Tranquillity is considered to be a significant asset of landscape, appearing as an objective attribute in a range of strategies, policies and plans. However, previous attempts to map tranquillity have suffered from expert-driven definitions and a sole focus on factors that detract from tranquillity.
Accepting that judgements about landscape are ultimately personal, this study rejected expert-led criteria in favour of using Participatory Appraisal (PA) consultation to develop broader and more inclusive understandings of what tranquillity is, is not, and why it is important. The PA consultation took place in two areas (Northumberland National Park and West Durham Coalfield) in the northeast of England before being extended into a second area, the Chilterns AONB. This allowed for both methodological refinement/development and comparison of responses across space.