It has interesting and varied geography, and is a melting pot incorporating the dozens of cultures who have variously settled, migrated, and conquered the islands over the millennia - the history is a lot more interesting than the stuff taught in school or that Mel Gibson would lead us to believe.
The nation itself was actually a force for unalloyed good at one point, albeit briefly, and recalled with too much misty-eyed nostalgia. Despite its involvement being driven by self-interest, there was much legitimate humanitarianism and altruism involved.
The RNLI stuff recently shows that many people openly reject the trajectory some would have us go down, which is heartening.
