Britain's National Parks include some of the most remote and dramatic landscapes of England, Wales and Scotland. They contain a mosaic of rich landscapes, including sweeping heather moorlands, dramatic coastlines, breathtaking upland and mountainous areas.
Whether you are interested in visiting a National Park, or would simply like to find out more, please click on the links to the right of this page for detailed information about a specific National Park.
The twelve National Parks in England and Wales were designated under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act of 1949 and will soon be joined by the new designation of the South Downs. In Scotland Loch Lomond and the Trossachs became part of the family in July 2002, and was recently joined by the Cairngorms in September 2003. We are able to offer you places to stay in one of the numerous British Isles National Parks & Areas of Oustanding Natural Beauty (ANOB's) . Currently, there are 22 National Parks districts in the British Isles. There are 41 AONBs in England and Wales (36 wholly in England, 4 wholly in Wales and 1 which straddles the border)- Created by the legislation of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act of 1949, AONBs represent 18% of the Finest Countryside in England and Wales.
The UK’s 14 National Parks are part of a global family of 6,555 protected areas, covering one million square kilometres or 12% of the Earth’s surface. We are linked to Europe through the EUROPARC Federation – a network of European protected areas with 360 member organisations in 37 countries.
There are 9 National Parks in England, 3 in Wales and 2 in Scotland, they are:
England - Dartmoor, Exmoor, Lake District, New Forest, Northumberland, North York Moors, Peak District, the Yorkshire Dales and the Broads which has equivalent status to a National Park.
Wales - Brecon Beacons, Pembrokeshire Coast and Snowdonia
Scotland - Cairngorms and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs.
Local food and drink will give you a real taste of the National Parks, often produced from traditional farming techniques that help preserve wildlife. Look out for local recipes on the menu, or visit a farmers markets to sample something special.
Arts and crafts also flourish. From sculpture trails to jewellery, you'll find something to catch your eye. National Parks are great locations for creative holidays, whether its capturing the scenery in paint or in words, or making the most of local delicacies in a cookery course!
The UK's National Parks are home and workplace to over 300,000 people working in industries such as farming, forestry, quarrying and tourism. Most of the land is privately owned by individuals, charities or agencies.
Today's rural communities face many challenges, from the pressure for affordable housing to far-reaching changes to farming. National Park Authorities work closely with local communities to ensure a vibrant and sustainable future.
Defra's overall aim is to improve everyone's quality of life, now and for the future. One of the activities supporting this goal is the creation and safeguarding of a high quality natural and built environment. Defra is committed to conserving and enhancing our landscapes, which reflect the interaction of man and nature over many centuries. In England and Wales, our finest landscapes have been conserved and enhanced through designation as National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs).
National Parks and AONBs have a high level of protection against inappropriate development through the planning system. Any major development has to be in the public interest. Considerations include whether the development is needed in national terms; the impact of permitting it or refusing it on the local economy; the potential for developing elsewhere, or meeting the need in some other way; and the extent to which any detrimental effect on the landscape might be moderated. For further details see the Communities and Local Government planning pages.
The 1949 Act established the National Parks Commission to designate areas as National Parks and advise on their running. The National Parks Commission became the Countryside Commission in 1968, combining the specific responsibilities of the National Parks Commission with responsibilities for the countryside as a whole.
England
