New research has revealed that Cornwall 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, 18 per cent of those surveyed said that they would choose Cornwall, making it the third most popular destination. 

Cornwall was only beaten by the Lake District (25 per cent) and Devon, which 21 per cent of respondents said they would choose. 

Cornwall was popular for its scenic outdoor spaces, 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 Cornwall is best for those looking for adventures, commenting: “From zip wires over lakes and wake boarding to more conventional, but no less exciting, surfing, wild swimming and coasteering in the most scenic of spots, Cornwall offers a variety of adventures for outdoor enthusiasts. 

“Therefore, it is of little wonder that Cornwall ranked third for outdoor recreation holidays in the UK.

“For those that prefer living life on the edge, challenge yourself to rock climbing across Cornwall’s granite cliffs, where there are plenty of guided climbs available. 

“If you prefer something a bit more sedentary you can hop on a boat to one of the wildlife tours in Padstow, where you can expect to spot grey seals and puffins. 

“For those brave enough there is even the option to go shark diving and come face-to-face with some of the area’s blue sharks.”