#NATIONALPARKS

Wow, National Parks! My first and most memorable experiences as a teenager in the outdoors all originate in British National Parks. At the age of 13, I visited Malham in the Yorkshire Dales, and climbed Goredale Scar whilst on a Year 8 Geography fieldtrip through school. I recall the pristine beam of confidence and excitement when encouraged to climb up the rocks and through the gorge by my teacher, Mr Carlyle!

Not long after did I then embark upon many several-day team expeditions in the Lake District, where I tasted and revelled in an array of (wild) camping, mountaineering, mountain biking, and canoeing activities. These were unique and enthralling experiences, but never did I then believe that the flames that were lit would continue to flicker, simmer, burn slow and grow to the wild glow I now feel within.

Background Facts + Figures

There are 15 National Parks in the UK, with the first created on 17th April 1951 (Peak District National Park), and the most recent NP created on 12th November 2009 (South Downs National Park). National Parks are legally protected areas because of their natural and cultural heritage and diversity, and leisurely value, and unlike AONBs, have dedicated planning authorities and services. Although they attract huge volumes of visitors, they are also the home for many villages and communities.

The following is a map of all 15 National Parks in the UK. 2 are situated in Scotland (Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, Cairngorms), 3 are located in Wales (Snowdonia, Pembrokeshire Coast, Brecon Beacons), and the remaining 10 are scattered across England (Northumberland, Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, North York Moors, Peak District, Broads, Exmoor, Dartmoor, New Forest, South Downs):

A map of all 15 National Parks in the UK

#drBACKPACKsNATIONALPARKS

I have many fond memories, journeys and experiences to share from my excursions to National Parks, yet there are still many on my list of places to visit! I have published the following article for this series:

In due course I will publish articles about the following #NATIONALPARKS:

  • Brecon Beacons
  • Dartmoor
  • Lake District
  • Loch Lomond and the Trossachs
  • New Forest