UK National Parks - Pocket-friendly Guide.
There are 15 National Parks in the UK which are spread across England, Scotland, and Wales.
- 10 in England which cover 10% of the land area,
- 3 in Wales (covering 20% of the land area), and
- 2 in Scotland (7.3%). National Parks are large areas of land that are protected by law for the benefit of the nation.
Here is the full list of the UK National Parks and the year they were established (in chronological order):
1. Peak District (England) - 1951
2. Dartmoor (England) - 1951
3. The Lake District (England) - 1951
4. Snowdonia (Wales) - 1951
5. Pembrokeshire Coast (Wales) - 1952
6. North York Moors (England) - 1952
7. Yorkshire Dales (England) - 1954
8. Exmoor (England) - 1954
9. Northumberland National Park (England) - 1956
10. Brecon Beacons (Wales) - 1957
11. The Broads (England) - 1989
12. Loch Lomond & The Trossachs (Scotland) - 2002
13. Cairngorms (Scotland) - 2003
14. New Forest (England) - 2005
15. South Downs (England) - 2011
Peak District (England)
Highest point: Kinder Scout (2,087 ft / 636m)
Last visited in July 2024.
Top 3 Things to See & Do in the Peak District National Park:
Dartmoor (England) - 1951
Highest point: High Willhays (2,039 ft / 621 m)
Not yet visited (from research, this seems to be the least interesting national park in my opinion as nothing really stands out compared to a few breath-taking sites outside of the park within less than 60 minutes away like the Jurassic coast for example).
The Lake District (England)
Highest point: Scafell Pike (3,209 ft / 978 m)
Last visited in November 2023.
Snowdonia (Wales)
Highest point: Snowdon (3,560 ft / 1,085 m)
Not yet visited (planning to visit in 2025)
Pembrokeshire Coast (Wales)
Highest point: Foel Cwmcerwyn (1,759 ft / 536 m)
Not yet visited.
North York Moors (England)
Highest point: Urra Moor – Round Hill (1,490 ft / 454 m)
Not yet visited.
Yorkshire Dales (England)
Highest point: Whernside (2,415 ft / 736 m)
Not yet visited.
Exmoor (England)
Highest point: Dunkery Beacon (1,700 ft / 518 m)
Last visited in April 2024.
Northumberland National Park (England)
Highest point: The Cheviot (2,674 ft / 815 m)
Not yet visited.
Brecon Beacons (Wales)
Highest point: Pen y Fan (2,907 ft / 886 m)
Last visited in August 2024.
The Broads (England)
Highest point: Strumpshaw Hill-South Slope (131 ft (40 m)
Last visited in June 2019.
Loch Lomond & The Trossachs (Scotland)
Highest point: Ben more (3,852 ft / 1,174 m)
Last visited in April 2024.
Cairngorms (Scotland)
Highest point: Ben Nevis (4,413 ft / 1,345 m)
Last visited in August 2018.
New Forest (England)
Located in southern England, the national park spreads across Wiltshire, Dorset and Hampshire, and is just a 2.5 hours drive from London (or 2 hours from Bristol).
Highest point: Pipers Wait (423 ft / 129 m)
Last visited in May 2024.
Our top 3 Things to See & Do in New Forest:
- See the New Forest native Ponies & horses,
- Visit the villages of Brockenhurst and Lyndhurst
- Beaulieue
South Downs (England)
Highest point: Blackdown (919 ft / 280 m)
Last visited in May 2024.
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