The best national parks in the UK
The top 3 according to 6 votes from people: Lake District National Park · Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park · Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog) National Park. (Updated Sep 22, 2026.)
Mountains, moors, lakes and coast: the UK's most beautiful national parks according to Condé Nast Traveller, VisitBritain and hikers.
Top 10
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1
Lake District National Park
England's largest national park, a World Heritage Site, with Scafell Pike and Windermere.
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2
Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park
Wales's highest mountain, Yr Wyddfa, with a mountain railway to the top.
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3
Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog) National Park
South Wales mountains with Pen y Fan and waterfalls.
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4
New Forest National Park
Ancient woodland and heath where ponies roam freely.
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5
Northumberland National Park
Hadrian's Wall country and some of England's darkest skies.
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6
Peak District National Park
Britain's first national park (1951), with Mam Tor and Winnats Pass.
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7
Cairngorms National Park
The UK's largest national park, with reindeer and the Cairngorm plateau.
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8
Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park
Scotland's first national park, with Loch Lomond and Ben Lomond.
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9
Yorkshire Dales National Park
Limestone dales, Malham Cove and the Ribblehead Viaduct.
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10
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park
Britain's only coastal national park, with a 186-mile coast path.
Candidates
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11
Dartmoor National Park
Granite tors, wild ponies and moorland in Devon.
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12
North York Moors National Park
Heather moorland and the Whitby coast, crossed by a heritage steam railway.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
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Comments (7)
Cairngorms is the biggest national park in the UK, so underrated.
Pembrokeshire Coast Path, some of the best coastal walking in Europe.
Lake District is gorgeous but Eryri is wilder. Climbed Yr Wyddfa last month.
Peak District for a weekend from Manchester or Sheffield, perfect.
Northumberland has the darkest skies in England, great for stargazing ✨
Dartmoor ponies 🐴
New Forest with the ponies and deer wandering around the villages.