This week is all about celebrating Britain’s National Parks.
Visit stunning glaciers and ice waterfalls at Los Glaciares National Park
While tens of thousands of Britain head overseas for their summer holidays, there are actually plenty of magical spots right here in Britain to visit.
From romantic walks through the Yorkshire Dales to gazing up at the dark skies in Northumberland, there are plenty of natural gems to discover.
And during National parks week, which lasts until July 30, there are several free family events taking place as well.
Here are 16 places well worth a visit.
1) Hope Valley, Peak District
The peak district was the first area in Britain to become a national park with its stunning heather moorlands, rock edges, limestone dales and rivers.
Hope Valley is considered one of the most ancient landscapes in the heart of the Derbyshire countryside with dozens of historically significant sites. These include Peveril Castle, Peak Cavern and the iron age hill fort of Carl Wark.
The valley is a natural formation and stretches all the way from Mam Tor in Castletown to Hathersage. Not only is Hope Valley perfect for walkers but there are pony treks, cycling routes and you can even hand glide off Mam Tor.
2) Beverley, Yorkshire Dales
For rolling green valleys with barns and drystone walls – head for the Yorkshire Dales.
You can travel by rail across the famous Ribblehead viaduct, wander the historic market towns such as Hawes or explore landscape formed in the ice age. Or you can come to see where many of our most beloved TV shows, such as Heartbeat and Emmerdale, are filmed.
Beverley is a perfect spot for visiting the Dales with cobbled streets, courtyards, medieval buildings, markets and a 13th Century Minster.
The area is well known for its flat horse racing as well as its wildflower meadows in nearby Westwold and the Yorkshire Wolds.
3) Bonehill Down, Dartmoor
Dartmoor in Devon is full of stunning heather-covered moorland, rocky granite tors, stone circles, castles and medieval villages – not to mention the area’s Dartmoor ponies and 450 miles worth of public rights of way.
Bone Hill Down is in the east of the area, near the villages of Widecombe in the Moor and Haytor Vale where there are cafes, churches and places to stay.
There is also a large rock area called Bonehill Rocks, which is popular with rock climbers as well as there being plenty of other activities in the area include walks, cycling, camping, pony riding, canoeing and geocaching.
4) Brecon Beacons
Full of mountains, moorland, standing stones and castles, caves, lively waterfalls and unique geology, the Brecon Beacons is a perfect base for a short stay.
And there’s loads to do there too. Outdoor activities include abseiling, rock climbing, going underground, stargazing, watersports as well as plenty of beautiful walks.
And if you fancy a challenge, one of Wales’s largest mountains Pen Y Fan is in the Brecon Beacons, which makes a pretty unique experience.
Oh yeah and it’s also the only ‘dark sky’ reserve in Wales. Enjoy.
5) Capel Curig, Snowdonia
If you are big on mountains and mountain climbing – head to Snowdonia.
The area is full of picturesque villages, steep river gorges, waterfalls and a coastline of sandy beaches. Capel Curig is a mountain village with one of the most famous horseshoe views of the area, that includes a famous view of Mount Snowdon and its nearby peaks.
Capel Curig is the ideal base for those wanting to tackle Mount Snowdon as well as dozens of other activities in the area.
6) Bratley View, New Forest
The New Forest is historically a hunting forest with ancient woodlands and grazing ponies. And the best bit? It’s pretty close to London so is easy to get to for a weekend away or longer.
Cattle, sheep, pigs and horses roam free on the land, which has common rights for grazing, and there are plenty of incredible views across open heathland.
Bradley View is well worth a visit for panoramic views across the New Forest, which is more than a thousand years old and originally created for hunting by William the Conqueror in 1079.
7) Ben Venue, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs
Loch Lomond and the Trossochs is north of Glasgow with 22 gloriously large lochs, 21 Munros and about 50 rivers and streams.
Climb up Ben Venue mountain for fantastic views across the Scottish highlands and its lochs.
If you love fishing, this is the place to visit.
8) Green Bridge of Wales, Pembrokeshire Coast
There’s only one National Park in Wales with awe-inspiring coastal views and that’s in Pembrokeshire.
The park includes 620 sq km of cliffs, beaches, harbours and coves as well as some spectacular sea arches.
The Green Bridge of Wales is one of those arches and really is quite breath-taking.
9) Roulston Scar, North York Moors
The North York Moors are all about big skies, swathes of purple heather, traditional fishing villages, cliffs and beaches. Ruined medieval abbeys, steam trains and fishing ports are dotted throughout the national park and drives through the region are said to be wonderful.
Roulston Scar is a hill in the hambledon District of the National Park with limestone cliffs at the southern end. The pathway along the cliff edge gives beautiful views as well as there being a glider field nearby.
10) Burnsall Village, Yorkshire Dales
Burnsall is considered one of the most attractive villages in Wharfedale in the Yorkshire Dales. The River Wharfe runs close to the villages, which was an Anglo-Viking settlement. There’s a great deal of history in the village with Viking and Anglo-Saxon carving stones in the parish church.
The Yorkshire Dales are full of rolling green valleys with barns and drystone walls. There is plenty to do in the dales from walks in the hidden village of Thorpe, Cracoe, Hebden, Parcevall Hall Gardens and the spectacular Troller’s Gill.
Bolton Abbey is also in the area with walks to Appletreewick, Barden Tower and Strid Wood.
11) Loch Morlich, Cairngorms
Cairngorm is the largest National Park in Britain with sprawling native forests, clean rivers, locks and moorland.
Loch Morlich in the heart of the park is the perfect place for a short break with award-winning sandy beaches, a yacht club and plenty of water sports.
There are beautiful views of the snow-covered peaks from the loch as well – not to mention the bonus of being able to ski there in the winter.
12) Porlock Weir, Exmoor
Exmoor with its ponies moorland, valleys and high cliffs is the perfect place for a getaway on the west coast.
In Somerset is the pretty village of Porlock with thatched cottages, shops, cafes, restaurants and an ancient parish church. There’s also a medieval manorial dower house, Britain’s smallest church in nearby Culbone and stunning views of Porlock Bay and Dunkery Beacon.
The hamlet itself used to be a busy port with yachts and fishing boats still sitting in its harbour.
13) Brograve Windmill, The Norfolk Broads
The Norfolk Broads are one of Britain’s largest protected wetlands with plenty of rare wildlife.
Not only are there dozens of walks across the broads, but there are picturesque waterways, market towns and villages.
Brograve Windmill is worth a visit, an old windmill that makes for a perfect picture and a tranquil walk in an area famous for boating and inland waterways.
14) Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland
Northumberland’s main draw is its dark skies where stargazers from around the world come to look into space.
But that’s not all the national park offers with rolling hills, romantic moorland and historic castles.
Bamburg Castle in particular is well worth a visit with dramatic views and a collection of historic artefacts. The castle itself was the First Lord Armstrong’s vision of a perfect castle.
15) South Downs
For traditional country pubs, vineyards, ancient woodland and lowland heath, South Downs are the perfect break.
There’s also the famous white cliffs at Seven Sisters to visit as well as outdoor activities such as geocaching, walks, horse riding and cycling. The South Downs Way is ideal for walkers and is said to stretch more than 100 miles.
It’s also pretty close to London – making it easy to travel there and back.
16) The Lake District
The Lake District is possibly Britain’s most famous National Park.
It’s been visited by artists, poets and writers for centuries, and its water is so pure that the people of northern England believe it to be the best in the world.
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