nationalpark.org.uk 

 UK National Park links 

Contents

1. National Park Authorities
2. AONBs
3. National Park Societies
4. Campaign groups
5. Right to roam
6. Government bodies
7. Scottish National Parks
8. Brecon Beacons links
9. Dartmoor links
10. Lake District links
11. New Forest
12. North Yorks Moors links
13. Peak District links
14. Snowdonia links
15. South Downs
16. Yorkshire Dales links
17. Adventure holidays
18. Sustainable transport
19. Other useful links
20. France

Welcome

We aim to be a comprehensive internet resource of links to web sites about the UK's National Parks and. Please help us achieve that aim by submitting websites that we ought to include, using the links provided below.

We also have a section for AONBs (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) - another important landscape designation for Britain's finest countryside.

Thanks to our sponsor: CarRentals.co.uk

1. National Park Authorities

• Lake District NPA
• Yorkshire Dales NPA
• Association of National Park Authorities
• Peak District NPA.
• Loch Lomond and The Trossachs.
• Northumberland NPA
• Snowdonia (Eryri) NPA

• Broads NPA
• Exmoor NPA
• Brecon Beacons NPA
• Dartmoor NPA
• Pembrokeshire Coast NPA
• North Yorkshire Moors NPA

2. AONBs

• Shropshire Hills AONB portal.
• Landscape Photographs for East Devon AONB - fascinating old postcards with modern pictures of the same sites. Links to an integrated education pack which compares the AONB area to East Devon.
• The National Association for AONBs, formed in 1998 to safeguard and promote some of Britain's most stunning scenic landscapes.
• The No thanks campaign against a proposal to build a 1300 sq metre house in a remote part of the Cotswold AONB, and PPG7 para 3.2, the planning guidance which allows large country houses to be built in open countryside.
• Penllyn the Llyn (lleyn) Peninsula, Gwynedd, N Wales, with lots of info about the Llyn AONB, Heritage Coast and SSSIs. This bilingual site is run by local people and has business, news, history, and events sections.
• The North Wessex Downs encompass Marlborough and Watership Downs, Lambourn Valley and the Vale of Pewsey, the World Heritage Site at Avebury and the White Horse of Uffington, as well as long stretches of the Ridgeway National Trail and the Kennet and Avon Canal.

• The A-Z Guide of the Llyn Peninsula has information on local weather, tides, traffic, places to eat, accommodation, beaches and local attractions. Plus a unique alphabetical listing of many places on the Peninsula.
• The Chiltern Society dedicated to the preservation of the landscape, wildlife, natural history, rights of way, agricultural economy, and local character of the Chiltern Hills (AONB), west of London.
• The Chilterns AONB website provides information on places to visit and things to do in the Chilterns, with downloadable walk leaflets to and an events listing. Plus info on the Chilterns Conservation Board.
• The Countryside Agency's AONB pages.
• South Downs AONB
• The Cotswold AONB Partnership, which may soon become an official AONB Conservation Board. Did you know that the Cotswold AONB is bigger than Exmoor and Dartmoor combined? Nor did I.

3. National Park Societies

• Snowdonia Society
• New Forest Association
• Exmoor Society
• Yorkshire Dales Society
• Friends of Pembrokeshire National Park
• Dartmoor Preservation Association
• The Friends of the Peak District is the National Park Society for the Peak Park, campaigning to safeguard its unique landscapes for generations to come.

• Friends of the Lake District
• Broads Society
• The Friends of Loch Lomond are dedicated to the conservation and enhancement of this world-renowned area of outstanding natural beauty, whilst having regard to the social and economic well-being of local communities.
• North Yorkshire Moors Association

4. Campaign groups

• The campaign to Save the Peaks Park & its ancient monuments from quarrying
• The Scottish Council for National Parks is working to protect and enhance national parks in Scotland and to promote the case for new national parks.
• The Open Spaces Society, fighting to retain Britain's commons, footpaths and open spaces, and the public's right to enjoy them.
• CPRW - the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales.
• The Brithdir Mawr eco-community in Pembrokeshire NP, at risk from zealous NPA officials
• CPRE - the Council for the Protection of Rural England.
• The South Downs Campaign is campaigning for the creation of the best possible South Downs National Park.

• CPRE (Council for the Protection of Rural England) exists to promote the beauty, tranquillity and diversity of rural England by encouraging the sustainable use of land and other natural resources in town and country.
• The Council for National Parks - "working to protect and enhance the National Parks of England and Wales, and other areas that merit National Park status, and to promote their understanding and quiet enjoyment for the benefit of all".
• The Cambrian Mountains are a National Park still waiting to happen. They were designated a National Park in 1972, but their status was never confirmed so they still have no protection. This website includes the full story, maps, description and photos.
• The related Save the Nine Ladies stone circle campaign

5. Right to roam

• Mapping access land in your area - make sure you have your say about what is included!

• The full text of the Countryside & Rights of Way Act 2000.

6. Government bodies

• The Countryside Council for Wales
• The Countryside Agency - the government agency for a sustainable countryside in England
• The Joint Nature Conservation Committee
• Scottish Natural Heritage, the body responsible for nature conservation and public access to the countryside in Scotland.

• The Forestry Commission
• The DETR Environment Pages
• English Nature
• The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency.
• DEFRA pages on National Parks and AONBs.

7. Scottish National Parks

• Scottish Natural Heritage, the body responsible for nature conservation and public access to the countryside in Scotland.
• The Scottish Council for National Parks is working to protect and enhance national parks in Scotland and to promote the case for new national parks.
• The Loch Lomond website, all about the famous Scottish Loch, its islands and history, with a visit to the villages around the shores. By retired lecturer Alistair Reid of Callander, in the National Park.
• National Parks in Scotland - article by John Mackay, Scottish Natural Heritage
• Trossachs and Callander Visitor Guide - a guide for visitors to Callander and the Trossachs in the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.
• Loch Lomond and The Trossachs.

• John Muir Trust
• JustOutstanding Loch Lomond & the Trossachs is "the first online guide to what to see, what to do, and where to go in Scotland's First National Park".
• JustOutstanding Cairngorms is "the first online guide to what to see, what to do, and where to go in the area that will soon become Scotland's second National Park".
• The Friends of Loch Lomond are dedicated to the conservation and enhancement of this world-renowned area of outstanding natural beauty, whilst having regard to the social and economic well-being of local communities.
• Cairngorms Partnership
• The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency.

8. Brecon Beacons links

• Brecon Beacons NPA
• Brecon Beacons National Park Mountain Hut is a very useful gateway site for the BBs.

• Cadlan adventures organises outdoor activities and expeditions in the Brecon Beacons.

9. Dartmoor links

• Dartmoor Preservation Association
• Dartmoor On-line
• Desecration of Dartmoor - about the 3 most serious land use problems affecting the Moor - overgrazing, burning and new, serious damage by the Army. The gradual decline of the Moor's peat layer will lead to serious problems...

• Dartmoor Preservation Association
• Dartmoor Tourist Association
• Info on the ancient stone crosses of Dartmoor
• Dartmoor NPA
• Duchy of Cornwall which owns most of Dartmoor) background information
• Dartmoor Stone Crosses - the book, published by Halgrove.

10. Lake District links

• Lake District Hotels - accommodation and tourist information for the Lake District National Park.
• English Lakes is a guide to the most poular places to visit in the Lake District. Includes sections on the lakes, mountains, villages and towns as well as historic buildings and visitor attractions.
• Lake District Accommodation & Tourist Guide includes hundreds of places to stay, hotels, holiday cottages, b&bs, pubs, campsites, caravan, what to see, events, things to do, maps and more....

• Lake District NPA
• Lake District Desktops has free desktop wallpaper sized digital photographs of the Lake District.
• Friends of the Lake District
• Northern Landscape offers superb desktop wallpaper and screensavers of the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District. And it's free.
• An informative, well put together Lake District gateway website.

11. New Forest

The New Forest is to be the first National Park in the UK of the 21st century, the Government announced in June 2004. Though the Park as proposed leaves out some important areas which should be included, this is still great news.

Previously much of the debate has been about proposals for a massive new port at Dibden Bay which would have caused immense environmental damage. But following a long public inquiry, on 20 April 2004 the Government followed its inspector's recommendation and turned down the proposal!

• The Planning Inspectorates Dibden Bay Inquiry pages.
• New Forest District Council
• the New Forest official documents held on the DEFRA website - quite an impressive cellection.

• The Save Dibden Bay campaign.
• New Forest FoE (Friends of the Earth)
• The Countryside Agency New Forest pages.
• Residents Against Dibden Bay Port

12. North Yorks Moors links

• North Yorkshire Moors Association
• North Yorkshire Moors NPA
• deBretton offers luxury accommodation throughout North Yorkshire.
• A highly informative North York Moors gateway website.
• North Yorkshire Moors Accommodation & Tourist Guide includes hundreds of places to stay, hotels, holiday cottages, b&bs, pubs, campsites, caravan, what to see, events, things to do, maps and more....

• North Yorkshire Accommodation - accommodation & tourist guide for the North Yorkshire Moors
• Fotocraft offers landscape photographs of Yorkshire by Paul Heaton. Galleries include Wensleydale, Wharfedale, Malhamdale and Nidderdale as well as the North Yorkshire Moors.

13. Peak District links

• The official Visit Peak District tourism site includes accommodation, attractions and activities in the National Park, Derbyshire Dales, High Peak and Staffordshire Moorlands.
• Derbyshire - the Peak District - this is Derbyshire County Council's official guide to holidays in the region, featuring accommodation, attractions, events and activities, etc.
• This Peak District gateway is a great personal site with info on where to stay, eat, go, walk, watch birds & much more.
• The campaign to Save the Peaks Park & its ancient monuments from quarrying
• A Taste of the Peak District has info on visitor attractions, geology, activities and accommodation in the Peak District NP.

• The Friends of the Peak District is the National Park Society for the Peak Park, campaigning to safeguard its unique landscapes for generations to come.
• Peak District Wallpaper Photographs - 100s of free wallpaper photos of the Peak District at all times of year. Nice.
• Peak District View is a visually stunning resource of panoramic photographs of the Peak District National Park.
• A Peak District gateway website, highly informative.
• Peak District NPA.

14. Snowdonia links

• Heng genting Mountain Adventures - complete walking holidays centered on Betws Y Coed, North Wales.

• Snowdonia Guide - with sections on mountains, villages, towns, beaches, historic buildings and visitor attractions.

15. South Downs

The South Downs National Park does not yet exist, so there's plenty of work to do to make the Park is as extensive as possible, provides genuine protection for the landscapes within it, and guarantees a worthwhile level of public access.

• The South Downs Campaign is a network of local, regional and national conservation, environmental and amenity groups working to achieve the best possible National Park for the South Downs.

• The South Downs Campaign is campaigning for the creation of the best possible South Downs National Park.

16. Yorkshire Dales links

• Yorkshire Dales Accommodation & Tourist Guide includes hundreds of places to stay, hotels, holiday cottages, b&bs, pubs, campsites, caravan, what to see, events, things to do, maps and more....
• Northern Landscape offers superb desktop wallpaper and screensavers of the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District. And it's free.
• Yorkshire Dales Stay - accommodation & tourist guide for the Yorkshire Dales Nationalpark
• Fotocraft offers landscape photographs of Yorkshire by Paul Heaton. Galleries include Wensleydale, Wharfedale, Malhamdale and Nidderdale as well as the North Yorkshire Moors.
• The New Inn, Clapham is set in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The hotel offers quality hotel accommodation in stunning Yorkshire scenery.

• The Craven Pothole Club promote a wide range of outdoor activities including the exploration of caves and potholes, mountaineering, fell walking, rock climbing, skiing, cycling and other similar pursuits, centred in the Yorkshire Dales, with regular visits to other caving areas and climbing and walking trips to the Lake District and Scotland.
• A Yorkshire Dales gateway site, highly informative and easily navigated.
• Dales Bus campaigns for improved public transport to and within the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
• deBretton offers luxury accommodation throughout North Yorkshire.
• Yorkshire Dales NPA

17. Adventure holidays

• Heng genting Mountain Adventures - complete walking holidays centered on Betws Y Coed, North Wales.
• Heng Genting Mountain Adventures organises climbing & navigation courses UK wide, with focus on national parks. Group & individual instruction

• Cadlan adventures organises outdoor activities and expeditions in the Brecon Beacons.
• Unique National Parks is a website with information about 25 of the most beautiful National Parks in the world.

18. Sustainable transport

• Dales Bus campaigns for improved public transport to and within the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

19. Other useful links

• Countryside Jobs is "an ethical business publishing free & low cost information to promote countryside careers in the UK".
• The wildfile.co.uk portal site, with 100s of links to other wildlife & environment sites
• saveourrailways.com rail campaign site
• Remote First Aid provides specialist First Aid training provider for mountaineers, climbers, paddlers and leaders.
• Check out tfX to find out about the "stealth killer" trans fats we are being fed in processed foods - everything from Mars bars to Mr Kipling cakes and Linda McCartney sausages.
• Kyoto2 is a proposal for a second Climate Protocol - one that might actually work in reducing greenhouse gas emissions!
• Everything you ever wanted to know about the Earth Summit, and more!

• roadrage.org.uk UK road campaign centre
• Mountain Days is dedicated to mountaineering, hill walking & rock climbing in the UK. Contains route database with details of all mountains in UK plus articles, weather and comprehensive links directory.
• Multimap is a great site with ... maps, including of the UK's national parks.
• The European Landscape Convention came into force on March 1 2004. The UK is a signatory so it applies here!
• Holidays & Breaks in the British Isles is an Accommodation Directory for holiday makers, and covers all 22 national Parks and 44 AONBs.
• The Green Electric site helps you find companies that will send you eco-friendly power.

20. France

• South France Gite Accommodation provides self catering accommodation for holiday rental, enjoying an - in town location on the edge of the Languedoc national park, independent access and an ADSL internet connection. Perfect for your French vacation.