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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Learn more about walking your furry friend in National Parks
💭You might have heard of biodiversity, but what does it actually mean?
It’s the variety of life around us from plants and insects in a meadow to birds, mammals, fungi and the tiny organisms we can’t even see.
But it’s not just a list of species - it’s the intricate web of relationships between them, and our National Parks are home to an incredible diversity of life.
Protecting biodiversity means protecting that web of life.
📸 An adder in @southdownsnp by Simon Watkins.🐍
#Biodiversity #NatureLovers
Could spending more time among trees be good for us?🌳
Research into forests suggests natural compounds called phytoncides could promote a sense of wellbeing and that time spent in woodlands can help decrease feelings of stress and anxiety.
Forest bathing is the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku - which translates as ‘forest bath.’ It’s all about immersing ourselves in nature. Not to get steps in. Not to reach anywhere. Just to feel, be still and be present.
And our National Parks can certainly help. From pine forests and wooded valleys to ancient trees. Our parks are helping people to slow down and reconnect with the natural world every day.
Have you ever tried forest bathing? Tell us below👇
1. Stanmer Woods - @southdownsnp
2. Whinlatter Forest - @lakedistrictnpa
3. Cairngorms National Park @cairngormsnationalpark
4. North York Moors National Park @northyorkmoors
#Mindfulness #ForestBathing #Wellbeing #NationalParks
Has the rain reached you yet? 🌧️
A change in the weather is making its way across our National Parks. And with it comes a different rhythm to the landscape - changing how our surroundings look, sound and feel.
The sound of rain. The smell of wet earth. The air feeling fresher. Wildlife finding shelter.
What do you notice most when the rain arrives?
#RainyDay #BritishWeather #NationalParksUK
They may look like windmills, but in The Broads National Park, they are actually windpumps.
Rather than grinding flour, they were built to pump water from the marshes, helping to drain the land for agriculture and grazing.
Today, these distinctive structures are part of what makes the Broads landscape so recognisable.
And while this is a story from the Broads, it’s one that can be found across all 15 of our National Parks - landscapes shaped by people finding ways to adapt to live and work within their landscape. Something which still remains the case today.
Did you know that one of these mills is said to be haunted? Comment down below which one you think it is 👇
In photograph order:
📍1. St Benets Mill
📍2. Horsey Mill
📍3. Turf Fen Mill
📍4. Thurne Mill
📍5. Bograve Mill
#NorfolkBroads #NationalPark #Windpumps
✨🌙 Look up!
With a partial solar eclipse taking place tonight across the UK, we’re reminded about how important it is for our dark skies to be protected. Our National Parks are home to some of the best places in the UK to enjoy them, due to low levels of light pollution.
These incredible photos capture another recent celestial phenomenon that has been on display for stargazers and is peaking tonight - the Perseid meteor shower.
The sightings were captured in @northyorkmoors - home to one of the UK’s largest areas of protected dark sky.
🌟Tag us in your eclipse photos across our National Parks. Just be sure to follow safe viewing and photography guidance while you snap!
📷 1. Perseid meteor shower at Skelton Tower by Richard Horsman.
📷 2. Milky Way and Perseid meteor shower at Sutton Bank by Russ Norman.
📍North York Moors National Park #DarkSkies #SolarEclipse #Perseid #MeteorShower
Just goats being goats. 🐐
These incredible animals call the Valley of Rocks in @exmoornp home - scaling walls and cliffs, grazing on the rich meadows and, occasionally, blocking the roads!
They’re a wonderful reminder of why our National Parks are so important, providing a home for such a diverse range of wildlife.
Have you ever spotted one?
📷 Exmoor National Park
#ValleyOfRocks #Exmoor #Goats #NationalPark
Look out for us at the cinema. 🎬🌳
Our latest Wild Spaces episode, screening before selected films, takes you to Northumberland National Park. Their team, alongside farmers, landowners and volunteers, is working together to create healthier, more resilient landscapes through woodland creation and hedgerow planting.
It’s a story of partnership, long-term thinking, and the small actions that can have a lasting impact.
Find out more about the project and watch the episode via the link in our bio. 🔗
@northumberlandnationalpark
#WildSpaces #Northumberland #TreePlanting
💭You might have heard of peatland, but what exactly is it and why does it matter so much?
Peatlands are our natural climate allies. They store vast amounts of carbon, support rare wildlife, improve water quality, reduce flood risk and preserve thousands of years of archaeological and cultural history.
Some of the UK`s most important peatlands are found within our National Parks, making them critical places for tackling the climate and nature crises.
Across the UK`s National Parks, peatland restoration projects are helping damaged peatlands recover, benefiting both nature and people.
📍Dartmoor National Park
#NationalParks #Peatlands #NatureRecovery
