Wonderful walks
Walking is good for the mind, body and soul
When you’ve got a National Park view to enjoy, you’ve got memories that will last a lifetime.
Whether you’re looking for a short amble with the family, or a heart-pumping weekend adventure, our National Parks have wonderful walks, hikes and rambles for all abilities and interests. Our National Parks are here to be enjoyed by everyone.
Five top tips for walking in National Parks
Here are a few simple pointers on getting the most out of your next adventure in a National Park:
Have suitable, sturdy and comfortable footwear and take water and snacks with you.
Take a map and a compass – and know how to use them! GPS and phone signal can’t always be relied on in rural areas.
The weather can change quickly, especially on uplands and by the coast, so always take warm layers and a waterproof. In the summer long hours in the sun can burn and cause sunstroke, so wear suncream and a hat.
If you’re likely to be out in the late afternoon, take a torch in case it gets dark!
Follow the countryside code, such as leaving no trace of your visit and taking litter home with you.
Did you know?
Walks with the wow factor
Breathtaking, mysterious, beautiful and inspiring – National Parks are all these things. But there are some walks that have an extra sprinkling of spectacular, with the kind of uplifting scenery that will leave a permanent footprint on your bank of feel-good memories. Don’t dare go on any of these walks without a good camera at the ready! Here are five of our favourite walks, suitable for all fitness levels, that are guaranteed to leave you awe-struck:
Seven Sisters, South Downs – These brilliant white cliffs have been used as the backdrop for several Hollywood movies, including Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. When you visit them, you’ll see why! Walking along the cliff tops – from a safe distance of course – may leave you feeling like you’ve stepped into a fairytale.
Inchcailloch Island, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs – Take the water bus from Balmaha to an island known as the ‘jewel in Loch Lomond’s crown’. You’ll find history, legend and unspoilt nature on the island.
Aysgarth Falls and Freeholders’ Wood, Yorkshire Dales – Aysgarth Falls is a spectacular stretch of water in Lower Wensleydale, where the tree-lined River Ure drops over a triple flight of waterfalls seen in the Hollywood blockbuster Robin Hood Prince Of Thieves. The walk takes you through a beautiful nature reserve and you may even catch a glimpse of red squirrels and roe deer.
Barton Broad Boardwalk, Broads – This magical walks takes you on a journey of discovery into a lost world which has remained isolated for half a century. The mystery trail leads through wildlife-filled wet woodland, emerging to give a spectacular view over the broad.
Combe Martin and the Hangmans, Exmoor – This is a five-mile walk beginning in the pretty village of Combe Martin which is well-known for its rocks, minerals and stunning beach. This hill and valley walk offers sensational views from the headland at Great Hangman, Britain’s highest sea cliff.
Looking for a challenge?
Our National Parks are home to some of Britain’s most cherished long-distance paths, many of which have been walked by humans for several thousand years and are oozing with historical intrigue.
Whether you follow in the footsteps of Romans along Hadrian’s Wall Path, or explore the stunningly magical beaches of the Pembrokeshire coast, National Trails offer new discoveries and adventures.
Get inspired
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15 National Parks. One shared challenge. Our climate is changing, and with it comes an increased risk of wildfire across our landscapes.
That’s why we’ve committed to taking action through our new Wildfire Management Position Statement. Together, the National Parks will work to support nature recovery to help manage wildfire risk, plan for and strengthen wildfire response and coordination, improve risk management and preparedness, and share clear, consistent public messaging.
But we can’t do it alone.
Communities, organisations, land managers and visitors all have a role to play in reducing wildfire risk. By working together, we can help protect our National Parks and prepare for a future where hotter, drier weather may increase the risk of wildfire.
Read the full statement by clicking on the link in our bio 🔗
Photos:
Slide 1 - Fighting the Glenmore wildfire, © Ed Smith. Slide 2 - Fighting the Glenmore wildfire, © Malcolm Smith. Slide 3 - View across Loch Morlich during Glenmore wildfire, July 2026, © Brenna Jessie. Slide 4 - Fighting the Glenmore wildfire, © Malcolm Smith. Slide 5 - View from the cab of a tractor aiding in fighting the wildfire in the Cairngorms National Park, CPNA. Slide 5 - Firefighting vehicles at the Glenmore wildfire, © Malcolm Smith.
#Wildfires #NationalParksUK
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
