Best panoramic view in Wales revealed

A new study has revealed the location in Wales with the best panoramic views – with two Welsh locations also featuring in the UK-wide top ten.

From dramatic coastlines to rolling hills, Wales is home to countless scenic spots worth exploring, and to help locals and tourists alike to capture these vistas, CEWE has teamed up with award-winning travel photographer Bella Falk to highlight both iconic landmarks and hidden gems.

From classic country landscapes to striking cityscapes, panoramic scenes have the power to capture nature’s beauty and otherworldly moments like nothing else.

To celebrate the art of landscape photography, Europe’s leading photo printing company, CEWE has partnered with award-winning travel photographer Bella Falk to reveal the top 10 panoramic views in the UK.

Bella’s ranking is based on a combination of factors such as visual impact, elevation, scale, featuring both iconic landmarks and hidden gems, which can be enjoyed without special gear or technical expertise.

Bella also shares her top tips for capturing stunning panoramic photography and highlights which landscapes are easier and more challenging to work with.

Best in Wales

The views from Pennine Way and Jacob’s Ladder in the Peak District take first place as the best panoramic view in the UK.

Owned by the National Trust and named after the 18th-century farmer Jacob Marshall, this spot offers ever-changing panoramas of hills, valleys, and dry-stone walls that define the classic English landscape.

The London skyline from Greenwich Observatory or the Cloud Cable Car takes second place. With over 30 million visitors each year, the UK’s capital offers countless panoramic photo opportunities, but these viewpoints are particularly special.

From either vantage point, you can see the Thames winding through the city, with landmarks like St Paul’s Cathedral, The Shard and Canary Wharf all in frame.

The view from the summit of Yr Wyddfa in Eryri National Park, completes the top three best panoramic views in the UK. Known as Wales’s highest peak at 1,085 metres, it attracts over 600,000 hikers each year.

There are six main paths to the summit, with Llanberis being the most popular. From the top, visitors are rewarded with a 360-degree view of lakes, ridges, and distant hills that shimmer in the morning light.

The area features stunning lakes, forests, and ridgelines. From the top, you’ll see Llyn Llydaw which is linked to the legend of King Arthur and enjoy sweeping views across Eryri and, on clear days, even to Ireland.

Other honourable mentions that appear in the top 10 are Dorset’s Durdle Door and Giant’s Causeway, and one other top ranking for Wales – the iconic harbour in Tenby at number 7.

Bella’s top five tips for taking a seamless panoramic shot

Plan ahead: “If you can, recce the location in advance to scope out the best spots – you don’t want to be rushing to find an angle or battling through crowds just as the sun is disappearing. Also check the weather and plan for the best light. Use tools like Photo Pills to see when the sun will hit the landscape as good lighting adds texture, depth, and mood to your shot.”

Focus on layers rather than one focal point: “Panoramas work best when you’ve got something interesting across the full width of the scene. Use layers, leading lines or shapes that guide the viewer, not just a single focal point. Think about composition as too wide a shot can feel empty.”

Use the rule of thirds or try a stitched panorama: “Frame your shot with one-third sky and two-thirds landscape or put a point of interest a third of the way across the frame. Keep the horizon level. For higher-resolution results, try shooting a series of vertical images and using software to stitch them together into a wide horizontal panorama – this is helpful if you don’t have a wide enough lens to get everything in. Use an aperture of f/8 to f/16 for sharpness and stick to a 35–50mm focal length to minimize distortion. Set manual exposure for consistent lighting in every frame and expose for the brightest area to avoid blown highlights.”

Stabilise your shot: “Take a breath before you start shooting to reduce camera shake. For smoother phone panoramas, stand with feet shoulder-width apart, tuck in your elbows, and rotate from your waist – not just your arms. Also, avoid tilting the camera while panning, as it can create a warped horizon and force you to crop the image.”

Avoid moving subjects: “One common mistake is including moving objects such as people, animals, or cars in your panorama which can cause strange warping or duplication. However, you can also have fun with this effect by having someone appear twice in the same shot.”

For those looking to turn their travels and panoramic photos into lasting memories, check out CEWE’s wide range of photo books including the panoramic photobook and large landscape photo book, canvas prints, personalised wall art  and photo prints.

Discover the full ranking and more photography tips here: https://www.cewe.co.uk/top-panoramic-views.html