The UK’s national parks are paradise for the pursuer of outdoor exertion. Photo / Getty Images
The UK’s national parks are paradise for the pursuer of outdoor exertion. Photo / Getty Images
As the inspiration behind Alice in Wonderland, home of a Sherlock Holmes whodunnit and locale for SAS selection training, the UK’s national parks always incite an adventure, writes Nora Wallaya
The UK’s national parks spill their natural bounty in every season. Spring’s frothy clouds of pink shake candyfloss on rolling hills, which slowly burn to deepest bronze after summer’s heat carries the landscape into autumn. Even in the winter, a certain bleakness bewitches those who dare to hike the windswept wilderness, with snow often blanketing horizons in the north. Whether it’s natural drama, adventure sports, local culture or historic clout you seek, you’ll find it all in this selection of national parks.
Situated in East Anglia, the 200km of serene waterways at this national park are a paradise for boaters and birdwatchers. The network is largely accessible by boat alone, and it’s this virtue that brings peace to the communities of wildlife that inhabit the surrounding marshes and mudflats. The Broads are famous for birds, and home to some of the country’s rarest species — including the bittern, an icon of the British countryside, whose booming calls are the stuff of legend.
Where to stay: The town of Wroxham is often regarded as the heart of the Norfolk Broads. Here, visitors can hire boats — from kayaks and canoes to motorboats and cruisers. visitthebroads.co.uk
Broads National Park in Norfolk is largely accessible by boat alone. Photo / 123rf
Dartmoor National Park, Devon
Best for: Hiking and history
Dartmoor’s landscapes have long inspired local lore — from its mist-shrouded tors (granite hills) and windswept moorland to its pockets of Celtic rainforest and brooding boglands. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s legendary The Hound of the Baskervilles, featuring Sherlock Holmes, was set here. Artisanal trades have thrived in the region for centuries — follow the Artisan Trail and check out the 900-year-old Pannier Market to discover local flavours and homewares.
Where to stay: Historic Princetown, with plenty of character-filled accommodation options, is said to be where Conan Doyle penned his most famous gothic novel. dartmoor.gov.uk
Arguably the UK’s most famous national park, the Lake District is also perhaps its most traditionally picturesque: think chocolate box villages surrounded by bucolic emerald hills and glittering river valleys. As well as family-friendly jaunts, there’s also serious adventure to be had here. The Lake District is England’s largest national park, and is home to its tallest mountain, Scafell Pike (summit 978m), plus countless others. Scramble up a mountain of your desired activity level (they’re varied) for stupendous views of craggy peaks and glacial lakes.
Where to stay: Bed down in Ambleside, the heart of the Lake District with plenty of good pubs and restaurants, and excellent accommodation options. There are outdoor gear shops too, should the mood for more serious mountaineering strike. lakedistrict.gov.uk
The Lake District is arguably the UK's most traditionally picturesque national park.
Photo / Getty Images
New Forest National Park, Hampshire
Best for: Cycling and horse-riding
Contrary to its name, the forest here was first recorded by William the Conqueror in the year 1079, when it was highlighted as a valuable hunting ground. Swathes of rare lowland heath blanket the undulating landscape, alive with bees and butterflies and grazed by wild horses. A well-mapped network of gravel paths and bridleways make this national park ideal for cyclists and horse riders, while walkers will delight in its historic towns and villages.
Where to stay: Head to Lyndhurst. It’s the tiny town where Alice Hargreaves (nee Liddell) lived and died — she was the inspiration behind Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. See her gravestone at St Michael and All Angels Church. newforestnpa.gov.uk
Peak District National Park, central England
Best for: Rock climbing and caving
Spanning several counties in central England, the Peak District is aptly named after its series of craggy hills, where over 88 “trigs” (triangulation points) have given rise to the locals’ favourite pastime: “trig-bagging”. Hikers have made it their life’s mission to summit each and every trig — if you fancy trying a few for yourself, the Peak District’s website has downloadable maps that you can take along with you. Beyond the hills, this is a mecca for rock climbers and cavers — the Peak District is home to innumerable quarries and cave systems whose complex structures supply plenty to dig your teeth into.
Where to stay: Not only is Bakewell a charming town filled with thriving local markets (and the iconic Bakewell Tart Shop), but it’s also the site of one of the UK’s most famous stately homes, Chatsworth House. peakdistrict.gov.uk
The Peak District spans several counties and charming villages in central England.
Photo / Getty Images
They don’t call this national park Waterfall Country for nothing: Bannau Brycheiniog (formerly known by its English name, Brecon Beacons, and venue to near-impossible SAS selection training) is home to some-20 magical waterfalls which spill through dense tangles of ethereal forest. The 9km Four Falls Walk is perhaps the most popular, leading you behind the powerful cascade of Sgwd Yr Eira — confident walkers can tackle the Eight Waterfalls Walk which covers around 16km. What’s more, the magic continues at night — the park is an International Dark Sky Reserve.
Where to stay: Hay-on-Wye is among the UK’s most famous market towns — particularly for its world-renowned book festival, Hay Festival. bannau.wales
Eryri National Park, North Wales
Best for: Easier mountain climbing
Yr Wydffa (Snowdon) is Wales’s highest mountain, standing at 1,085m. Summiting the mountain is the focal point of activities at Eryri (formerly known by its English name, Snowdonia), but climbers a little less seasoned need not be put off. Although challenging routes are available, an easier path climbs steadily to the top, allowing most to complete the ascent and descent in 4-6 hours — it’s known as one of the easier climbs in the UK. Beyond the mountains are the quintessentially Welsh valleys and medieval castles whose scenery grips the heart of travellers.
Where to stay: Betws-y-Coed is the gateway to the national park, with plenty of accommodation options set around the pretty River Conwy. snowdonia.gov.wales
There are six different routes up to the 1085 metre high summit of Mount Snowdon. Photo / Getty Images
At over 4500sq km, Cairngorms is nearly twice the size of the Lake District, making it the UK’s largest national park by some stretch (nearly 2000sq km, to be precise). There are innumerable activities to dive into here, encompassing not only swathes of wild nature amid glassy lochs, ancient Caledonian rainforest and towering Grampian range “munroes” (a mountain in Scotland of over 3000 feet), but also myriad galleries, museums, distilleries, breweries and castles.
Where to stay: Base yourself in Aviemore, surrounded by Highlands scenery, for easy access to many of the Cairngorms top sights. cairngorms.co.uk
Loch Lomond & The Trossachs, Southern Highlands
Best for: Island hopping and lakeside relaxing
This natural wonder is split down the middle by a geological fault line, which gives rise to two distinct landscapes: wide open lowlands in the south, and towering peaks fringed by thick forest in the north. Separating the two, and straddling the fault line, is the immense Loch Lomond — dotted with 30 islands that are possible to visit while cruising. Look out for ospreys and golden eagles hunting overhead: the rare birds are found in this national park.
Where to stay: Callander is situated where the rivers Teith and Leny meet — its natural beauty is a strong draw for the throngs of visitors who settle into Highlands life here. lochlomond-trossachs.org
A bird’s eye view of Inchlonaig; one of Loch Lomond’s 30 islands. Photo / Getty Images
