How We Produced This Guide
We used HomeToGo price data to identify the market towns in which the median price per night for a holiday rental was less than the UK median price per night for a holiday rental during spring (20th March - 21st June 2023). We then created a shortlist of the destinations situated within 3 miles of a National Park, Area of Outstanding Beauty and/or Heritage Coast. To rank these destinations, we researched 5 data points: the median price per night per person for holiday accommodation, the average hours of sunshine, the average maximum spring temperature, each market town's exact distance from the nearest National Park, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or Heritage Coast, and the number of free things to do. After obtaining the raw data, we assigned each data point a representative numerical value between 5 and 10, with 5 representing the lowest data point and 10 representing the highest data point. The hypothetical "perfect score" would be 50 out of 50. We used the following equation in order to calculate this for every factor:
Score(i) = 5 · (x(i) - xmin ) / (xmax - xmin ) + 5
Price Score: We used HomeToGo price and inventory data to find the median accommodation price per night per person for a holiday rental with a check-in date between 20th March - 21st June 2023 for each destination. The market town with the lowest median price per night per person was awarded a maximum score of 10, and the remaining areas were awarded a score of 5 or higher. Data was collected in March 2023, prices are subject to change.
Sun Score: We used data from each market town's nearest climate station, made available by the Met Office, to calculate the average hours of sunshine for the months of April, May and June. The market town with the most hours of sunshine on average across all three months was given a score of 10, and the remaining areas were awarded a score of 5 or higher.
Warmth Score: We used data from each market town's nearest climate station, made available by the Met Office, to calculate the average maximum temperature across the months of April, May and June. The market town with the highest average maximum temperature across all three months was given a score of 10, and the remaining areas were awarded a score of 5 or higher.
Position Score: We calculated the exact distance in miles, journeying on foot, from each market town to the closest point of the nearest National Park, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or Heritage Coast. The market town with the shortest distance recorded was given a score of 10, and the remaining areas were awarded a score of 5 or higher.
Things to Do Score: We collected data from sources including Tripadvisor to determine the number of free things to do and see in each market town. The market town with the most free things to do and see was given a final score of 10, and the remaining areas were awarded a score of 5 or higher.