Since the first national parks were created in 1951 — the Peak District, Lake District, Dartmoor and Snowdonia — they’ve been joined by 15 others across England, Wales and Scotland. And they’re more popular than ever. Last year saw record numbers of visitors, many first-timers. Designated for their unique or special qualities, our national parks are the stuff of lockdown cabin-fever dreams. They take in such diverse spots as the Cairngorms — the UK’s biggest national park, home to five of Scotland’s six highest peaks — and Snowdonia, where you’re treated to magnificent coastal landscapes in addition to Wales’s loftiest mountain. Free-roaming animals are encountered in all parks, from New Forest ponies to deer, red squirrels and myriad bird species.
Each park also offers traffic-free terrain for hiking, biking and day-tripping, along with a growing smorgasbord of outdoors pursuits, from caving, coasteering and trail running, to horse-riding, kayaking, paragliding, rock climbing, skiing and more. Natural playgrounds they may be, but they’re also among the UK’s most fragile ecosystems — landscapes that volunteer work has long been crucial to help safeguard.
Bu hikaye National Geographic Traveller (UK) dergisinin September 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye National Geographic Traveller (UK) dergisinin September 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
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