Nature of Great Britain - national parks and reserves for active recreation

The climate in the UK is influenced by the warm Gulf Stream, so the average temperature in the country is higher than in other countries of this latitude. Due to the peculiarities of the location, there are lots of cloudy days. They make up to 50% a year. The least precipitation and most sunny days are observed in the county of Essex. In the UK, a large system of national parks is established. It allows preserving forests and the unique ecosystem. Most of these parks are on the territory of England. Several reserves are also located in the territory of Wales and Scotland. One of the largest national parks is Lake District in the county of Cumbria. It is very popular among tourists and local residents.

The landscape of the park was formed 15 thousand years ago when the ice age has ended. Its modern relief is a wide valley, which is stretched at the foothills. There, you can find corrie basins, which are originally melted glaciers. The centuries-old oak forests grow below. The lowlands are occupied by swamps and moors lying among the picturesque mountain ranges. There is a large wasteland in the park. In the southern part of Wales, there is the Brecon Beacons National Park, the town of Brecon, as well as a large number of small towns, ancient villages, Welsh castles, and relics from the Celtic times. This national park can boast with the most famous cave complex in Western Europe, Dan yr Ogof. There are several hiking trails in the park. The most famous is the Bwrch To Tor y Foel, from which scenic views open.

Yorkshire Dales National Park is 80 kilometers north of Manchester in Yorkshire. It is very popular among tourists. Annually, it is visited by more than 8 million people. The park has hiking trails. There are several small villages and charming towns on its territory. Tourists will be interested in strolling or cycling along one of the special trails. The longest one stretches for 429 kilometers. You can also enjoy horseback riding in the neighborhoods or visiting the cave system. Most of the area of ​​the park is covered by plains, where you can see herds of goats and sheep grazing. The park also hosts several major historical attractions. One of them is Bolton Castle, which is famous and popular among tourists. In addition to it, you can visit the waterfalls of Aysgarth, Kotli Spout, and the railway viaduct. There are only 2 national parks on the territory of Scotland - Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park and Cairngorms. Loch Lomond features a huge number of mountain peaks. The highest of them is Ben Moore with a height of 1174 meters above sea level. The park has the longest walking trail in Scotland, the Great Path. There are many historical sights and ruins of castles along this trail. During the walk, it is worth to visit the castles of Bulloch and Carrick, built in the 15th century. Those who want to stay for the night will be able to spend time in a hostel set in a very impressive old building. Another attraction of Scotland is Loch Ness. It became known due to the legend of the Loch Ness Monster, which was seen repeatedly by local residents. On the shore of the lake, there is a museum dedicated to this legend. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Devon county has another national park with traces of people of prehistoric times. The Dartmoor Park is predominantly a marshy area among small hills. Once these wastelands were official royal hunting grounds. Today, you can meet the half-wild Dartmoor pony there. Finds of the Bronze Age were discovered in caves. There was a town of Exeter founded by the Romans. The New Forest National Park was a favorite place of William the Conqueror for hunting the deer. Today, deer, doe, Chinese muntjak, as well as unique New Forest ponies live on its grounds.