HOLIDAY INSPIRATION
Some of Mother Nature’s finest landscapes are close to home – explore them all for free!
DETAILS CORRECT AT TIME OF WRITING.
1 Pembrokeshire coast
The UK’s smallest national park unravels along miles of coastline, estuaries and ancient hills. It’s where you might glimpse rare birds, like choughs and skylarks, resident pods of dolphins and seasonal drop-ins, like whale sharks. The park covers offshore islands, like Caldey Island (caldeyislandwales.com), accessed by boat from Tenby. For a great day out, visit Carew Castle and Tidal Mill (pembrokeshirecoast.wales/carewcastle), where a Norman fortress and Elizabethan mansion rub shoulders.
2 New Forest
This patchwork of oak and beech, bracken and gorse contains the highest numbers of ancient trees in Western Europe. It’s a peaceful destination for walking, cycling or horse riding, with miles of routes weaving through glades and past herds of shaggy-haired native ponies. For a walk that takes in views of Hurst Castle, the Isle of Wight and The Needles, take the 7km circular route from Keyhaven car park along the Solent Way and through Keyhaven Marshes.
3 Cairngorms
This dazzling expanse of Scottish highlands (the UK’s largest national park), has undergone major rewilding – boosting the presence of threatened creatures such as pine marten, mountain hare and the Scottish wildcat. Pack your hiking boots and keep your eyes peeled on a 6km trail that follows a stretch of the Badenoch Way, from Alvie to Loch Insh, hugging the languid River Spey.
4 Dartmoor
This Devon park encompasses windswept moorland, abandoned farmsteads and h
