A new study has identified the clearest viewpoints in the world - with two Scottish landmarks making the top 10.
British hotel chain Premier Inn analysed 2023 weather data, including average cloud coverage, number of days per year with more than 50% cloud cover and average visibility grade for 98 popular viewpoints around the globe.
Each location was then scored on a 1 to 100 visibility scale to crown the world’s clearest views.
The research revealed that Grouse Mountain in Canada claims the top spot with a visibility score of 91. Known as ‘The Peak of Vancouver,’ the mountain offers visitors panoramic views of the bustling city, the shimmering expanse of the sea, and the sprawling forest landscape that stretches out below.
READ MORE: New analysis reveals the Scottish locations where most books are set
Cerro Otto’s Deck in the Patagonia region of Argentina, with its all-encompassing views of Lago Nahuel Huapi and the lower summits of the Andes, claimed second-place with a visibility score of 82.
Despite Britain’s reputation for poor weather, Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) in Wales scored a visibility score of 75 and ranks third on the list. On clear days, the view from Wales’ tallest mountain extends to the Brecon Beacons in the south and the peaks of Ireland to the west.
Meanwhile, two iconic German landmarks, the Berliner Fernsehturm and the Reichstag Dome, ranked among the world's top five clearest viewpoints, securing a joint fourth position.
Outside of the top three podium and within the top 10, two Scottish views - Arthur’s Seat and Edinburgh Castle - rank in joint seventh place, making them some of clearest views in the world.
Pen Y Fan in Wales rounds off the top 10, offering glorious views of the Usk Valley, reservoirs Talybont and Llwyn-on, and even the Cambrian Mountains on a clear day.
Five additional British views are among the world’s clearest top 20: The Blackpool Tower (13th), Cheddar Gorge (14th), Broadway Tower (15th) and Spinnaker Tower (16th).
A Premier Inn spokesperson commented: “There really is nothing worse than hiking to the top of a summit, climbing the steps to the top of a tower, or paying for a cable car up the mountain, only to find your view shrouded in clouds.
"We wanted to provide a list of the most reliable views around the UK and further afield so that people can ensure they get to see the best views possible while travelling.
"We were, quite frankly, pleasantly surprised to see so many British views feature. It’s great to know that some of the best views in the world reside right here on our doorsteps – and that there’s no doubt a Premier Inn is nearby so you can rest easy after taking in those unobstructed sights.”
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here