UK’s top 50 landmarks: How many of Britain’s best beauty spots have YOU visited?

From the White Cliffs of Dover to Loch Ness, Britain has loads of beauty spots.

However, as a shocking new poll reveals, the average Brit has seen just a quarter of our top 50 landmarks… suggesting we may be forgetting about the must-see views sitting on our doorstep.

So here are the most visited sights in Britain – how many have you been to?

1) Big Ben, London

The Houses of Parliament’s most famous clock tower is one of London’s iconic landmarks.

2) Tower Bridge, London

More than 40,000 people cross the suspension bridge across the Thames built in 1886.

3) Tower of London

One of London’s World Heritage Sites, visitors can see the Crown Jewels and famous ravens.

4) Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Blackpool, Lancashire

The amusement park and resort boasts more than 145 rides, including one of the fastest roller coasters in Europe, the Big One.

5) The Lake District, Cumbria

Famous for its lakes, forests and mountains, this national park provided inspiration for William Wordsworth’s sonnets.

6) Buckingham Palace, London

The 775 room official home of the Queen. The Changing of the Guard takes place outside at 11.30am each day.

7) Blackpool Tower, Lancashire

Inspired by Paris’ Eiffel Tower, the Grade I listed building is 518ft tall and is home to the Tower Ballroom and circus.

8) Houses of Parliament, London

The Palace of Westminster is where you’ll find the House of Lords and House of Commons.

9) Natural History Museum, London

Perfect for rainy days, it’s full of weird and wonderful exhibits, including a huge diplodocus dinosaur skeleton

10) Westminster Abbey, London

Built in 1560, and venue for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, it’s full name is the Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster.

11) The London Eye

On a clear day you can see up 25 miles from the top of this 32 capsule giant ferris wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames.

12) Lake Windermere, Cumbria

Situated in the heart of the Lake District, England’s largest natural lake is ten and a half miles long and 219ft deep.

13) Edinburgh Castle

The castle is built on a 700 million-year-old extinct volcano called Castle Rock and has been used as a Royal residence through the ages.

14) Brighton Pier

One of the most famous coastal landmarks, it was almost destroyed by a storm in 1896.

15) Cheddar Gorge, Somerset

Britain’s largest gorge has an amazing system of caves and limestone cliffs and is 449ft deep in parts.

16) New Forest, Hampshire

Created as a royal hunting ground by William the Conquerer in 1079, it’s now a haven for cyclists and walkers.

17) St Paul’s Cathedral, London

Once the tallest structure in London at 365ft high, St Paul’s is the Church of England cathedral.

18) Stonehenge, Wiltshire

Believed to be 5,000 years old and listed as a World Heritage Site, many druids celebrate the summer solstice there.

19) Windsor Castle, Berkshire

Home for the Queen but visitors can see Queen Mary’s Doll’s House and the State Apartments.

20) The Cotswolds

Stretching from Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire down to Bath it’s the largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the UK.

21) Land’s End, Cornwall

The starting point for the Olympic Torch’s relay around the UK, it’s the most westerly point of mainland England.

22) Peak District

There are 1,600 miles of public rights of way in the Derbyshire national park making it hugely popular with walkers.

23) White Cliffs of Dover, Kent

A symbolic guard against invasion and inspiration for Vera Lynn’s wartime classic.

24) Dartmoor, Devon

This area of moorland has National Park status and is habitat for a range of wildlife, including the famous Dartmoor ponies.

25) Snowdonia, Wales

Snowdon is the tallest peak in the national park and stands at 1,085m above sea level.

26) Museum of London

The history of London, from prehistoric to modern times, is documented here.

27) Roman Baths, Bath

Visitors today can also bathe in the natural thermal waters discovered more than 2,000 years ago.

28) Loch Ness, Inverness

Visitors flock to this freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands hoping to see the monster.

29) Hampton Court Palace, Surrey

Built for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey in 1514, King Henry VIII soon took it over and now attractions include a maze and historic tennis court.

30) Kew Gardens

In the 19th Century tropical orchids were popular and thousands still flock to explore the 300 acres of gardens, greenhouses and a treetop walk.

31) Clifton Suspension Bridge

The bridge opened in 1864 spans the Avon Gorge and the River Avon.

32) Angel of the North, Gateshead

The 20m high structure is seen as an icon of the north-east and has 150,000 visitors a year.

33) Sherwood Forest

Famed home of legendary Robin Hood and the Major Oak, 500,000 people regularly visit.

34) Hadrian’s Wall, Cumbria

Once stretching 73 miles, it is the most popular tourist attraction in the north of England and was named after the Roman emperor Hadrian.

35) The Needles

Three stacks of chalk rise out of the sea off the Isle of Wight.

36) The Forth Bridge, Scotland

The suspension bridge links Edinburgh to Fife and stands of the River Forth. It was opened by the Queen in 1964.

37) The Eden Project, Cornwall

Created in an old clay pit, this indoor rainforest opened in 2003. It features futuristic domes which recreate the Earth’s different climates.

38) St Michael’s Mount

Know as the jewel in Cornwall’s crown, it is believed to be where the Greeks traded for Cornish tin. It’s now a National Trust property boasting a castle and beautiful gardens.

39) Ben Nevis

Standing at 4,409 ft, near Fort William in the Scottish Highlands, this is the UK’s highest mountain.

40) Tintagel

This village and castle on the north coast of Cornwall are closely associated with the legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

41) White Horse, Dorset

Cut into the hill at Osmington , it was created in 1808 to celebrate King George III’s regular trips to Weymouth Bay.

42) Chesil Beach

At 18 miles long and with 18 billion pebbles, it stretches from Portland Bay – home of the sailing at the London Olympics – to West Bay, where Broadchurch was filmed.

43) Clovelly

This Devon fishing village is one of Britain’s most beautiful, with a cobbled main street leading past white cottages down to the blue harbour.

44) The Jurassic Coast

A fossil hunter’s paradise, the 185 million year old coastal stretch of Devon and Dorset became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.

45) Glastonbury Tor, Somerset

The landmark which offers incredible views over Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire and Wales is also believed to be the location of the ancient island of Avalon, where King Arthur was healed after being fatally injured in battle.

46) Globe Theatre

Opened in 1997, the Globe Theatre in London’s Bankside is a replica of the open-air theatre originally designed in 1599 by William Shakespeare’s playing company, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men.

47) Avebury Stone Circle, Wilts

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, on the Marlborough Downs, it’s the biggest prehistoric stone circle in Europe erected 4,500 years ago.

48) Giant’s Causeway

The only World Heritage Site in Northern Ireland, it was formed by a volcanic eruption 60 million years ago and is steeped in myth and legend which says it was carved by the might giant Finn McCool.

49) John O’Groats, Scotland

Nicknamed the “Start of Britain” because it commonly regarded as the most northerly settlement in Great Britain.

50) Cerne Abbas, Dorset

Visitors flock to see the 180 foot gigantic naked male figure carved into the chalk hillside in the valley of the River Cerne.

10 Top Tourist Attractions in England

There’s no shortage of cliché-ridden ideas about England: From double-decker buses, thatched cottages and country houses, village pubs and cream teas, eccentric aristocrats and cold, grey and rainy weather. Visitors however will find that it doesn’t rain as much as they had heard, that Indian restaurants far outnumber fish-and-chip shops and that there are a surprising amount of great tourist attractions in England packed into a relatively small area.

10Hadrian’s Wall

Hadrian’s Wall was built by the Romans to protect their colony Britannia from the tribes in Scotland. It stretches for 117 kilometers (73 miles) across the north of England from the Irish Sea to the North Sea. Construction started in 122 AD following a visit by Roman Emperor Hadrian, and was largely completed within six years. Today only stretches of this famous wall are still visible. There is a national path that follows the whole length of the wall from Wallsend to Bowness-on-Solway.

9Warwick Castle

Originally a wooden structure built by William the Conqueror in 1068, Warwick Castle was rebuilt in stone in the 12th century. During the Hundred Years War, the facade opposite the town was refortified, resulting in one of the most recognizable examples of 14th century military architecture. In 2001, Warwick Castle was named one of Britain’s “Top 10 historic houses and monuments” and is one of the top attractions in England.

8Lake District

Located in north west England in the county of Cumbria, the Lake District is the largest National Park in the country. The main attraction is the lakes and fells (mountains and hills) carved by glacial erosion and providing dramatic and inspiring scenery. It is England’s premier destination for hiking and climbing. The park is visited by about 14 million national and international tourists each year.

Where to Stay in Lake District

7Tower of London

Now home to the British Crown Jewels, the Tower of London served as a prison from 1100 to the mid twentieth century. The castle was founded in the winter of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England and served as a royal residence before it became a prison. The Tower of London is reputedly the most haunted building in England. There have been tales of ghosts, including that of Anne Boleyn, inhabiting the tower.

Where to Stay in London

6The Cotswolds

The Cotswolds refers to a range of gentle hills in south central England, the main range reaching 330 meters (1083 feet) in altitude at its highest point. The region is known for the stone-built villages, historical towns, and stately homes and gardens. The Cotswolds are a popular attraction in England, within easy striking distance of London and several other English urban centers.

5Durham Cathedral

Durham Cathedral, in the city of Durham in northeast England is the greatest Norman building in England and perhaps even in Europe. It is cherished not only for its architecture but also for its incomparable setting. The foundation stone of Durham Cathedral was laid on August 12, 1093. Since that time, there have been major additions and reconstructions of some parts of the building, but the greater part of the structure remains true to the Norman design. In a nationwide BBC poll held in 2001 Durham Cathedral was voted England’s best-loved building.

Where to Stay in Durham

4York Minster

One of the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe (alongside Cologne Cathedral in Germany), York Minster dominates the skyline of the ancient city of York. York Minster incorporates all the major stages of Gothic architectural development in England. The present building was begun in about 1230 and completed in 1472. The “Great East Window” inside the cathedral is the largest expanse of medieval stained glass in the world.

Where to Stay in York

3Windsor Castle

Located about an hour west of London, Windsor Castle is often called the largest and oldest inhabited castle in the world. It is one of the official residences of Queen Elizabeth II who spends many weekends of the year at the castle, using it for both state and private entertaining. The earliest surviving buildings at Windsor date from the reign of Henry II who came to the throne in 1154. Much of the castle, including the magnificent State Apartments and St Georges Chapel can be visited.

2Big Ben

The 150 year old Big Ben Clock Tower is one of London’s top attractions. The name Big Ben actually refers not to the clock tower itself, but to the 13 ton bell housed within the tower and takes its name from the man who first ordered the bell, Sir Benjamin Hall. It is the 3th largest free-standing clock tower in the world. The clock has become a symbol of the England and London and has appeared in many films. In the movie Mars Attacks! for example the Big Ben is destroyed by a UFO attack.

Where to Stay in London | Big Ben Guide

1Stonehenge

One of top tourist attractions in England, Stonehenge is among the most important prehistoric sites in the world. It was produced by a culture that left no written records so many aspects of Stonehenge remain subject to debate. Evidence indicate that the large stones were erected around 2500 BC. It is not known for certain what purpose Stonehenge served, but many scholars believe the monument was used as a ceremonial or religious center.