'It's a celebration of the UK's 15 national parks'

A photo of a bridge over Ladybower Reservoir in the Peak District as the early morning mist began to lift. The light is low and reflecting on the water, and it is cloudy. — Image caption,
The competition "celebrates the beauty of the wild spaces of the national parks", including this one of Ladybower Reservoir in the Peak District

Samantha Noble

BBC News, Derby

2 November 2024

Ten photographs taken in the UK's national parks have been shortlisted in a competition to celebrate their natural beauty.

Three of the images were taken in the Peak District, and one each from Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons), Exmoor, Lake District, Cairngorms, New Forest, Yorkshire Dales, and Dartmoor.

The public can vote for their favourite on the National Parks UK Instagram page until Monday.

Meg Russell, from National Parks UK, said they had some "extraordinary entries" to the competition, which was in its third year.

The northern lights in Bannau Brycheiniog National Park with clouds and stars in the sky, with the dark figure of a mountain underneath the sky

@darren_thomas_photography

This "stunning" one from Bannau Brycheiniog - the Brecon Beacons - captures the northern lights

Scenery of Dunkery Beacon in Exmoor National Park - the photograph shows rolling green hills, foliage, mist and clouds in the sky

@leanna_coles

Dunkery Beacon at Exmoor National Park

@vinco_camm.photos

Coniston in the Lake District

Ms Russell added: "We have a range of mountains, lakes, coasts, rivers.

"It’s a wonderful celebration of the diversity of the 15 different national parks.

"It is such a joy to go through.

"I am a huge fan of one in Derbyshire. It is a river shot with this beautiful bridge, it is very misty and autumnal; it just feels really dream-like, really inspiring and feels like it’s from a fairy tale.

"There’s a stunning one from Bannau Brycheiniog of the aurora borealis, but it also has clouds and stars. It is so beautiful.

"They are just so diverse."

A photograph of rolling hills covered in purple heather in the Peak District, Derbyshire

@peopleofthepeak

"You really get to see... how much biodiversity, wildlife, flora and fauna there is within these 15 protected landscapes," said Ms Russell, including here in the Peak District

@peter_diender

Loch Morlich in Cairngorms National Park

@acornsandscapes

New Forest National Park

Ms Russell added they had 200 entries this year.

"I hope this encourages more people to go out and take beautiful pictures in their nearest national park and also inspires people who have maybe not visited them to go and see what they can find in theirs."

The competition winners will be announced on 18 November.

Padley Gorge bridge in the Peak District - the bridge is in the centre of the photo with water running underneath, and it is surrounded by thin tree trunks. A strip of bright green grass can be seen at the front of the photo

@peaklass

The photographer - @peaklass - said this was taken of Padley Gorge on a midsummer morning, in the Peak District

Roe deer surrounded by grass in the Yorkshire Dales, with branches of a tree hanging overhead

@debclarke1208

A roe deer in the Yorkshire Dales

@tomdauben

Dartmoor National Park

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'It's a celebration of the UK's 15 national parks'

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