The Guardian has released their ranking for Britain’s top 30 greatest villages, and two in Yorkshire take the top spots.
We’re truly spoilt for choice for quaint villages over here in God’s Own County, but there’s two in particular that have caught the hearts of journalists over at The Guardian.
In their new list of Britain’s 30 greatest villages, they took into account a combination of good looks, convenience for day trippers and overall tourism background to discover which truly are the best.
The travel experts picked Saltaire in West Yorkshire and the North Yorkshire settlement of Hutton-le-Hole as the top two spots.
![](https://thehootleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/640px-Saltaire_Salts_Mill_1.jpeg)
![](https://thehootleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Wm_Henry_Street_Saltaire.jpeg)
Gosh, aren’t we lucky?
Saltaire, home to the historic Salts Mill that houses a huge selection of artwork by David Hockney, sits on the bank of the River Aire and is perfect for a weekend mooch around.
It became a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2001 and was called an “outstanding example of a model village”, so you can’t really get much better then that can you?
Located in the North York Moors National Park, the idyllic village of Hutton-le-Hole is famous for its grazing sheep, quaint cottages and vistas reminiscent of a holiday postcard.
![](https://thehootleeds.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Hutton_le_Hole_-_geograph.org_.uk_-_5347668.jpg)
The Telegraph said: “Hutton-le-Hole combines its good looks – pillowy village green, white picket fences, babbling beck, creeper-covered cottages – with a firm sense of reality. Sheep graze the greens, volunteers help at the Ryedale Folk Museum, and the village hall organises community events (the annual duck race is a favourite).
It continues: “Watch chocolates being made at The Chocolate Factory, find hand-turned wood items, glassware and jewellery at Greenwood Crafts, pick up picnic treats from The Old School House Deli and Bakery or, on sunny days, relax with a drink outside The Crown Inn.”
The greatest 30 villages in Britain, according to The Telegraph, is as follows:
- Saltaire, West Yorkshire
- Hutton-le-Hole, North Yorkshire
- Dent, Cumbria
- Alnmouth, Northumberland
- Cartmel, Cumbria
- Mells, Somerset
- Cranborne, Dorset
- Lustleigh, Devon
- Shaldon, Devon
- Lizard, Cornwall
- Laxfield, Suffolk
- Great Massingham, Norfolk
- Wing, Rutland
- Ombersley, Worcestershire
- Broadway, Worcestershire
- Wootton, Oxfordshire
- Alfriston, East Sussex
- Ditchling, East Sussex
- Bosham, West Sussex
- Dedham, Essex
- Chilham, Kent
- Hambleden, Buckinghamshire
- Sonning, Berkshire
- Solva, Pembrokeshire
- Laugharne, Carmarthenshire
- Aberffraw, Anglesey
- Beddgelert, Gwynedd
- Tobermory, Isle of Mull
- Inverie, Highland
- St Monans, Fife
So, which village will you take a trip to this weekend?
Read more: University of Leeds named one of the most beautiful universities in the UK
Featured image – Wikimedia Commons