Natural wonders of the UK

Our ancient little Island has throughout millions of years been battered by the elements, shifted by the plates, blasted with volcanos and ripped through during the last ice age. The result is a land full of mysterious caves, world heritage status coastline, and downright totally unique sites that will simply blow your mind. If it’s totally unique natural wonders that you’re after, here is our top 10 of Britain’s greatest Natural Wonders.

1. Giant’s Causeway / Causeway Coast

The Giant’s Causeway coast is known and visited by people from around the globe and quite simply has to be seen to be appreciated. Formed by cooling lava many many millennia ago, these huge pillars of varying heights slot in perfectly together as they form perfect hexagon shapes all the way along the coastline. It’s hard to believe that this happened naturally but the beautiful stepping stones are sat waiting to be explored and wondered at.

2. Malham Pavement / Yorkshire

The Malham Pavement is a deeply eroded limestone pavement which has created a peculiar and rare formation, the likes of which is not common in the UK. The pavement was used in the Harry Potter movies and sits at the top of a 260ft sheer face limestone Cove called Malham Cove which is as majestic as is it beautiful.

3. Durdle Door / Bournemouth

Durdle Door is a natural Arch which sits on Britain’s Jurassic Coastline at Bournemouth. The natural arch has stood here for many year but with large sections of the coastline nearby eroding away in the 2014 storms who knows for how much longer this beautiful natural arch will stand here for.

4. Cheddar Gorge / Somerset

Cheddar Gorge is Britain’s largest gorge and the spectacular cliffs rise 450ft to the fantastic stalactite caverns. The site has been designated an area of outstanding natural beauty and its pre-historic history is as fascinating as the gorge itself. The caves made a perfect environment for aging cheese making it somewhat predictably the place from which the famous Cheddar cheese takes its name.

5. Northern Lights  / Orkney

One of the greatest natural wonders in the world, the dazzling Arora Borealis light display is frequently seen during the winter months on the islands of Orkney. It needs the right conditions, solar activity and a clear sky but when these elements come together Orkney is one of the most dazzling places to stop and watch the breath-taking display.

6. The Needles / Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight sits off the south coast of Britain – just off Portsmouth and has a number of incredible natural wonders itself. The best of these are the Needles – white limestone stacks which point upwards out of the sea. This famous site is quite spectacular and a famous lighthouse sits at the far point warning passing ships about the dangers of the spikey rocks.

7. Fingals Cave / Isle of Staffa, Scotland

This cave is totally unique in the world. Similar in one respect to the Giant’s Causeway, the sea cave can only be accessed by water. It has huge hexagonal basalt pillars up to 227 feet high that stretch right up to a cathedral like roof inside the cave itself. This unbelievable natural wonder must been seen to fully appreciate the simply indescribably spectacle.

8. Pembrokeshire Cliffs / Pembrokeshire

These cliffs don’t appear in many lists of natural wonders because as an island with a lot of coastline let’s face it, we have lots of cliffs! However, in this list we simply had to include them. The cliffs of Pembrokeshire are totally and quite simply stunning. There are so many lone standing stacks, bare faced soaring cliffs, natural arches, caves and even islands that the puffins and rare wildlife that lives here barely even compares. Peaceful, tranquil, wholly unspoiled and far from the main tourist trail this stunning coastline can bring nothing but pure delight to all who are fortunate enough to spend time here.

9. Pistyll Rhaeadr / Nr. Shropshire

This waterfall is the tallest in the UK and really quite beautiful. Falling in a series of sections rather than a complete freefall, this refreshing waterfall is well worth a stop off. sitting nearby is a quaint little coffee shop which provides excellent refreshment for those who wish to scale to the top of the waterfall or take a walk along the river.

10. Dan-yr-Ogof / Brecon Beacons

BlenheimThis cave system sits in the Brecon Beacons National Park in South Wales. The well-developed visitor attraction showcases the cave system which includes a ‘frozen waterfall’, an alabaster pillar, a red iron curtain and a whole series of fascinating formation made from various mineral deposits over thousands of years. Also on the site is the bone cave which contains the remnants of bronze age men and animals and cathedral cave.