Cross Country is defined in the ANO Schedule 8 as being a flight that goes more than 3 miles from the point of departure. This definition is solely for the purpose of Schedule 8 and relates to the privileges of FIs; an AFI or FI(R) has restrictions relating to solo cross countries.
For the purposes of licence issue a Cross Country is defined in CAP 53/54 as an organised route either A to B or A to A with one or more planned turning points, that is why licence applicants are required to log the turning points.
For counting your total cross country time, there is no reason why the Schedule 8 definition shouldn't be used as it is the only legal definition.