As well as the 15 National Parks we have in the UK, we are blessed with the not so well known 46 National Landscapes in the UK. 38 of these were known as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty until November 2023.
Many of our writers and poets knew how splendid they were and used their own experience of living and exploring them in many of their writings. We may like travelling the world, but it is always worth remembering the words of T.S. Elliott in the Four Quartets:
‘When the last of earth left to discover is that which was the beginning’
Why not explore the wonders on our own doorstep.
Immersed as it is in ancient history, the Isle of Anglesey was once known as the Mother of Wales. Its AONB covers most of the island’s 125-mile coastline, including Holyhead Mountain and Bodafon Mountain. In fact, the AONB makes up a third of the island. The Anglesey Coast Path is a great way to explore, taking in the Benllech and Rhosneigr beaches. Into Beaumaris with its pier and views to Snowdonia and its magnificent 13th century castle. Then there’s the …
Arnside and Silverdale is a special place. Sitting on the Cumbria and Lancashire borders, overlooking the shimmering sands of Morecambe Bay, its landscapes and wildlife are awe-inspiring. From the heights of Arnside Knott see the Lakeland Fells, the Yorkshire Dales and, on a clear day, Blackpool Tower. The limestone hills lead down to villages, including Silverdale and Arnside itself, on the shores of Morecambe Bay, where the tidal bore roars in “at the speed of a galloping horse”. At the …
For many, the Blackdown Hills epitomise the English countryside. Set on the Devon/Somerset border, its steep wooded ridges, river valleys, meadows and mires are rich in wildlife and heritage. Hembury is a Neolithic settlement, Brown Down takes us into the Bronze Age, there’s the Roman villa at Whitestaunton and medieval discoveries to make at Castle Neroche and Dunkeswell Abbey. Take wildlife walks through Thurlbear Wood and Quants and the rivers Yarty, Culm and Otter, home to beavers…and otters. There are …
They call it the Jewel of the West Midlands. Cannock Chase, England’s smallest AONB, lives up to the title with ancient woodland, river valleys, wetlands and heaths contained in just 26 square miles. The Iron Age Castle Ring hill fort has fine panoramas, then it’s on to the 18th century and the splendours of Shugborough Hall and its 900 acres of parkland. A forest, known as the Chase because of its hunting history, lies between them. It’s home to a …
For Chichester Harbour read Land and Sea. Set against a backdrop of the South Downs National Park, in West Sussex, the harbour’s tidal channels lead to a maze of inlets and creeks that criss-cross the saltmarsh and mudflats. These are visited by many thousands of waders and wildfowl and a colony of harbour seals. Boat trips let you explore this watery wilderness, 60 miles of footpaths take you inland. Shingle beach and sand dunes are edged with wind-blasted oaks in …
Like battlements defending London’s north west flank, the rounded chalk hills of the Chilterns are a treasure house of walks, views, history and fun. With its beech woods and bluebells, the Chilterns inspired artists and writers such as Jerome K. Jerome, Stanley Spencer and Roald Dahl, whose children’s work is celebrated at a story centre in Great Missenden. Near London but “far away in the hills” the nobility built fine houses. Hughenden Manor, West Wycombe Park and Cliveden all have …
Hills and mountains, moorland and cliffs, steep river valleys and ancient woodland. With its fascinating heritage, this AONB lives up to its brief. A chain of Iron Age hillforts looks down on the medieval beauty, Crucis Abbey, with its rose window and vaulted chapter house. Chirk Castle is the last Welsh castle from the reign of Edward I. This imposing Marcher fortress has views over nine counties. Into the Industrial Revolution and ‘canal mania’. The amazing Pontcysyllte Aqueduct takes the Llangollen Canal …
Cornwall is unique in that nearly a third of the county is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – made up of spectacular coastlines, rugged uplands, stunning beaches and tranquil wooded river valleys. Twelve separate areas make up this AONB. Let’s take a quick tour, starting in the north east… HARTLAND Features superb coastal scenery with heathland and granite cliffs. The forested Coombe Valley with its hamlet and nature reserve leads down to Duckpool Beach. Just on from Morwenstow, with its …
Mention the Cotswolds and most potential visitors think of the tourist honeypots of Bibury, Castle Combe and Bourton-on-the-Water. The Cotswolds are, in fact, the gentle hills nestling on the steep slopes running down the western edge of Gloucestershire. Away from the crowds, the Cotswold Way takes you to many stunning views across the River Severn to Wales. History litters the path with highlights including the Neolithic burial sites of Belas Knap and Uley, also known as Hetty Pegler’s Tump, and …
Chalk is the foundation of the gentle Cranborne Chase. Overlapping the boundaries of Wiltshire, Dorset, Hampshire and Somerset, its grassland, ancient woodland, chalk slopes and downland hillsides drop down to precious chalk river valleys. From the steep slope of Winklebury Hill, above the village of Berwick St John, you’re surveying farmland of the Bronze Age. There’s Old Wardour Castle, the Bradbury Rings hill fort, Sixpenny Handley woods and Martin Down and Bokerley Dyke, all showcasing this understated landscape.
The Dedham Vale is the jewel in the crown in the classic English landscape of the River Stour. Snaking its boundary way between Suffolk and Essex, the Stour Valley has lanes and byways perfect for walkers and cyclists. All roads lead to Dedham and its valley that inspired the landscape painter, John Constable, to give us The Haywain along with Willy Lott’s Cottage, Flatford Mill and Dedham Lock, which can still be seen.
Zoom through time in Dorset. Your journey starts 185 million years ago on the fossil strewn beaches of Dorset’s Jurassic Coast, including Kimmeridge Bay. Then it’s on to the Iron Age and the haunting hilltop settlement of Maiden Castle, outside Dorchester. To the Middle Ages and the teetering ruins of Corfe Castle before visiting the sites of Hardy’s Wessex that found their way into the great writer’s works. The South West Coast Path beckons with some of its most spectacular …
East Devon quietly gets on with giving us a fascinatingly beautiful view of life during the past 250,000 years. Running from Exmouth to just before Lyme Regis, the area’s beaches and cliffs are part of the Jurassic Coast, taking geologists and holiday explorers back 185 million years. Just off the beach is the National Trust village of Branscombe, then it’s onto the coastal path to Beer, with its smuggling history and underground quarry. Sidmouth and Budleigh Salterton round off the …
Speeding up the M6, in Lancashire, it’s too easy to miss the magical Forest of Bowland, with its steep, wooded valleys, high moorland and grit stone fells. It’s wild. From Beacon Fell Country Park, see across Morecambe Bay, then marvel at the Trough of Bowland, the most iconic stretch of countryside in Lancashire. Visit the ancient castles of the Lune Valley on your way to the grand houses of Browsholme and Leagram. The wilderness wins during the day. At night, …
In 1956, the Gower Peninsula became the UK’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Bristol Channel, it has some of the richest wildlife habitats in Wales. The village of Oxwich has a national nature reserve. It also boasts a 6th century church, a castle and more than two miles of sandy beach and dunes. Beaches, cliffs and wildlife make Rhossili Bay a popular spot, along with Three Cliffs Bay and Horton for the …
Kent, Sussex and Surrey share the ancient wooded hills and sandstone outcrops of the High Weald. It wraps itself around busy towns such as Tunbridge Wells and Hastings and soon takes you into its rural idyll of castles, manor houses, parks and gardens. There’s Bedgebury Forest, with miles of walks and cycle tracks, Bewl Water for the angler, Harrison’s Rocks for the climber and a trio of treats for the steam railway enthusiast, the Bluebell Railway, the Spa Valley Railway …
The intriguingly named Howardian Hills are a treasure house of scenic villages, classic parkland and history set between the North York Moors National Park, the Yorkshire Wolds and the Vale of York. Wooded rolling countryside has the majestic Castle Howard, Nunnington Hall and Ampleforth Abbey. Peace reigns in the ruins of Kirkham Abbey, overlooking the River Derwent, and the Yorkshire Arboretum. And there are the classic market towns of Malton, Pickering, Helmsley and Easingwold.
Well known for The Needles – jagged white chalk stacks reaching out into the Solent – the Isle of Wight is an island of contrasts. Famous for its beaches and the seafront promenades of Shanklin and Ventnor, and its sailing centres of Cowes and Yarmouth, it is mainly farmland with sheep grazing the downs and heaths and dairy herds the lower land. The AONB protects the Hamstead Heritage Coast in the north and Tennyson Heritage coast in the south. Dinosaur remains can be …
The Isles of Scilly are a string of 140 islands 25 miles south of Cornwall that boast the mildest, warmest and sunniest climate in the UK…thanks to the Gulf Stream. The islands are covered in heathland fringed by beautiful white sandy beaches. The five inhabited islands – St Mary’s, Tresco, St Martin’s, St Agnes and Bryher – have a unique character, offering something different for visitors of all ages and interests. Tresco is dominated by the remains of Oliver Cromwell’s castle and hosts the renowned Tresco …
Woodlands and wetlands; historical and cultural heritage; tranquillity and remoteness: the Kent Downs. Stretching from the Surrey border to the White Cliffs of Dover, the classic chalk landscape of streams and rolling hills is one of the UK’s most wooded. Perry Wood is a gem. Enjoy an action-packed day at Dover Castle then the peace of the ruined 12th century fortress at Thurnham. Make the most of the scenery from viewpoints at Ide Hill, Lympne and the spectacular Devil’s Kneading …
Described as the forgotten corner of England, the Lincolnshire Wolds lie between Lincoln and the coast, rising up from the fens and coastal marshes. The rolling hills have amazing views to the Pennines and the North Sea, and shelter the chalk stream valleys. Red Hill Nature Reserve lets you in on the wolds’ amazing wildlife which can also be seen from the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway. Bolingbroke Castle takes you back to medieval times along with the eerily deserted villages of …
Llyn Peninsula reaching 30 miles into the Irish Sea, is also known as Snowdon’s Arm. The cosy, seaside towns of Criccieth, with its castle, and Pwllheli and Abersoch are springboards into a land that’s steeped in Welsh culture, with stunning, sandy beaches and fascinating wildlife. The Wales Coast Path runs round the peninsula passing forts and churches pointing the way to Bardsey Island. Boat trips take you to this sacred centre of pilgrimage and internationally renowned nature reserve. Learn the …
The flatlands and the floodplains of the Vale of Evesham have thrown up the inspirational Malvern Hills. Some see the outline of a sleeping dragon in the four ranges of hills with their views south, across the Severn estuary, to Devon, and north to Shropshire and even north Wales. The hilltops – a walkers’ and horse riders’ paradise – with their drovers’ trails, ancient hill forts and Victorian carriageways, lead down to traditional orchards and farmland and their special wildlife. …
Rising like a rampart a thousand feet above the Somerset Levels, the Mendip Hills AONB is a land of crags, gorges and valleys. Centrepiece is the Cheddar Gorge, England’s largest, and its caves and dramatic cliff top walk. Then there’s Wookey Hole, taking deep underground to a colourful spectacular – watch out for the witch! Black Down, the high point of the Mendips, has stunning views across to Wales, and with Burrington Ham has amazing wildlife and archaeological treasures. Deer …
Set on the eastern flanks of the Pennines, in the heart of Yorkshire, the Nidderdale AONB is a land of wild moorland, secluded dales, spectacular wildlife and cultural heritage. Go back 320 million years to appreciate the bizarre Brimham Rocks. Then underground into the Stumps Cross Caverns with their colourful stalactite and stalagmite formations before plenty of fresh air at Yorke’s Folly, with its amazing views over Pateley Bridge and Lower Nidderdale. More fine views at Coldstones Cut and ‘The …
Wild and vulnerable, the Norfolk Coast AONB has it all – stretching from the Wash through coastal marshes, cliffs and magnificent beaches to the vast sand dunes of Winterton. The traditional seaside towns of Hunstanton, the only east coast resort that faces west, and Cromer, with the last end-of-the-pier theatre, are great family bases. Then it’s on to Lord Nelson’s birthplace at Burnham Thorpe, and the 18th century grandeur of Holkham Hall. Take the train to the beach at Wells-next-the-Sea then a …
The North Devon Coast AONB is also an ‘area of special places’ – from traditional family friendly resorts to rugged headlands to sandy beaches and rolling dunes. There’s Ilfracombe, with its harbour, grand villas and cottages and the more cosy Woolacombe and its renowned beaches. To the stunningly beautiful Hartland Peninsula, with views of Lundy Island, and on to nearby Speke’s Mill and Welcome Mouth, where waterfalls gush from the cliffs. Walkers-only at Clovelly, another village with its own waterfall. …
Step this way to High Force, at 75 feet England’s highest waterfall…and centrepiece of the North Pennines AONB. It’s a stunning landscape of moors and dales, rivers and woods, wildlife and heritage. Explore Hamsterley Forest, County Durham’s largest, on foot, cycle or horseback then navigate the Milky Way at one of the Dark Sky Discovery Sites. Relax at Garden Station, woods and gardens set around a Victorian railway station. Then it’s “all aboard” for trips into the heart of the …
For North Wessex Downs AONB read ‘spoiled for choice’. A horseshoe of rolling chalk hills covering the Berkshire Downs, the Hampshire Downs, the White Horse Hills, the Lambourn Downs, the Marlborough Downs, the Vale of Pewsey and the ancient Savernake Forest…all magnificent in their own way. To pre-history, and Avebury, Europe’s largest Neolithic stone circle then saddle up for the Uffington White Horse, carved in the chalk hillside 3,000 years ago. Visit Highclere Castle – Downton Abbey to millions – …
Sweeping sandy beaches, rocky headlands, flower rich dunes and wild islands, steeped in 7,000 years of human history. The Holy Island of Lindisfarne – to give it its full name – is the jewel in the crown of this part of the world. Visit the Castle and Priory and explore the national nature reserve, home to 50,000 birds. Bamburgh has a stunning castle overlooking family friendly sands, while Warkworth’s ancient fortress stands guard over the beautiful River Coquet estuary. The …
The wild and tranquil Quantock Hills were England’s first AONB, set up in 1956. Just west of Bridgwater, they run from the Somerset Levels to the Bristol Channel… and a fossil hunters’ paradise, to say nothing of the rockpools. Red deer and Quantock ponies roam the heathland, valleys and woods where the Great Wood is watched over by Lydeard Hill, Staple Plain and Beacon Hill. No towns in the Quantocks, just charming villages like Triscombe, Holford and Kingston St Mary, …
The Shropshire Hills covers almost a quarter of Shropshire. Its 50 hills extend from the Wrekin to the Clun Forest and from Sliperstones across to the Clee Hills. The hills are a landscape of contrast – hills and crags, rivers and streams – fought over for centuries. Iron Age hill forts look down on the remains of medieval castles and the ditch and ramparts of the 8th century Offa’s Dyke, on the Welsh/English border. Stokesay Castle is one of England’s …
The Solway Coast is a mosaic of habitats and history set on 40 miles of low-lying Cumbrian coastline. The England Coast Path takes you past the spectacular dunes and salt marsh to seaward and grazing pastures and peatbogs inland. Explore one of the ten nature reserves, including the Solway Wetlands Centre with boardwalks to keep your feet dry.The Senhouse Roman Museum has one of the most important Roman collections in the UK, reminding us that the Hadrian’s Wall Path runs …
Some numbers…the South Devon AONB has around 100 miles of coastline, 200 miles of footpaths in 40 walks, five river estuaries and 70 beaches. Extending from Brixham to Plymouth and inland to Totnes. South Devon is a land of coves and cliffs fronting pastoral landscapes with wooded valleys and sunken lanes. Dartmouth reflects the rich history. Its magnificent river takes you deep inland to author Agatha Christie’s home, Greenway House. Burgh Island features in one of her books.Blackpool Sands and …
An almost landlocked inlet of the Irish Sea, Strangford Lough and Lecale, is an amazing mix of sandy beaches, rocky shoreline, rolling countryside and hundreds of small wooded islands. Strangford and Portaferry keep guard over the Narrows that lead to the lough – 17 miles long and 4 miles wide. The lough’s old Irish name means ‘lough of the harbours’ – it lives up to it. The Exploris aquarium takes you into the underwater home of the seals, porpoises and otters, …
The Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB has recently grown! It’s been enlarged to include the Stour Estuary, in Essex, and ‘Constable Country’ between Brantham and East Bergholt. The AONB is a unique blend of shingle beaches, crumbling cliffs, marshes, estuaries, heathland, forests and farmland…quite a list, but then quite a place. Its rich history includes the Anglo-Saxon royal burial site at Sutton Hoo and Henry II’s Orford Castle. Aldeburgh and the world-famous Snape Maltings are central to the arts scene, …
The Surrey Hills are a kaleidoscope of countryside. From rolling chalk downs of yew and box woodland, and flower-rich grassland to heaths and woods that rise to the hills. Climb Leith Hill, with its 18th century tower, and Box Hill which, to many is the Surrey Hills. The Winkworth Arboretum puts trees in the spotlight – a thousand species in its 95 acres. Visit gracious times past at the Edwardian Polesden Lacey house and estate, the Tudor Loseley Park and …
The history rich and wooded Tamar Valley is centred on the rivers Tamar, Tavy and Lynher, straddling the Devon and Cornwall border. It’s marked out by four towns – Launceston, with its Norman castle and steam railway, Tavistock, known as the Gateway to Dartmoor, Callington with its mural trail, and Saltash, with Brunel’s amazing Royal Albert Bridge. This part of the world was shaped by its mining heritage – silver and tin and later, copper. Ride the copper mine train …
It’s said British tourism was born in the Wye Valley. Eighteenth century writers, artists and poets were inspired by it and put the river from Ross-on-Wye to Chepstow firmly ‘on the map’. History and the river are one. Iron Age hill forts look down on the hauntingly beautiful remains of Tintern Abbey and the valley’s almost hidden industrial heritage. The Angidy Trail walk brings this to life. Stunning viewpoints include the Eagle’s Nest, the Devil’s Pulpit and the iconic Symond’s …