Cycling
There’s nothing quite like the exhilaration and sense of freedom of cycling in a National Park.
Whether it’s a gentle pedal on woodland tracks and quiet country lanes, or the heart-pounding challenge of mountain biking in rugged uplands, National Parks have a cycling adventure for everyone.
As well as helping the environment, taking to two wheels lets you fully soak up the scenery – and visit those hidden gems off the beaten track.
Inspiration for a great family day out
Looking for a flat and family-friendly bike ride? National Parks have plenty of options! Peaceful country lanes and traffic-free byways, bridleways and cycle paths mean there are miles upon miles of easy cycle routes in all the National Parks. The Broads, New Forest, South Downs and the south of Pembrokeshire Coast are especially gentle for beginners and families. Here are five of our favourite family cycle rides to motivate you!
Meon Valley Trail, South Downs – 10 miles of level riding taking in woodland, rivers and epic views. The route follows the former railway line which ran from Wickham to West Meon and you’ll pass through several pretty villages – many of which have some lovely tearooms and cosy low-beamed pubs. Don’t miss Droxford station, as this is where former Prime Minister Winston Churchill apparently finalised the plans for D-Day with General Eisenhower!
Route 6, The Broads – A short ride along quiet country lanes, this ride is suitable for the whole family and takes in the Norfolk Wildlife Trust nature reserve at Hickling Broad, home to many rare species of Broadland wildlife, and Sutton Mill, one of the tallest mills of its type in the UK.
Y Dramffordd, Pembrokeshire Coast – This easy 2-mile route is a perfect place for a family to stretch its cycling legs. Running from Stepaside to the popular beachside village of Saundersfoot, the route is wide, well-paved and you can expect some breathtaking views of the coast!
Mawddach Trail, Eryri (Snowdonia) – This stunning 9-mile stretch follows the old disused railway line along the edge of the beautiful Mawddach estuary in Southern Eryri. A great day out on the bikes for all ages!
Old Logging Way: Cairngorms – The Cairngorms is perhaps best known for its rugged landscapes, but tucked amongst the mountain range is the UK’s most extensive remnants of Caledonian pine forest, and a number of other spots perfect for a more relaxed pedalling experience. A good place to start is the Old Logging Way – a 3.5-mile traffic-free route between Aviemore and Glenmore. The route takes you through magical forests and lochs, with scenic views of the Cairngorms at every turn.
Take your mountain bike to a real mountain
Mountain bikes were made for mountains. The uplands of National Parks offer superb, challenging trails that will leave you with a sense of achievement and eager to find your next electrifying experience. The rugged peaks of the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons), Eryri (Snowdonia) , Lake District, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, Northumberland, Peak District, and Yorkshire Dales are particularly suited for those looking to test their biking skills – all while immersed in the most stunning scenery in Britain! Here are five ideas to whet your appetite for a magnificent mountain biking adventure:
The Dark Peak, Peak District – the 70km Dark Peak route is renowned for its gritstone, rocky biking tracks, which make for an exhilarating yet demanding ride.
Nan Bield Pass, Lake District – this classic “hike a bike” experience is worth all the leg and shoulder work for its truly epic descent!
Kielder Forest, Northumberland – A jewel nestled in the heart of Northumberland boasting some super off-road tracks. Did you know Kielder Lake is the largest man-made lake in Northern Europe and, at 250 miles, Kielder Forest is the largest in England?
Swaledale, Yorkshire Dales – A stunning place to mountain bike but adventure here is earned! Home of the Ard Rock Enduro, the trail network is almost endless however, navigation is a key part of mountain biking in this corner of the Dales.
Llanberis Trail, Eryri (Snowdonia) – A renowned route leads adventurous cyclists to the summit of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), Wales’ highest peak, and takes in some spectacular mountain scenery. Not for the faint hearted!
Bikes, boats and trains
There are so many options in National Parks to combine your cycling adventure with other modes of transport.
Let the train take some of the strain, the North York Moors steam railway and the West Loch Lomond Way let you travel back by train to your starting point.
Over in the Lake District you can load your bike on to a boat to cross Windermere as part of your route!
Cycle tours
Ditch the car and take to two wheels for the whole of your holiday. The 80-mile Moor to Sea trail across the North York Moors starts at the coast and ends on beautiful heather moors.
Other options include the 90-mile Dartmoor Way and 130-mile Yorkshire Dales Cycleway – both circular rides over varied terrain. Or, for an epic adventure, why not try the Hadrian’s Cycleway, following the line of the ancient wall for 173-miles from coast to coast?
It’s not every day you get to see one of our National Parks in biscuit form on @britishbakeoff!
Last night, The Great British Bake Off contestant @itsdoctoryan created a beautiful biscuit mosaic inspired by the Broads National Park, perfectly capturing the view at St Benet’s Mill, Thurne.
And it wasn’t just a feast for the eyes as the mosaic was made using treacle and ginger, honey and lemon, cocoa and malted milk, and pistachio biscuits.
Two great things combined: a beautiful National Park view and delicious biscuits. What could be better than that? 💚
Photo: Channel 4
#GBBO #BakeOff #NorfolkBroads @broadsnationalpark
You’ve likely heard of one - but what does it actually do?
Our 15 Parks wouldn’t be able to function without the authorities working behind the scenes to keep them running.
And each authority relies on people. People within the community, volunteers, staff and members. People that run businesses, or partner as organisations. People that are skilled and knowledgeable in a variety of areas from wildlife to accessibility.
Our National Parks are full of people and action, and it’s the Authorities that bring them all together.
💚
#NationalParksUK #NationalParkAuthorities
The Yorkshire Dales has one of the highest concentrations of caves and caverns of any of our 15 National Parks - a whole landscape hiding beneath the ground.
Our National Parks don’t just protect and preserve the landscapes we see every day. They also help care for historic and unique places discovered by our ancestors, like Ingleborough Cave and Gaping Gill, both of which were shrouded in myth and legend until they were explored by Victorians in the 1800s.
There’s so much more to our National Parks than meets the eye and sometimes, quite literally beneath the surface 👀
#YorkshireDales #GapingGill #Ingleborough
A week on from National Parks UK’s Big Volunteer Weekend, we’re still celebrating the people who make a difference across our National Parks.
Last weekend, hundreds of people came together across all 15 National Parks to give their time, share their skills and support our landscapes.
But volunteering in our National Parks doesn’t happen just one weekend a year. All year round, volunteers play an incredible variety of roles – from leading guided walks and supporting education, to conservation, planting and caring for our landscapes.
Every volunteer makes a valuable contribution to protecting our natural and cultural heritage. We simply couldn’t do what we do without you. 💚
So, to all our volunteers: thank you for your time, energy, enthusiasm and everything you bring to our National Parks.
If you know someone who volunteers in a National Park, help us spread the thanks by sharing this post. 🌿
#Volunteers #NationalParks #NationalParksUK
Mae’r Bele yn un o famaliaid prinnaf Cymru, ond mae eu niferoedd yn tyfu yn raddol. Mae hynny’n newyddion da i’n coetiroedd ac i’r Parciau Cenedlaethol, sy’n darparu rhai o’r cynefinoedd pwysicaf ar gyfer bywyd gwyllt ledled Cymru a Phrydain.
Ym Mannau Brycheiniog, mae’r prosiect adfer wedi gosod blychau nythu yn y coed, ac mae gwaith monitro wedi nodi presenoldeb y Bele, gan gynnwys grwpiau teuluol. Mae’r ffilm arbennig hon yn dangos un ohonynt ar waith. 🐾
Mae’n atgof hyfryd o’r hyn sy’n bosibl pan ddaw coetiroedd iach a gwaith cadwraeth arbenigol at ei gilydd i roi’r gofod sydd ei angen ar rywogaethau prin i wella.
Pine Martens are one of Wales’ rarest mammals, but they’re slowly making a comeback. That’s good news for our woodlands, and for National Parks, which provide some of the most important habitats for wildlife across Wales and Britain.
In Bannau Brycheiniog (the Brecon Beacons), the recovery project has installed treetop den boxes, with monitoring identifying pine martens, including family groups. This special footage shows one in action. 🐾
It’s a lovely reminder of what can happen when healthy woodlands and specialist conservation work come together to give rare species the space they need to recover.
#BreconBeacons #BannauBrycheiniog #PineMartins #Wales
It’s the Autumn Equinox 🍂
Our National Parks are always changing in time with the rhythm of nature, but this becomes particularly noticeable when autumn arrives.
Deer begin to rut, spiders’ cobwebs glisten in the fresh light, fungi become more prominent, and leaves begin to change colour.
What changes have you noticed so far? 🧡
#Autumn #AutumnEquinox #NationalParks
“You look after the National Park not for yourself, but for people who are coming, the ones who are following you.”
These are the words of Ron Wood, who has been volunteering for the Lake District National Park for over 60 years. His story reflects the vital role volunteering plays across our National Parks: keeping them thriving, communities invested, and people connected to and caring for our landscapes.
Over the decades, Ron’s incredible journey has seen him remain steadfast in his commitment through droughts, hand, foot and mouth disease, and the ever-changing rhythms of nature. Through it all, one thing has remained constant: his dedication to looking after the environment for those who come after him.
You can read Ron`s full story by clicking the link in our bio or learn more about volunteering at nationalparks.uk/volunteering 🔗
📸Photos by @lakedistrictnpa
#LakeDistrict #Volunteering #NationalParks
A quiet autumn transformation is beginning to take place. 🍁
Bracken gradually fades to burnt oranges. Mist sweeps across the horizon. Grasses brown and trees begin their annual shaking of leaves.
Our National Parks are never still. They are constantly changing and transforming with the seasons - a living rhythm of growth, decay, colour and renewal.
These four photographs perfectly capture our Parks on the cusp of autumn 📸
1. Dartmoor @ryanbrowningphotography
2. Lake District @jonny.gios
3. New Forest @acornsandscapes
4. Northumberland @calbrownphoto
#Autumn #NationalParksUK
