National parks you need to visit

National parks you need to visit

The UK has an abundance of national parks – 15 in fact. Ten of these are in England, three in Wales and the final two are in Scotland. In total, these parks ensure that there are protected areas which maintain the natural beauty of the area. If you are looking for your next adventure, you may want to visit one of these parks. 

Dartmoor National Park

Dartmoor is known for its granite formations, which were made deep in the earth over 300,000 million years ago. Along with the shaping hand of humans over the last 10,000 years, Dartmoor is a wonderful landscape and holds some varied habitats for animals and wonders aplenty for you to explore.

Wildlife lovers will find Dartmoor National Park a paradise for large and small creatures. Although elusive, there are otters that are residents within the park. Dartmoor’s rivers have always been a safe haven for these mammals and their holts are usually hidden in holes in the riverbanks or under riverside tree roots.  

If you are looking for something to do outdoors, Dartmoor is perfect. You may want to try your hand at geocaching. This is where you use an app to search out hidden caches left by other visitors. This activity is great for stretching your legs if you desire, or doing shorter walks for a more relaxed experience. Geocaching is great for kids as they can help to search for hidden treasures. 

Cairngorms National Park 

The Cairngorms National Park is vast – it is twice the size of Luxembourg! As such, there is plenty to see and do if you choose to visit. Located in the Highlands of Scotland, this park is home to four of the UK’s highest mountains and nine National Nature Reserves. Rare and elusive wildlife such as pine martens, Scottish wildcats, capercaillies and golden eagles call the wild landscape their home. 

If you are looking to stay in the Cairngorms, wild camping may be something you want to try. Whilst being mindful of where you choose to pitch your tent, you can set up camp anywhere across the Cairngorms. If you are the lucky owner of a campervan there are plenty of designated sites you can stay at. Don’t forget to make sure your campervan insurance is all in order. 

Brecon Beacons National Park

Many people think of going to a national park as a daytime-only activity but that could not be further from the truth. 

At the western end of the park, Usk Reservoir is situated below the Black Mountain and surrounded by the Glasfynnedd Forest. All of these factors mean that the Usk Reservoir is one the best places for stargazing within the national park as it is quiet and dark as it is protected from light pollution. You could enjoy a dusk picnic whilst watching the sun go down and the stars appear.