#AONBs

Whilst roaming the Malvern Hills with my brother, ninJA, during Autumn 2016, I was blown away with awe and inspiration by the scenes we encountered. Although we were hiking, we embraced impulses to run, stop and stare, or wander off to random viewpoints. The hills resonated with a powerful energy that instantly silenced everything else going on in my life and drew me into the moment. This serene moment reminded me of why I enjoy travelling, exploring, and discovering so much. It propelled me to my most memorable moments and journeys, and made me realise that I need to get outside and live more, and play! Doing this is who I am, it’s where I truly belong. When I got back home and reflected upon the day’s events, a new project was born.

Malvern Hills is one of 46 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty across England, Wales and Northern Ireland (AONBs for short). Did you know there were so many? Did you know that these even existed?? HAHA. Like many places and regions across the UK, these have plenty of natural and cultural heritage, and diversity which is continually conserved and enhanced. This conservation is, however, enforced through legal protection of the whole landscape which is enacted through partnerships between local communities and local authorities.

AONBs can be great places to have fun, and I often encounter lovely people and an admirable emphasis on the local. I thereby created a personal project to visit all 46 AONBs.

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The following is a complete list of all 46 AONBs, and have written those I have visited in bold:

Northern Ireland

1. Antrim Coast and Glens
2. Binevenagh
3. Causeway Coast
4. Lagan Valley
5. Lecale Coast
6. Mourne
7. Ring of Gullion
8. Strangford Lough

Northern England

1. Arnside & Silverdale [9]
2. Forest of Bowland [10]
3. Howardian Hills [11]
4. Nidderdale [12]
5. North Pennines [13]
6. Northumberland Coast [14]
7. Solway Coast [15]

Midlands

1. Malvern Hills [16]
2. Shropshire Hills [17]
3. Cannock Chase [18]

Wales

1. Anglesey [19]
2. Clwydian Range and Dee Valley [20]
3. Gower [21]
4. Lleyn [22]

England and Wales

1. Wye Valley [23]

South West England

1. Blackdown Hills [24]
2. Cornwall [25]
3. Cotswolds [26]
4. Cranbourne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs [27]
5. Dorset [28]
6. East Devon [29]
7. Isles of Scilly [30]
8. Mendip Hills [31]
9. North Devon [32]
10. North Wessex Downs [33]
11. Quantock Hills [34]
12. South Devon [35]
13. Tamar Valley [36]

South East England

1. Chichester Harbour [37]
2. Chilterns [38]
3. High Weald [39]
4. Isle of Wight [40]
5. Kent Downs [41]
6. Surrey Hills [42]

East England

1. Dedham Vale [43]
2. Lincolnshire Wolds [44]
3. Norfolk Coast [45]
4. Suffolk Coast & Heaths [46]

The following maps show the locations of all 46 AONBs, with the first containing edits to show recent developments and updates:

This project is what inspired me to begin my blog, but as I had so much more in my life to share beyond this project, I had to develop several further series. But this, #drBACKPACKsAONBS, is my primetime project. Yes, there is a big world out there beyond our shores, but there is so much here on our doorstep in the UK. This project will, therefore, enable me to explore so much more of these British Isles.

I have thus far published the following articles in this series:

• Perseverance + embracing the unknown in beautiful (Surrey Hills, #42)
• Cross Country Eid (Shropshire + Malvern Hills, #16 + #17)

I will soon be publishing blog articles about the following #AONBs:

• Cannock Chase [#18]
• Cornwall [#25]
• Malvern Hills [#16]
• Mendip Hills [#31]
• Norfolk Coast [#45]
• Shropshire Hills [#17]
• Suffolk Coast & Heaths [#46]