THE Lake District has been named as one of the ‘Best British Sights’ in a nationwide poll by the UK’s largest self-catering cottage holiday company, cottages.com.

The research into the nation’s most-loved sights and traditions revealed that the Lake District holds a special place in Britons’ hearts, being the people’s second-favourite sight in the country. Coming only after Stonehenge, the National Park came ahead of countless sights and attractions including Ben Nevis and the White Cliffs of Dover to be named one of the favoured sights. 

The research also revealed that, as a nation, we pride ourselves on an eclectic mix of habits. Nearly half of us (47 per cent) felt that talking about the weather was a real indication of being British, followed by an affection for queuing (33 per cent), our unique sense of humour (29 per cent) and barbecuing in the rain (13 per cent). Whilst a quarter of us believe manners are still a British virtue, 19 per cent feel we've become a bunch of moaners and we're now better known for complaining than the famous 'stiff upper lip'.

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When asked about the most popular character traits, more than a third (36 per cent) believed we were a polite nation, closely followed by honest (28 per cent) and hardworking (26 per cent). More than a quarter had a less favourable view of the population, with 28 per cent believing we were unhealthy and lazy.

The English language was cited as the thing we were most proud of giving the world (23 per cent), topping the list of exports which included Shakespeare, penicillin, the Royal Family, football and the full English breakfast.

The monarchy featured a number of times within the responses, with the Queen narrowly securing the vote as our favourite royal (26 per cent), closely followed by Prince Harry (25 per cent), Prince William (12 per cent) and the Duchess of Cambridge (11 per cent). The Royal family were also referenced as a key driver of inbound tourism with 29 per cent of people claiming they were the reason overseas visitors come to the UK.

Simon Norton at cottages.com which commissioned the research, said: “Although we often poke fun at ourselves, it’s clear that as a nation we are distinctly proud of our traditions and the characteristics which define us as a country.

“When asked what were the best British landmarks, Stonehenge and the Lake District were the places we love the most, followed by Buckingham Palace. In addition to the monarchy, our history and culture were highlighted as the things which really ‘sell’ us as a place to visit. Perhaps given recent events it’s a timely reminder that the UK has a lot to offer. These are the things which make Great Britain so unique and should be cherished and celebrated.”

The term 'Great Britain' was first coined in 1474 as part of the marriage celebrations between English and Scottish royalty. Despite an unsettled 12 months, with a number of events causing much debate, more than half (57 per cent) of those questioned believe Britain is still great.

For more inspiration and to book your next UK break, visit http://www.cottages.com/inspire-and-explore/iloveyouk.