What is a National Park?
A National Park is an area of the countryside that is protected by law.
The laws are in place to:
• make sure the history, land and wildlife of the area are protected.
• improve the area.
• give people the chance to enjoy and appreciate it.
Watch: Discover the UK's National Parks
Learn how the first National Park was made in the UK.
When you travel through the UK, you notice lots of different types of landscape - farmland, forest, wetlands, woodland, coastal regions and much more.
But did you know that some areas of land are so special that there are laws to protect them and look after them? We call these areas National Parks.
Hi, I’m Tianna and I’m in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales National Park. I’m in North Yorkshire, but the park spreads across Cumbria and Lancashire as well.
It’s known for its huge valleys which were mainly caused by glaciers moving along smaller river valleys. The word ‘dale’ is an old term that means ‘valley’.
Like all National Parks, it’s a large defined area of land that has laws in place to make sure its landscape and wildlife are protected, for nature’s benefit and ours.
It’s healthy for us to connect with nature! If we didn’t protect some of the land, lots of animals would have nowhere to live and we’d have nowhere to visit nature.
There are volunteers and workers who look after the parks, and some locals have jobs that depend on the land.
The scenery, plants and animals are often different in each National Park. And some of them have played a big part in their creation…
Further south is the Peak District National Park - it’s smaller than the Yorkshire Dales National Park and its valleys aren’t as wide.
But it was the first ever UK National Park. Before that, lots of it was private land and the public weren’t allowed to visit.
It became protected by law in 1951, after it was decided that every person living in the UK has the right to enjoy and roam the beautiful outdoors. But some people believe that might not have happened without a protest.
If you go on the Kinder Scout mass trespass walk, you will follow in the footsteps of 500 walkers who, around 90 years ago, trespassed on private land from Hayfield all the way to Kinder Scout.
They did it to highlight how unfair it was that the public couldn’t enjoy the open country.
Their success helped create National Parks. There are now 15 of them in the UK - two in Scotland, three in Wales and 10 here in England.
I’m so glad that there are laws and people in place to protect our parks, for now and in the future. So, where is your nearest National Park and what makes it special?
Where are the National Parks in the UK?
There are 15 National Parks in the UK.
• ten in England
• three in Wales
• two in Scotland
• none in Northern Ireland
The first National Park was the Peak District, created in 1951 and the most recent was the South Downs, created in 2010.
Why do National Parks exist?
In the early 1900s, people living in towns and cities wanted to escape the polluted air from the factories and visit the countryside, but landowners didn’t want people on their land.
In 1932 there was a mass trespass on Kinder Scout in the Peak District, which – 19 years later - became the first National Park.
Activities and attractions in National Parks
There are different activities in the various National Parks, depending on the landscape and geographical features.
People can enjoy activities such as:
- Walking
- Running
- Boating
- Pony trekking
- Climbing
- Canoeing
- Cycling
- Photography
- Stargazing
- Wildlife watching
National Park Case Studies
Every National Park is different, with each location having something unique to offer.
Take a look at the two slideshows below to find out more about two of the most famous National Parks: The Peak District and The Yorkshire Dales.
The Peak District
Image caption, The UK's first National Park
This is Bamford Edge in the Peak District. The Peak District was the UK’s original National Park, created in 1951.
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The Yorkshire Dales
Image caption, Peaks
The Yorkshire Dales is in the north of England. It is known for its peaks, beautiful valleys and dry-stone walls.
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Activities
True or false: National Parks
Tap and find: National Parks
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