National Parks Of Britain 2026

In the UK there are 15 members in the national park family, which are protected areas because of their beautiful countryside, wildlife and cultural heritage. People live and work in the national parks and the farms, villages and towns are protected along with the landscape and wildlife. The course will investigate 10 of these parks and will concentrate on the geological background and geographical processes which mould the individual landscapes as well as investigating the social and historical aspects of the selected parks and the prominent functional role tourism plays.

WEEK 1 THE PEAK DISTRICT

The Peak District is an area in England at the southern end of the Pennines. It is mostly in northern Derbyshire, but also includes parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire. An area of great diversity, it is split into the northern Dark Peak, where most of the moorland is found and the geology is gritstone, the southern White Peak, where most of the population lives and the geology is mainly limestone. The Peak District National Park became the first national park in the United Kingdom in 1951. With its proximity to the cities of Manchester, Stoke-on- Trent, Derby and Sheffield, it attracts millions of visitors every year. Particular reference will be made of the area around Castleton, Dovedale. Mam Tor and Edale.

WEEK 2 DARTMOOR

Dartmoor National Park is a vast moorland in the county of Devon, in southwest England. Dartmoor ponies roam its craggy landscape, defined by forests, rivers, wetlands and tors (rock formations). Trails wind through valleys with Neolithic tombs, Bronze Age stone circles and abandoned medieval farmhouses. The granite which forms the uplands dates from the Carboniferous Period of geological history and particular attention will be paid to tor formation and how geology has influenced the social and settlement geography of the area.

WEEK 3 SNOWDONIA

Snowdonia National Park (Welsh: Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri) was established in 1951 as the third national park in Britain, following the Peak District and the Lake District. It covers 827 square miles (2,140 km 2 ), and has 37 miles (60 km) of coastline. Snowdonia is a region in northwest Wales concentrated around the mountains and glacial landforms of massive Snowdonia National Park. Particular attention will made to the formation of glacial features in the last Ice Age The park's historic Snowdon Mountain Railway climbs to the summit of Wales's highest mountain, Mount Snowdon, offering views across the sea to Ireland. The park is also home to an extensive network of trails, over 100 lakes and craggy peaks like Cader Idris and Tryfan.

WEEK 4 THE YORKSHIRE DALES

The Yorkshire Dales National Park is a 2,178 km 2  (841 sq mi) national park in England covering most of theYorkshire Dales. The majority of the park is in North Yorkshire, with a sizeable area in Cumbria and a small part in Lancashire. The park was designated in 1954, and was extended in 2016. Over 20,000 residents live and work in the park, which attracts over eight million visitors every year. Particular attention will be directed to the Malham area, Malham cove, the limestone pavement, Goredale Scar and some of the famous limestone caves. There are also some historic sites such as Bolton Abbey Estate.

WEEK 5 THE LAKE DISTRICT

The National Park was established in 1951 and, following a minor extension in 2016, now covers an area of approximately 2,362 square kilometres. It was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017. It is located entirely within the county of Cumbria, and all the land in England higher than 3,000 feet (914 m) above sea level lies within the National Park, including Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in England. It also contains the deepest and longest bodies of water in England, respectively  Wastwater  and Windermere A popular tourist destination, it is famous for its lakes, forests and mountains (or fells) and its associations with the early 19th century writings of William Wordsworth and the other Lake Poets as well as those of Beatrix Potter and John Ruskin.

WEEK 6 THE BROADS

One of the newest National Parks. The Broads National Park with its scenic waterways, rare wildlife and rich history is looked after by the Broads Authority, keeping it special for visitors and its community. The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads is Britain's largest protected wetland and third largest inland waterway, with the status of a national park.

WEEK 7 THE BRECON BEACONS

The Brecon Beacons National Park covers an incredible 520 square miles of South and Mid Wales, with two thirds of this area being comprised of old red sandstone rocks. The National Park was established in 1957 and was one of the first ten area’s in Britain to be such status

WEEK 8 THE NORTH YORK MOORS

The North York Moors is a national park in North Yorkshire, England, containing one of the largest expanses of heather moorland in the United Kingdom. It covers an area of 554 sq mi (1,430 km 2 ), and has a population of 23,380. The North York Moors became a national park in 1952, through the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. Some tourist destinations will be investigated such as Whitby and Scarborough.

WEEK 9 THE PEMBROKESHIRE COAST.

It was established as a National Park in 1952, and is the only one in the United Kingdom to have been designated primarily because of its spectacular coastline. It is one of three National Parks in Wales The National Park has a varied landscape of rugged cliffs, sandy beaches, wooded estuaries and wild inland hills, covering a total area of 629 km 2  (243 sq mi). It falls into four distinct sections. Running clockwise around the coast, these are the south Pembrokeshire coast, including Caldey Island; the  Daugleddau  estuary; the St Brides Baycoast, including the coastal islands; and the Preseli Hills. However, not all of the park is coastal, and there are even forests and marshes on the edges of the park.

WEEK 10 CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK

Cairngorms National Park covers an area of 4,528 km 2  (1,748 sq mi) in Aberdeenshire, Moray, Highland, Angus and Perth and Kinross Regions. The Cairngorm Mountains are a spectacular landscape and particular attention will be given to the geology, geography and climate of the park. The Cairngorm National Park is a Category 5 protected landscape (sustainable development area) that has farmed and managed landscapes in which tourism is encouraged. Aviemore is a busy and popular holiday destination. The Highland Wildlife Park and  Dalwhinnie distillery  also lie within the National Park. In 2015, 53 km (33 mi) of the 132 kV power line in the middle of the park was taken down, while another section along the edge of the park was upgraded to 400 kV. A skiing and winter sports industry is concentrated in the Cairngorms, with three of Scotlands five resorts situated here. They are the Cairngorm Ski Centre,Glenshee Ski Centre and The Lecht Ski Centre.