World-class landscapes with the power to inspire everyone, they’ve been designated on behalf of the entire nation because of their special qualities.
Stunning natural beauty, beautiful wildlife and fascinating cultural heritage make these living and working landscapes truly unique.
There are 15 National Parks in the UK and each one has been designated as a protected landscape because of its special qualities.
Each National Park is different and remarkable in its own way, but all work together as part of a big family.
Here are five simple facts to put you in the picture!
There are 10 National Parks in England, three in Wales and two in Scotland, they are:
Each National Park is administered by its own authority, but that authority does not own all of the land in the Park.
The 15 National Parks have thousands of kilometres of public rights of way over 1,300km of which is designated as suitable for those of us with accessibility issues – giving people incredible opportunities to explore these amazing spaces.
The UK’s National Parks are oases for wildlife – hosting over 330 conservation projects in 2019/20. We work together as National Parks UK – working in unison for the benefit of nature and people.
Conservation, enhancement, sustainability, enjoyment – four words that sit at the heart of all National Parks.
Funded by central government, National Parks have specific purposes that are enshrined in law.
In England and Wales they are:
In carrying out these purposes, National Park Authorities are also required to seek to foster the economic and social well-being of local communities in the National Park.
In the case of the Broads there is an additional purpose, namely protecting the interests of navigation, and all three purposes are given equal priority.
For the Scottish Parks there are four aims:
With the exception of the Broads National Park, if there’s a conflict between a park’s purposes, greater weight has to be given to the first purpose.
Discover the Special Qualities of National Parks and why they are the UKs most inspiring landscapes.
Find out about our Rangers.
Find out about Green Recovery across UK National Parks.
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
🍄 They’re not just wonderfully weird – they’re vital for our National Parks, too. Fungi can be more prominent as we enter autumn, and across our landscapes they’re helping to protect the fragile environments our Parks depend on.
Our National Parks are home to over 80% of the UK’s priority conservation habitats, and every single bracket or tiny woodland fungus is part of a vital wider workforce that supports our ecosystems.
They can look small, but they’re certainly mighty.
#Fungus #UKFungi #Mycological #NationalParks
Autumn brings some unusual visitors to the @newforestnpa 🐷🍂
As the leaves turn and acorns begin to carpet the Forest floor, you might spot a few more snouts among the trees.
Each autumn, New Forest Commoners exercise an ancient right known as pannage – turning their pigs out to forage for fallen acorns, beech mast and other natural foods that might be harmful to other grazing animals.
It’s a tradition that has been part of life in the New Forest for many years. Just like many of our Parks, it shows how these landscapes are shaped by history and the unique ways of working that protect the environment.
📸This beautiful photograph was captured by @hang_ross76.
#NewForestPigs #Autumn #NewForest
🍂 Autumn is creeping in, and the nights are slowly drawing in around us. But darkness isn’t just something we notice. For countless bugs, it’s essential.
Two-thirds of invertebrates are partially or wholly nocturnal, relying on the natural rhythm of night and day to feed, move, reproduce and survive. Yet increasing light pollution is disrupting this vital nighttime world. 🐜
September is an active time for bugs - spiders seek shelter, wasp colonies reach their peak size, and many are migrating or laying overwintering eggs.
Our National Parks are home to some of the UK’s darkest skies and important habitats where we can protect the darkness that bugs depend on.
Together, we can help even the smallest of species to thrive.
Clips via @buglife_ict
1 & 2: Moth © Patrick Chadwick
3: Running Crab Spider © Patrick Chadwick
4: Millipede © Patrick Chadwick
5: Common glow-worm (Lampyris noctiluca) © Kristian Pikner
6 & 7: Ringlet butterfly roosting © Patrick Chadwick
8: Wasp © Patrick Chadwick
#BugLife #DarkSkies #NationalParks