New research has revealed that Devon is one of the UK’s top spots for an outdoor staycation. 

The poll, conducted by Sally’s Cottages, surveyed 1,000 Brits from around the country about their ideal UK holidays - revealing that 71 per cent of Brits would look for outdoor activities when booking their stay. 

When asked where they would go for an outdoor holiday, 21 per cent of those surveyed said that they would choose Devon, making it the second most popular destination. 

Devon was only beaten by the Lake District (25 per cent) and was followed up by Cornwall, which 18 per cent of respondents said they would choose. 

Devon was popular for its abundance of outdoor activities, with 29.1 per cent of people looking for holidays with walking or hiking routes, 27.2 per cent considering the quality of the beaches, and 26.8 per cent looking for outdoor activities available in the area. 

Holidaymakers were also looking for local culture such as museums or art galleries (27 per cent) and the quality of local restaurants (26.8 per cent). 

Of the outdoor activities, the most popular were hiking and walking (47.9 per cent), wildlife watching (29.5 per cent), beachcombing (17.8 per cent), running, jogging or trail running (15.6 per cent) and road biking, mountain biking or BMX (15 per cent). 

This comes as searches for ‘walking holidays for beginners’ in the UK have risen by 400 per cent, with a 200 per cent boost for ‘off road cycling holidays UK’ too. 

The research also looked at the demographics of Brits looking for outdoorsy staycations, and reported that 18-24 year olds are more than twice as likely to choose outdoor holidays (37.7 per cent) than drinking holidays (16.4 per cent). 

For those aged 18-44, the biggest priority when booking a staycation was the outdoor recreation activities in the area, while for those aged 55 or over, the biggest priority was the quality of the restaurants. 

Sally’s Cottages said that Devon is also noteworthy for its water sports, commenting: “For those looking for one of the best areas to head for water sports, then Devon should be a destination to pop on their bucket list. 

“The North Devon coastline forms part of the UK’s first surf reserve because of its prime water sports conditions – pop your wetsuit on and head to famous surfing beaches such as Croyde or Woolacombe.

“If you’re more comfortable on land, there are plenty of trails to head on by foot, bike, or even horse throughout the area.

“Head to Wistman’s Wood in Dartmoor National Park for a truly ethereal walk beneath the trees linchen-covered boughs or pedal along the Tarka Trail from Braunton to Meeth in North Devon.”