National Parks are always great venues when travelling. You can guarantee fantastic scenery and wildlife, as well as being able to get away from the stress of modern life. Touring the UK’s National Parks is a very special experience, for these are truly living, breathing landscapes where people live and work, and have done so continually for thousands of years.
In terms of scenic value, the range is enormous covering everything from rugged forests in northern Scotland, lakes and mountains in Cumbria to the wild coastline of Pembrokeshire in Wales and the New Forest woodlands complete with herds of wild ponies in southern England. None of the parks are gated, and many are crossed by major roads. Unlike the US, the UK National Parks are not wholly owned by the Government. Only small amounts of land are actually owned by the UK National Parks, the remainder of the land is owned by estates, charities like the National Trust and individuals including small farmers and businesses.
Within National Parks, development and land use is strictly controlled. When it comes to touring and camping, it is recommended to book into official campsites and caravan sites. Wild camping is rarely possible, although you may be able to come to an agreement with a local farmer to stay in a field for a short time – but you will have to pay a fee! Parking overnight by the side of the road in layby’s is not recommended. Layby’s are designed only for short term parking for a few hours at the most, while some areas that might look like a layby are actually passing places allowing two vehicles to pass each other on a narrow road.
Combining several parks as part of a tour is possible, just allow for the time needed to travel between them. Some are reasonably close together such as Exmoor and Dartmoor, while others are much further afield. For example it took me about four hours to drive between the Peaks National park and the Norfolk Broads, while a tour combining, Loch Lomond and Exmoor could take nearly eight hours driving time via the M6 and M5. In total, there are 15 National Parks covering nearly 40% of the UK.
Located in South Wales, this mountainous region includes the atmospheric ruins of the medieval Priory of Llanthony in the Vale of Ewyas, the Dan-Yr-Ogof showcaves, the South Wales Borderers military museum and Langorse lake – the largest natural lake in Wales. Many visitors are attracted to the remains of the Roman marching camps at Y Pigwn and Waun Ddu. A new scenic cycle touring route has been introduced between the towns of Llandeilo and Abergavenny, while walkers are attracted to the area around Craig y nos, as well as the route to Castell Dinas, the highest castle ruins in Wales. Among the many camping and caravan sites available are Aberbran Fawr near the River Usk, Pscodlyn Caravan & Camping park near Abergavenny and Tan House Camping on a family farm at the base of the Black Mountains.
This is a wetland area in Eastern England within the county of Norfolk. There are 63 broads, many of which are less than 13 ft deep as well as seven major rivers. It is a man made landscape, resulting from hundreds of years of digging for peat to be used as fuel. In the medieval period, the diggings started to fill with water, turning into massive lakes. Self drive boats can be hired in Wroxham, Potter Heigham and Great Yarmouth. Travelling through the Broads can be somewhat surreal, as boats and yachts seemingly sail through fields. There is a maze of footpaths available, offering lots of long distance walking as well as market towns like Reepham and Potter Heigham, Fairhaven Woodland & Water Garden, steam heritage in Wroxham and is within easy reach of the heritage city of Norwich. Camping & caravanning sites include Hickling Campsite, Three Rivers Geldeston,and Outney Meadow Caravan park at Whitlingham Broad.
Stony shore at Cairngorms National Park [Photo by Visit Cairngorms]
By far the largest national park in the UK, it is home to red squirrels, pine martins and golden eagles. An area of mountains, forests and rivers, it includes HM the Queen’s Scottish residence of Balmoral, as well as numerous castles, an open-air Highland folk museum and whisky distilleries. Great for hill walking, cycling, climbing and skiing, there are also 12 golf courses and a sleddog center. Many of the caravan & camping sites are open all year round such as Aviator.
Located in England’s southwest, it contains vast areas of heather covered moorlands, deep valleys and iconic granite tors. Much of the area is accessible only by foot especially if you want to see the prehistoric monuments that dot the landscape. Legend and mystery are always present – this is Sherlock Holmes territory and the setting of The Hound of the Baskervilles! Lots of family farms welcome campers, but motorhomes must use designated sites. Other attractions in the area include a steam railway, fairground museum, and a unique church built by prisoners of war. Farms and campsites provide good places to stay.
You must get the permission of landowners before camping or parking up overnight, no matter how remote the location but there are lots of official sites. There are over 1000 miles of footpaths and bridleways offering spectacular walks such as the route down to the ancient clapper bridge at Tarr Steps. It is an area of wild moorland, rolling hills, wooded valleys and lots of wild Exmoor ponies.
Thousands of people come to the Lake District to explore areas linked to Beatrix Potter, but there many other fascinating places such as the stunning mountains, quiet lakes, heritage railways, lead mining sites plus unusual activities like the Gurning World Championships. It is also one of the wettest areas, so always take rainwear! Book camping/caravanning pitches well in advance as they can quickly become fully booked especially popular sites like Braithwaite Fold Camping.
Although Loch Lomond is the most well known, this park actually includes another 19 lochs plus numerous villages, mountains and forests. There are countless forest tracks offering great walking, and boats offering tours of the lochs plus lots of wildlife. Wild camping may be possible, but you need to get a permit first. Bear in mind that roads can be narrow, and twisting. On a map, it may only look a short distance from one place to another, but in reality it can take two or three times as long as you think!
Set up as a hunting area for the medieval kings of England, it remains a very unique place. Verderers are responsible for the rules and regulations governing the Forest and its wild ponies. The area also includes historic houses like Hale Park and Beaulieu; pleasant towns and villages and the recreation of an eighteenth century ship building village at Bucklers Hard. Camping & caravan sites include Roundhill, Harrow Wood Farm and Brockenhurst. Wild camping is not allowed. Possible overnight sites include Harrow Wood Farm, Long Meadow and Brockenhurst Green Hill.
Vast swathes of grass and heather covered moorland, forests and amazing dark skies characterize the Northumberland National Park. This is the area that inspired Game of Thrones and is dominated by Hadrian’s Wall. Within the Northumberland National park itself there are many amazing Roman sites like Housesteads Fort, once occupied by 1,000 Roman soldiers and Vindolanda where archeological digs are still underway. Other great places to visit include market towns like Hexham, the Keilder forest and its castle, and Victorian engineering at Catcleugh Reservoir and the spectacular remains of an Iron Age fort at Kirknewton plus lots of wildlife including curlews and red squirrels There are countless camping and caravan sites available especially around Haltwhistle and Hexham such as Stonehaugh, Brookalee Farm and Causey Hill.
This is an area characterized by wide-open moorlands, and a stunning coastline. There are many market towns such as Pickering, Helmsmen with its Norman castle, and Malton – the food capital of Yorkshire. Stop off at villages like Hutton Le Hole, the old smugglers haunt of Robin Hood’s Bay and Whitby best known for its links with Dracula, Captain Cooke and the Bronte sisters as well as beautiful black jet jewellery. Take a trip on the steam hauled North York Moors railway, well known for its links with Harry Potter since its Goathland station was used as the station for Hogwarts. Stay in authorized campsites like Jacobs Mount caravan park near Thirsk and Cropton Middlewood Farm holiday park.
Rugged mountains and limestone dales, moorland and lakes offer superb countryside for touring and walking. This was the first national park to be created in the UK, with mass invasions by ramblers during the 1930’s forcing landowners to acknowledge a ‘right to roam’ across such beautiful countryside. Good places to explore include the moorland plateau of Kinder Scout surrounded by many waterfalls, Stanedge Edge with its limestone rock formations and historic houses like Chatsworth, Hadden Hall and Lyme, which have feature in numerous films. Dambuster pilots used Ladybower reservoir as a training ground, while walking to Higher Shelf stones will reveal wreckage from an American B-29 Super Fortress which crashed in thick cloud November 1948. Worth visiting too is the village of Eyam, which sealed itself off during a medieval plague in a bid to contain the disease. With over 60 camping and caravan sites across the Park, there is plenty from which to choose such as Rowter Farm, Dale Farm rural campsite, North Lees Campsite at Stanage Edge.
Most campsites are situated around the coast especially in places like Tenby and Saundersfoot. A 186-mile scenic coastal path spans the National Park, and there are daily boat trips to isolated islands like Caldey and Ramsey. Lots of historic places like Castle Henllys Iron Age Village, the tiny cathedral of St David, towns like Pembroke with its majestic medieval castle or the quaint harbour of Tenby.
Snowdonia is the largest national park in Wales and includes its highest mountain – Snowdon. Take a steam hauled rail journey to the top or spend several hours walking up the mountain, or take a trip deep into the slate caverns at Blaenau Festiniog. This is an area renowned for its scenic heritage railway lines, stunning lakes and mountains as well as a network of impressive medieval castles like Harlech and Caernafon. You can find suitable camping and caravan sites close to towns like Porthmadog, Conwy and Llanberis as well as on many farms. Wild camping is not allowed.
Stretching across southern England towards the famous White Cliffs of Dover, there are many long distance walking paths, historic towns like Chichester and charming villages like Alfriston where the famous hymn Morning has Broken was written. Stop off at Butser Ancient Farm, or Bignor Roman Villa, watch opera at Glyndebourne or visit great houses like Arundel Castle and Petworth. Every November, Lewes is the scene of dramatic bonfires and torchlit processions. Use only designated sites such as Blackberry Wood, Fox Wood Camping or Concierge Camping.
With scenic beauty ranging from gentle countryside broken up by drystone walls, to dramatic sights like the three peaks of Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough you can enjoy brewery sampling tours or explore the story of Wensleydale cheese. There are numerous pretty villages and towns such as Leyburn, Masham, Askrig, Richmond Castle and Middleham, once the home of Richard III. Stop off at Settle for a trip on the spectacular Settle to Carlisle railway. There are many accommodation providers such as the Bolton Abbey Estate, Kettlewell Camping and Holme Farm Campsite in Horton in Ribblesdale.
Adventure, Camping, Features, International, National Parks, Travel