Visit world class green spaces for National Parks Week
It’s often easy to overlook what’s on your doorstep, but with this summer shaping up to be a good one, it would be foolish to ignore the UK’s wealth of green spaces.
National Parks Week (July 22-29) is a good excuse to seek out some of our 15 protected areas, which all have something special to offer.
Whether you’re a cyclist, hiker or simply a fan of sitting down with a picnic, these parks will make a great day trip.
1. South Downs National Park
There are various theories about the origins of an ancient yew forest in England’s newest national park, which became operational in 2011. Some say they were planted in the Middle Ages to make longbows, others suggest their purpose was to commemorate dead Vikings from the 9th century.
2. North York Moors National Park
Along with forests, coastline and moors, this park has several man-made attractions. Archaeological finds include an Iron Age hill-fort, Roman fortifications, medieval castles and abbeys and ancient moorland crosses.
3. Cairngorms National Park
Dominated by a mountain range, the UK’s largest national park is located in Scotland’s picturesque eastern Highlands. Twice the size of the Lake District, it’s a playground for adventure enthusiasts – hiking, rock climbing, skiing and even husky racing are all possible.
4. Peak District National Park
Hikers tackling the Pennine Way footpath start their journey here, in central England. Other activities include cycling, fell running, watersports in the park’s reservoirs and caving. The highest natural cavern in the UK – Titan Cave, Castleton – was discovered by pot-holers in 2000.
5. Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park
Loch Lomond jetty and mountains at sunset
Mountains, glens and lochs characterise this Scottish park, which lies west of Stirling. Some people even describe it as the Highlands in miniature. There are 21 Munros (mountains over 3,000ft) in the park.
6. Broads National Park
A 125-mile network of navigable lock-free waterways runs through this part of Norfolk – more than in Venice or Amsterdam. Visitors can travel between towns and villages on motor cruiser boats which have been used here since the 1930s.
7. Pembrokeshire Coast National Park
There are 950km of public footpaths and bridleways in this Welsh coastal park, with trails of varying difficulty suited to all sorts of people. Some are even easy to navigate with pushchairs, making it a great place for families.
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