Visit National Parks
Be more
We can all be more outside. More healthy, more creative, more in touch with the natural world and each other. Our connection to nature is part of being human and that instinct has led to record numbers of people visiting National Parks in recent years, many of them for the first time.
We’re delighted that more people are exploring how to be more outside: whether that’s by visiting National Parks or getting out into green spaces closer to home. This page is especially focused on helping new visitors get the most out of their adventures and perhaps is a useful reminder to some regular visitors too.
Did you know?
Dress the part
They say there’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing. You don’t need to spend big bucks on top of the range technical gear to explore National Parks. You do need to be able to carry suitable clothing for the conditions you might face. Check with National Parks for their advice on what you might need depending on your plans and the season. Hot and sunny in a valley can quickly turn to cold and wet if you climb just a few hundred feet.
Getting there
If you are travelling by car it’s important to check that parking is available at your intended destination. Check the website of the National Park you are visiting. Most National Parks will update you on availability via social media. It’s always worth considering using public transport as this is often the best way to guarantee you can get to where you are going…and it’s more environmentally sustainable.
Q. Do you have to pay to get into a National Park?
Not in the UK. Our National Parks were founded in the same post war social reforms that saw the creation of council housing and the NHS. They are free at the point of access and are also the homes and workplaces of millions of UK citizens.
Q. What is the Countryside Code?
Whenever you are visiting the countryside, it’s important to follow the Countryside Code. This helps keep you safe and also protects the wildlife and landscapes that you’re visiting. You can download a short version here. Scotland has its own version called the Outdoor Access Code which you can find here.
Q: Who collects the rubbish?
National Parks Authorities don’t actually own much of the land or infrastructure in National Parks. If you put your rubbish in a bin it will usually be the local authority that collects it. If you drop it in the countryside it is no one’s job to pick it up. A volunteer might, or a member of the public, but just as likely it’ll be a rare bird, a squirrel or a deer. Come to National Parks with the plan to take all your rubbish home.
Q. But it’s OK to drop biodegradable waste like banana skins in the countryside, isn’t it?
Nope. That skin will take ages to decompose and until then it is something in the natural environment that shouldn’t be there. Take it home too. Make a pledge to yourself before you go to a National Park that when you leave no one will be able to tell you’ve visited.
Know the way
You can’t rely on having a phone signal in National Parks let alone WiFi…even on well trodden paths. The most experienced outdoor adventurers would never rely on a single means of navigation – and they might be sporting a GPS watch that cost thousands of pounds. The National Parks all have great routes, guides and maps. Many of these are designed especially for the least experienced walker and map reader. Don’t set off without one.
Q. Are there Rangers around to help me if I get lost?
National Parks do employ Rangers – in Scotland they are called Wardens – their role is involves a broad range of things but one of them is not to roam the National Park acting as guides; there’s just too much ground to cover with National Parks accounting for 10% of the landmass of the UK.
Q. Can I get WiFi in National Parks?
Not unless its supplied by your accommodation or the pub you’re sitting in. You might not even get a phone signal.
Q. Should I always shut gates in the countryside?
The Countryside Code says that gates should be left the way you find them. If they are open, leave them open.
Q. As a taxpayer I can camp or party all night long in National Parks, right?
National Parks Authorities don’t actually own much of the land in National Parks. Most of it is privately owned and a great deal of it is particularly sensitive: either historically important or as a home for nature. You need to follow the guidance given by each National Park about camping, it can be quite restrictive but that’s with good reason. National Parks are definitely not festival sites.
Parks for all
Getting around
Even if you’re driving to a National Park it’s worth considering public transport as the last link in your journey. All of the National Parks have great guides and links to all the information you will need. And think about making the journey part of the adventure. Ferries, e-bikes, traditional bus routes and railways make for magical memories and a different way to connect with nature.
A bed for the night
You can find accommodation to suit every budget and taste in the National Parks. There are luxury hotels, cosy rental cottages, traditional family run B&B’s and of course the best way to get closest to nature – camping. Just make sure you check on local restrictions and permissions. Youth hostels are a great, cost effective option, and not just for the young traveller. They often have friendly, knowledgeable staff who can help you explore.
Q. Can I have a camp fire to warm up or brew some tea?
Definitely not. Fires damage the landscape even if they are kept under control. Wildfires cause irreparable damage every year and endanger life and property. They can last for days.
Q. BBQs are OK though aren’t they? That’s what those disposable ones are for surely?
Leave the BBQ at home! Those wildfires…most of them are caused by BBQs, especially the single use ones. Some National Parks have started a campaign to ban them, they smoulder for ages and couldn’t be better at starting wildfires if they’d been specially designed for the task.
Q. Can I bring my dog to a National Park?
Please do, they’ll love it too. You need to keep them under control though and put a lead on when signs tell you to. There’s loads of areas with ground nesting birds and even the best behaved dogs will struggle to curb their natural instincts. And it goes without saying, if your dog does a poo – anywhere – bag it and bin it.
Explore your self
National Parks are designed - exist - to help you do new things, collect new experiences, make memories. They are the ideal place to try something new. No gear? No idea? No problem! The National Parks are full of people and organisations who love to introduce newbies to the hobby or landscapes they are passionate about. They'll supply the kit and know how. All you've got to do...is you.
💭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
