A NEW study has crowned the most picturesque rural walk in the UK – by modern standards.

And, in what can only be described as good news for people in the Newport and Gwent area, it is virtually on our doorstep.

But, in order to determine what actually makes a walk picturesque, this study has taken a unique approach, by considering how “Instagrammable” it is.

That is to say, how many hashtags per kilometre of the route it has been tagged in on popular social media site Instagram.

  • We have some amazing photographers in Gwent – as the pictures on the South Wales Argus Camera Club show. Are you a photographer keen to show off your skills? Click here to tell us a bit about yourself and show off some of your best snaps, and we’ll share them with our readers.

Using this metric, Mid Wales’s Pen y Fan has been crowned top of the pops.

In all fairness, it is pretty easy to see why.

The crown jewel of the Brecon Beacons, the four-mile climb to the summit offers fresh air, and stunning views – even before reaching the top.

According to hotel chain Premier Inn, who carried out the study, Pen y Fan has been tagged 22,437 times per kilometre of its 6.4km route.

Following the Brecon Beacons in first place is the Mam Tor and Great Ridge walk in the Peak District, with 8,669 hashtags per kilometre of the 10.4km route which goes through the national park’s valleys.

Slightly further north of the country, the Lake District is home to several Insta-worthy walks, with the Scafell Pike walk ranking in third place with 7,955 hashtags per kilometre. The Old Man of Coniston walk in the Lake District, which has 2,975 hashtags per kilometre, also ranks in the top 10 most Instagrammed rural walks (5th).

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What has been said about the study?

A spokesman for Premier Inn said: “With many of us remaining unsure on whether we can travel abroad or not, taking a long walk in your staycation destination – or even your home town - can feel like a nice escape from the mundanity of the everyday life, and a great way to explore the area.

“That’s why we were curious to find out which routes were being shared the most online. Our research shows that popular walks are not just reserved for those lucky enough to live near to long stretches of countryside. There are many urban walking routes that can be enjoyed by beginners and experienced ramblers alike, with some routes measuring up to 294km in length.

“It's great to see such a mix of different routes up and down the country, proving that you can go on a beautiful walk and get your steps in, wherever you might be visiting this autumn.”