Sometimes it’s easy to forget just how amazing the UK is – then you visit a National Park and it’s like landing on another planet! You can experience majestic mountains, huge glittering lakes and gasp-inducing natural beauty right here in the UK. Here are six National Parks with scenery to make you swoon!
Lake District National Park
Muse to poets and artists such as William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter; it’s impossible not to feel inspired by the Lake District. Its breathtaking scenery includes five of England’s tallest mountains, hundreds of culture-rich towns and villages, and 16 glorious lakes! Whether you write a poem or get adventurous with watersports, there’s something in the Lake District for everyone.
Book a visit: YHA Ambleside, YHA Black Sail
Snowdonia National Park
Visit the highest point in England and Wales and your reward is truly some of the best views in the UK! As well as the iconic Snowdon, you’ll find miles of rugged terrain and epic valleys just waiting to be hiked or climbed. It’s hard to beat this adventure playground of atmospheric craggy peaks, rushing rivers and fascinating local history – Snowdonia really has to be seen to be believed.
Book a visit: YHA Snowdon Pen-y-Pass, YHA Snowdon Ranger
Dartmoor National Park
Love being out on the wiley, windy moors? You don’t get much more romantic and rugged than Dartmoor – this almost mythical landscape has a wild natural beauty that inspired The Hound of the Baskervilles! As well as challenging trek routes past bogs and swirling mist, you’ll be stepping through history as you come across ancient villages, mysterious tors and Bronze Age structures.
Book a visit: YHA Dartmoor, YHA Okehampton Bracken Tor
Brecon Beacons National Park
Home to spectacular waterfalls, picturesque valleys and no less than four mountain ranges – the Brecon Beacons is everything you dreamed Wales would be! From wild mountain ponies roaming the stunning scenery, to over 250 ancient monuments, this ferny Welsh paradise is all about preserving its rich heritage and beauty. The lush rolling hills are perfect for walking and cycling, or even a spot of golf!
Book a visit: YHA Brecon Beacons, YHA Danywenallt National Park Study Centre
New Forest National Park
Beautiful things come in small packages – the New Forest is the smallest National Park but it’s packed full of remarkable scenery and is a tree lover’s paradise! It includes one of the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, with wildlife such as deer roaming free through its ancient woods. From picnics amongst the bluebells to horseback trails, this is the UK at its most unspoilt.
Book a visit: YHA New Forest
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park
If you can’t bear to leave the sea, the Pembrokeshire Coast is a dream come true. As the UK’s only coastal National Park, you’ll find glorious golden beaches, secret coves and miles of dramatic cliffs and islands. With some of the best diving and surfing in Britain, plus a unique variety of rare wildlife (look out for seals and dolphins!), this magnificently sunny coastline is hard to leave.
Book a visit: YHA Manorbier, YHA Broad Haven