While the UK is just a small island compared to the majestic locations of the seven wonders of the world, we are still abundant in magnificent places to visit, which are not as well-known to the average traveller. As a result, Code Nast Traveller has created a list of the seven wonders of the UK for 2026, inviting visitors to steer off the beaten path.
The Flow Country in the Scottish Highlands in Caithness and Sutherland was named the first of the seven wonders of the UK for this year. The site was recognised as a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site two years ago, making it the first of its kind in Scotland.
Flow Country is a massive area of peatland covering over 2,400 square kilometres, and is of immense importance to the environment, including the local wildlife and to the climate in general. It is estimated that the blanket bog absorbs more carbon than all the UK’s forests combined, making it just as important to the planet as the Great Barrier Reef.
Visitors can marvel at the vastness of the peatland, with plenty of wildlife spotting opportunities, as species like golden eagles, short-eared owls, greenshanks and red-throated divers all reside in the area, while sights of saffron-painted sunsets will put any mind at ease.
Guests can also opt to stay at one of the most isolated hotels in the world, Garvault House, located near Kinbrace, 20 miles from the Forsinard Flows National Nature Reserve. What is more, the old fisherman’s home from the 1900s is officially the most remote hotel in the UK – a true definition of “living off-grid”.
At the Forsinard Flows National Nature Reserve, visitors can explore plenty of boardwalk trails with easy access to the Flow Country.
The rest of the seven wonders of the UK for 2026 include the Menai Bridge in Wales, the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire, Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, Haworth in West Yorkshire, the Rame Peninsula in Cornwall and Lavenham in Suffolk.
The seven wonders of the UK for 2026
- The Flow Country, Caithness
- Menai Bridge, Wales
- Forest of Bowland, Lancashire
- Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter
- Haworth, West Yorkshire
- Rame Peninsula, Cornwall
- Lavenham in Suffolk