The thousands of Britons who abandoned foreign holidays in favour of "staycations" have been good news for home owners in our holiday resorts.

House prices in 19 of Britain’s biggest holiday destinations actually rose in June and July - includingi n Bath, pictured - compared to last year, according to statistics released by property search engine www.nestoria.co.uk

The mountains, glens and rugged coastline of the Scottish Highlands saw a 45 per cent rise in house sale prices from the 2008-2009 summer season in Thurso. The romantic moorland, beautiful countryside and river valleys have attracted staycationers to South Hams in Devon, which saw a rise of 16 per cent.

These figures are in stark comparison to the UK’s other favourite holiday destination, Spain, which saw continued decreases in house prices. The popular Canary Island of Tenerife and party island Ibiza faired the worst of all Spanish holiday locations, showing declines of seven per cent and six per cent respectively from their summer 2008 figures.

Spain’s largest island and a holiday spot for many celebs, Mallorca, has seen property prices drop by four per cent and in Benidorm, playground of young Brits in the summer and retirees in the winter, prices have dropped by one per cent.

"The holiday villa or apartment in sunny Spain doesn’t look so attractive to Brits now, as the popularity of staycations is driving many to enjoy their own backyard," said Nestoria’s Ed Freyfogle. "The good news is many Brits who have purchased holiday homes locally can sit pretty on their treasured nest eggs."

THE BIGGEST RISING AREAS IN THE UK

1 Thurso in the Scottish Highlands

2 South Hams in Devon

3 Poole in Dorset

4 Brockenhurst in the New Forest

5 Wildboarclough in the Peak District

6 Oxford in the Cotswolds

7 Bath

8 Brighton and Hove

9 Stratford-Upon-Avon in the Cotswolds

10 Cambridge

11 Lyndhurst in the New Forest

12 Dorset

13 Torquay on the south Devon coast

14 Blaenau Ffestiniog in Snowdonia

15 Inverness in the Scottish Highlands