Pictures: Britain's glorious National Parks
- Published
This year marks 70 years since the first of Britain's National Parks were created through law, protecting these special spaces for everyone. Newsround takes a quick look at each one Britain's 15 National Parks.
BRECON BEACONS: This Welsh National Park is home to beautiful moorlands, mountain landscapes, and Welsh mountain ponies and red kites.
THE BROADS: Britain's largest protected wetland was formed by the flooding of old peat diggings and is now home to some of Britain's rarest wildlife. It's England's smallest National Park at 303 square kilometres.
CAIRNGORMS: Britain's largest National Park containing its highest mountain range and its biggest native forests. The park in north east Scotland has crystal clean rivers and lochs; moorland and farmland and is home to many of the UK’s unique wildlife.
DARTMOOR: Heather-covered moorland, rocky granite tors, stone circles and medieval villages, iconic Dartmoor ponies, and vibrant villages with traditional events. It's the only National Park in England to allow wild camping.
EXMOOR: Home to moorland, woodland, valleys and farmland, and high cliffs that plunge into the Bristol Channel in south west England. The majority of Exmoor's rocks were formed about 410 and 360 million years ago.
LAKE DISTRICT: England's largest National Park is home to high fells, deep glacial lakes and thriving rural communities. The Lake District in north west England has inspired writers and visitors for centuries, including poet William Wordsworth and author Beatrix Potter.
LOCH LOMOND & THE TROSSACHS: The park is the fourth largest in the British Isles, with a total area of 1,865 square kilometres. Plus you're never far from a fantastic view across water with 22 large lochs and about 50 rivers and streams.
NEW FOREST: The New Forest was made a national park in 2005 to give this outstanding landscape the highest level of protection. The region is known for its heathland, ancient woodlands including some trees over 1,000 years old, and native ponies.
NORTHUMBERLAND: England's most tranquil area with rolling hills, gentle mountains and internationally recognised dark skies. It also contains remains of Hadrian's Wall - a famous boundary wall during the Roman Empire.
NORTH YORK MOORS: Wide open moors, big skies, amazing swathes of purple heather, and a beautiful coastline with traditional fishing villages, cliffs and beaches.
PEAK DISTRICT: Britain's first National Park, located between the cities of Manchester and Sheffield, is a land of contrasts: dramatic heather moorland hills and rock edges in the north, limestone dales and rivers in the south. It also has 34 miles of trails ideal for walkers, cyclists and horse riders.
PEMBROKESHIRE COAST: It was made a National Park in 1952, and is the only one in the UK to have been named primarily because of its spectacular coastline. Visitors can explore cliffs, beaches, harbours and coves along 300km of coastline.
SNOWDONIA: Dominated by the impressive Snowdonia mountain range - including Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales - picturesque villages, and a coastline of fine sandy beaches. It's home to more than 26,000 people.
SOUTH DOWNS: This area in Southern England was the most recent to be named a National Park in 2010. It has it all - from rolling hills, glorious heathland, river valleys, ancient woodland, thriving villages and market towns, and the iconic white cliffs of the Heritage Coast.
YORKSHIRE DALES: Home to rolling green valleys scattered with traditional field barns and drystone walls. It also include Yorkshire's Three Peaks - Ingleborough, Whernside and Pen-y-ghent.
- Published13 February 2018