Complete list of 46 national parks in United Kingdom

Angus Glens

Arnside and Silverdale

Blackdown Hills

Bodmin Moor

Brecon Beacons

Cairngorms

Cannock Chase

Causeway Coast

Chichester Harbour

Chilterns

Clwydian Range

Cornwall

Cranborne Chase

Dartmoor

Dedham Vale

East Devon

Exmoor

Forest of Bowland

Gower

High Weald

Howardian Hills

Kent Downs

Lake District

Lleyn

Loch Lomond and The Trossachs

Malvern Hills

Mendip Hills

Nidderdale

Norfolk Broads

Norfolk Coast

North Devon

North Pennines

Northumberland

North Wessex Downs

North York Moors

Peak District

Pembrokeshire Coast

Quantock Hills

Shropshire Hills

Snowdonia

South Devon

South Downs

Suffolk Coast and Heaths

Surrey Hills

Tamar Valley

Yorkshire Dales

United Kingdom National Parks

The Angus Glens comprise a series of scenic valleys in the Grampian Mountains of Scotland. The area features dramatic landscapes with steep-sided glens, heather moorlands, and ancient woodland. The glens are popular for hiking, wildlife watching, and outdoor recreation.

Arnside and Silverdale AONB is characterized by its limestone landscape, ancient woodlands, and coastal areas. The area features diverse wildlife habitats and stunning views across Morecambe Bay. Its unique combination of geology, ecology, and culture makes it one of Britain's finest landscapes.

The Blackdown Hills form a tranquil rural landscape on the Somerset and Devon border. The area is characterized by steep ridges, high plateaus, and valleys with springs. Traditional farming practices have helped maintain the area's rich wildlife and cultural heritage.

Bodmin Moor is a granite moorland in northeastern Cornwall known for its striking tors and rugged landscape. The area has a rich archaeological heritage including prehistoric monuments and medieval features. The moor supports diverse wildlife and provides important grazing land.

The Brecon Beacons National Park features dramatic mountain landscapes, waterfalls, and caves. The park is known for its dark skies, making it popular for stargazing. Its varied landscape includes rolling hills, open moorland, and lakes, offering excellent opportunities for outdoor activities.

The Cairngorms is Britain's largest national park, featuring ancient Caledonian forest and arctic-alpine mountain landscape. The park contains five of Scotland's six highest mountains and supports rare wildlife species. It offers year-round outdoor activities including skiing in winter.

Cannock Chase is a former royal forest known for its extensive heathland and woodland habitats. The area features important wildlife populations and numerous archaeological sites. It's popular for mountain biking, hiking, and horse riding.

The Causeway Coast AONB includes the famous Giant's Causeway and dramatic coastal landscapes. The area features spectacular cliffs, pristine beaches, and historic castles. Its unique geological features and cultural heritage make it one of Northern Ireland's most visited attractions.

Chichester Harbour is a large natural harbor with multiple channels and islands. The area is important for wildlife, particularly coastal birds and marine life. Its sheltered waters make it popular for sailing and water sports.

The Chilterns AONB is characterized by rolling chalk hills and ancient woodland. The area features numerous prehistoric sites and traditional market towns. Its extensive network of footpaths, including the Ridgeway National Trail, makes it popular for walking and cycling.

The Clwydian Range is a series of hills and mountains in northeast Wales. It features a chain of purple heather-clad summits crowned with Iron Age hillforts. The area offers spectacular views across Wales and England and includes important habitats for rare wildlife.

Cornwall AONB consists of 12 separate areas covering about 27% of the county. It features dramatic coastline, sandy beaches, and rugged moorland. The area includes historic mining sites, fishing villages, and unique geological formations.

Cranborne Chase is a chalk plateau with a rich archaeological and historical landscape. It contains one of the largest concentrations of ancient settlements in Britain. The area features dramatic chalk escarpments, ancient woodlands, and downland ridges.

Dartmoor is characterized by its granite tors, deep wooded valleys, and vast expanses of moorland. It is known for its prehistoric remains, wild ponies, and challenging terrain. The park offers extensive opportunities for hiking, climbing, and wildlife watching.

Dedham Vale is known as Constable Country, after the artist John Constable who painted many scenes of the area. It features rolling farmland, ancient woodlands, and the River Stour. The area represents a traditional English lowland landscape.

East Devon AONB encompasses dramatic cliffs, part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. It features intimate wooded combes, heathland, fertile river valleys, and farmland. The area offers spectacular coastal views and rich wildlife habitats.

Exmoor features dramatic coastline, deep wooded valleys, and open moorland. It is home to wild ponies, red deer, and unique flora. The park offers spectacular views across the Bristol Channel and contains the highest sea cliffs in England.

The Forest of Bowland is characterized by gritstone fells, deep valleys, and blanket bog moorland. It provides important habitats for upland birds and is known for its grouse shooting estates. The area features dramatic landscapes and remote wilderness.

The Gower Peninsula was the first area in Britain to be designated as an AONB. It features dramatic limestone cliffs, golden beaches, and ancient monuments. The area is known for its diverse landscapes including salt marshes, woodland, and historic sites.

The High Weald is characterized by rolling hills, sandstone outcrops, and ancient woodland. It features a medieval pattern of small farms and sunken lanes. The area represents one of the best preserved medieval landscapes in northern Europe.

The Howardian Hills form a distinctive landscape of rolling hills and farmland between the Vale of York and the North York Moors. The area is characterized by its impressive historic houses, castles and abbeys, including Castle Howard. The landscape features a mix of woodland, parkland and agricultural fields creating a rich mosaic of habitats.

The Kent Downs extend from the Surrey border to the White Cliffs of Dover. This dramatic landscape features woodland, chalk grassland, and ancient paths including the North Downs Way. The area is rich in biodiversity and heritage, with numerous historic buildings and archaeological sites throughout.

The Lake District is England's largest national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It features England's highest mountain (Scafell Pike) and deepest lake (Wastwater). The landscape inspired many Romantic poets and consists of rugged mountains, scenic lakes, and picturesque valleys.

The Lleyn Peninsula extends into the Irish Sea, featuring dramatic coastlines and rolling hills. The area is known for its diverse wildlife, ancient religious sites, and Iron Age hill forts. Its landscape includes sandy beaches, rocky cliffs, and traditional Welsh farming communities.

Scotland's first national park encompasses Loch Lomond, the largest inland water body in Britain by surface area. The park features 21 Munros (mountains over 3,000 feet) and 22 large lochs. The landscape varies from lowland forests to highland peaks, offering diverse recreational opportunities.

The Malvern Hills are a dramatic ridge of ancient volcanic rocks rising abruptly from the surrounding plains. Known for their spring water and spectacular views, they have inspired composers like Elgar and writers like C.S. Lewis. The area combines woodland, commons, and parkland with historic spa town heritage.

The Mendip Hills feature limestone gorges, including the famous Cheddar Gorge, and extensive cave systems. The area is characterized by its plateau-like hilltops, steep slopes, and wooded combes. Rich in archaeology, the hills contain evidence of human occupation from the Paleolithic period onwards.

Nidderdale is a dramatic Yorkshire dale featuring heather moorland, rolling pastures, and historic sites. The landscape includes significant reservoirs, limestone scenery, and traditional farming communities. The area is known for its rich industrial heritage including former lead mining sites.

The Broads is Britain's largest protected wetland, comprising a network of rivers and lakes. Created by medieval peat digging and flooding, it features unique landscapes of reed beds, grazing marshes, and woodland. The area is home to rare species and is popular for boating and wildlife watching.

The Norfolk Coast AONB stretches from Hunstanton to Winterton-on-Sea. It encompasses diverse coastal habitats including salt marshes, sand dunes, and shingle beaches. The area is renowned for its bird watching opportunities and includes several nature reserves and historic coastal villages.

North Devon AONB features dramatic coastal cliffs, sandy beaches, and rolling countryside. The area includes the spectacular Hartland Peninsula and parts of Exmoor's coast. Its diverse landscape encompasses ancient woodlands, historic settlements, and traditional farming communities.

The North Pennines is the second largest AONB in England and Wales. It features high moorland, dramatic dales, tumbling waterfalls, and distinctive flora and fauna. The area is known for its mining heritage and is also a UNESCO Global Geopark.

Northumberland National Park is England's northernmost national park, featuring rolling hills, moorland, and forests. It contains part of Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site and has some of the clearest night skies in England. The park is known for its remote tranquility and rich archaeological heritage.

The North Wessex Downs encompass one of the largest and most continuous tracts of chalk downland in England. The landscape includes ancient woodlands, chalk streams, and prehistoric monuments like the Uffington White Horse. The area is characterized by rolling hills and open downland.

The North York Moors features one of the largest expanses of heather moorland in England. The park includes dramatic coastline, ancient woodlands, and historic abbeys. It's characterized by its sweeping views, hidden dales, and traditional market towns.

The Peak District was Britain's first national park, featuring dramatic gritstone edges and limestone dales. The park is divided into the Dark Peak's gritstone moorlands and the White Peak's limestone valleys. It offers extensive hiking trails and climbing opportunities.

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is Britain's only coastal national park, featuring dramatic cliffs, sandy beaches, and wooded estuaries. The park includes the popular Pembrokeshire Coast Path and numerous historic sites. Its diverse landscape supports rich marine and terrestrial wildlife.

The Quantock Hills were England's first AONB, featuring heathland, ancient woodlands, and dramatic coastline. The area is known for its deep wooded combes, high open moorland, and panoramic views. It has strong literary associations with Romantic poets Coleridge and Wordsworth.

The Shropshire Hills AONB features diverse upland landscapes including the Long Mynd and Stiperstones ridge. The area is characterized by hills, farmland, woods, and river valleys. It contains numerous archaeological sites and traditional market towns.

Snowdonia National Park features Wales' highest mountain, Snowdon, and diverse landscapes from mountains to coast. The park contains extensive areas of native woodland and unique alpine flora. It is known for its dramatic mountain scenery, waterfalls, and lakes.

South Devon AONB encompasses dramatic coastline, sandy beaches, and rolling hills. The area features five estuaries and includes picturesque fishing villages and historic towns. Its landscape is characterized by intimate coves, steep cliffs, and a rich maritime heritage.

The South Downs is England's newest national park, featuring stunning chalk cliffs and rolling grasslands. The park stretches from Winchester to Eastbourne, encompassing ancient woodlands and river valleys. It contains the South Downs Way, a long-distance footpath running the length of the chalk ridge.

Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB is characterized by its mixture of shingle beaches, crumbling cliffs, marshes, and heathland. The area includes wildlife-rich wetlands and ancient woodland. It's home to many rare and unusual species including nightjars and antlions.

The Surrey Hills AONB encompasses chalk downs, wooded valleys, and ancient heathland. It features the famous Box Hill and Leith Hill, offering spectacular views across southeast England. The area is known for its extensive network of footpaths and bridleways popular with cyclists and hikers.

The Tamar Valley AONB follows the course of the River Tamar between Devon and Cornwall. It features a dramatic landscape shaped by mining heritage and medieval farming. The area is known for its rich biodiversity and historic market gardens.

The Yorkshire Dales features a dramatic limestone landscape with caves, waterfalls, and distinctive hills. The park is known for its stone-built villages, field barns, and dry-stone walls that create a unique cultural landscape. It contains the famous Three Peaks and numerous spectacular cave systems.