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England
Norfolk
Broads National Park
The Norfolk Broads are made up of
many broad, shallow lakes lying along five major
rivers. The lakes are the result of peat "harvest" during the Middle Ages.
The water level rose, and flooded the peat diggings, creating lakes that are
home to many rare plant and animal species, as well as a multitude of birds.
This National Park is better known as a boating centre and
there are a multitude of boat hire companies that offer a holiday on water.
Further
information:
Tel:
01603 610734
e-mail:100070.1364@compuserve.com
Web
www.boads-authority.gov.uk
For what
to see in this area click here
Dartmoor
National Park
Located in Devon, the landscape of Dartmoor is
quite extraordinary. Tall granite
outcrops called "tors"
stand out from two high boggy
plateaus which are split by the valley of the River Dart.
These plateaus form the backdrop
for the famous Dartmoor ponies which still graze
here.
Dartmoor is a rich habitat for wildlife and is
famous for it's prehistoric remains,
Bronze Age stone circles, cairns, and
isolated standing stones. There are remains of settlements at Grimspound and
Standon Down, and several varieties of stone rows and circles near Merrivale.
Bronze and Iron Age hut circles and hill forts dot the landscape of the
moor. More modern remains of tin mining are still visible in some places,
notably around Mary Tavy,
the last of which closed in 1939.
Further
information:
Tel:
01626 832093
e-mail:
dnpinfo@dartnp.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk
Web:
www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk
For what
to see in this area click here
Exmoor
National Park
Located in Somerset, the National Trust owns large
portions of Exmoor, home to some of the most
varied and beautiful scenery in England. The moors contain large deposits of
peat, which form bogs due to the high rainfall. Mist and fog can descend very
quickly so a compass is a must for walkers. The peat moors give way to
heather uplands, replete with a variety of grasses and plants, such as gorse
and whortleberry.
Wild
Exmoor ponies still graze here side by side with red deer, the largest of
England's native animals. The lush green coombes, dominated by oak woods, are
home to a variety of bird life, such as grey wagtails, kestrels, buzzards and
ring ouzels.
There are
over 100 miles of walking paths within the vast (12, 500 acres) estate. The
Trust publishes a leaflet detailing 14 walks around Dunkerry.
Further
information:
Tel:
01398 323665
01985
843600
Web
www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk
For what
to see in this area click here
Lake
District National Park
Located in
Cumbria, this is the
largest of
England's National Parks and provides an exciting
mix of mountain and lake scenery. The Lake District is a walker's paradise at
any time.
One of the
most popular of the multitude of fine hill-walking opportunities is Scafell
Peak, at 3210 ft the highest mountain in England. Another popular walk is
Helvellyn, which can be a pleasant stroll or a distinct challenge, depending
upon which path you choose. The adventurous will want to try the approach
along the narrow ridge of Striding Edge.
For the
less adventurous there are countless trails among the lower fells and around
the shores of the lakes which make for fine walking. The "Mountain Goat"
buses will get you to most of the main passes for fell walking.
Further
information:
Tel:
015394
46601
e-mail:
100070.1364@compuserve.com
For what
to see in this area click here
Northumberland National Park
The most
northerly of the National Parks.
The
northern part of the park is part of the the Border Forest Park,
which contains conifers planted by the Forestry
Commission. The southern border of the park is marked by Hadrian's Wall,
built by the Romans in the
2nd century AD to keep out the fierce tribes to the north.
Wildlife
in the park is quite diverse and
Roe deer roam the conifer woodland, with fox and badgers for company, but the
local star is the curlew, the official symbol of the park.
There is
excellent walking here, the river valley offers
some of the most beautifully unspoilt scenery in the north of England. The
Pennine Way long distance trail runs through the park from south to north,
with long sections running parallel to Hadrian's Wall.
Further
information:
Tel:
01434 605555
e-mail:
100070.1363@compuserve.com
Web
www.nnpa.org.uk
For what
to see in this area click here
North York
Moors National Park
The
smallest of the National Parks, the North York Moors contains
the largest expanse of heather moorland in England and Wales bounded
on the north by the Plain of Cleveland and on the south by the vales of
Pickering and York. The park is at its scenic best during
August and September, when the purple heather is in bloom.
The moors are etched by deep valleys, or dales,
ancient
woodlands and working forests provide valuable homes for wildlife
and the eastern boundary of the park ends in a spectacular coastline
of rugged cliffs.
Bronze-age
burial grounds, mediaeval castles and abbeys can be found here.
The
Cleveland Way National Trail hugs the rim of the moor, and a trip along it
provides excellent views.
Further
information:
Tel:
01439
770657
Web
www.northyorkmoors-npa.gov.uk
For what
to see in this area click here
Peak district
National Park
Situated in
the heart of England
the park lies
at the southern end of the Pennine Hills between
the industrial sprawl of Manchester and
Sheffield, and for this reason it can be crowded at times.
The River
Dove splits the park near Tissington, famed for its ancient well-dressing
celebrations. Better known perhaps, is the River Wye, which flows across the
park, creating lovely views and good walking, particularly on the moors near
Chee Dale, and Miller's Dale.
Further
information:
Tel:
01629 816200
e-mail:
aldern@peakdistrict-npa.gov.uk
Web
www.peakdistrict.org.uk
For what
to see in this area click here
Yorkshire
Dales National Park
The Yorkshire Dales
National Park is home to a rich collection of landscapes, from heather-topped
moors to colourful hay-meadows. There are limestone crags and underground
labyrinths of potholes and caves. Traditional stone-built villages are set
amongst rolling farmland embroidered with stone barns and drystone walls.
There's something to inspire every mood, whether your preference is for the
wild and windswept or the quietly tranquil.
Further
information:
Tel:
01969 650456
e-mail:
info@yorkshiredales.org.uk
Web
www.yorkshiredales.org.uk
For what to
see in this area click here
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Wales
Snowdonia
National Park
The second largest National Park
in the country, after the Lake District, Snowdonia celebrates half a century
as a protected landscape in 2001.
This
mountainous region of northern Wales contains high
peaks and steep, plunging valleys, but there is also an abundance of open
moorland and the lovely Dwyryd, Mawddach and Dyfi
Estuaries and miles of sandy beaches along the
coast also contribute to the excitingly varied landscapes which are home to a
wide range of wildlife.
Snowdonia
has a history of industrial use for mining slate, copper, and gold, and there
are remains of this activity everywhere, but it also served as a natural
fortress during the Middle Ages when the princes of Wales used it as a refuge
in their ongoing battles with the English.
With its varied landscape and
wide range of habitats, it is not surprising that Snowdonia supports
communities of plants and animals which are of international and national
importance. The park is good territory for
birdwatchers, with the curlew, raven, buzzard, kestrel, merlin, sparrowhawk,
and peregrine just some of the species to be found. By night polecats and
pine martens prowl, and there are otters in the rivers and lakes that
sprinkle the park.
There are 17 National Nature
Reserves in Snowdonia; more than in any other National Park in England and
Wales; and 56 Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
Further
information:
Tel:
01766 770274
e-mail:
parc@snowdonia-npa.gov.uk
Web
Snowdonia
National Park
For what
to see in this area click here
Pembrokeshire Coast National park
This
Park is predominantly coastal with high cliffs to long
open beaches and sheltered coves, and includes several offshore
islands.
This is good bird watching area, with sanctuaries
at Grasholm, Skomer, and Skokholm Islands, while Ramsey Island is renowned
for its large grey seal population.
Ancient
remains abound in the park, with cromlechs (burial chambers) at Pentre Ifan
and Arthur's Quoit, and Celtic crosses at Nevern and Crew.
Many areas
of the south coast are reserved for walkers, with only foot access allowed.
For a real treat, try the steep climb down the cliffside to St Govan's Chapel
near Bosherton. The chapel is an amazing medieval relic clinging to the
rugged rocks of the cliff.
Further
information:
Tel:
01437 764636
e-mail:
online form
Web
Pembrokeshire
Coast National Park
For what
to see in this area click here
Brecon
Beacons National Park
The Brecon Beacons National Park
has some of the finest landscape in Wales.
This is
walking country and the peaks and valleys are crisscrossed by numerous
waymarked trails.
The Brecon
Beacons is famous for its waterfalls, caves, and gorges, the result of its
millstone and limestone underpinnings being worn away by acidic rainwater
leaching down from the peat uplands.
The caves
provided refuge for early settlers in Britain and remains of New Stone Age
settlements and burial chambers can be seen at Crickhowell, Talgarth, and
Brecon. There are also stone circles, over 30 of them, scattered about the
park.
Further
information:
Tel:
01874 624437
e-mail:
enquiries@breconbeacons.org
Web
Brecon
Beacons National Park
For what
to see in this area click here
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