UK. With Sky Mobile providing 99% coverage you can ensure you can stay in contact as well as share the beautiful sights”

Sky Mobile promises no mid-contract price rises for customers, and users can roll over unused data each month, saving it in their Sky Piggybank for when they need it.