Snowdonia National Park named among most beautiful in the UK

From the towering peaks of the Cairngorms to the broad beaches of the Pembrokeshire coast - each of the UK's 15 national parks has something unique to offer.

This year is the 75th anniversary of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, which led to the creation of the UK's national parks - starting with the Peak District in 1951.

To mark the occasion the BBC, with the help of hiker, naturalist and author of the new book National Parks Of The United Kingdom - Carey Davies, has come up with a list of the UK's five most beautiful national parks.

I picked my five most beautiful UK national parks for BBC Travel. A tough ask, with so much to consider, but in the end I plumped for four classics and one curveball. What would yours be?

Thanks to @greengraeme for a great interview and article. https://t.co/IGioA2Hxcx

— Carey Davies (@carey_davies) July 5, 2024

Introducing the list, the BBC said: "Today, the UK's national parks are popular, highly valued places to unwind, hike, climb, cycle and paddle.

While Mr Davies added: "They're also refuges for rare wildlife, plants and distinctive habitats, and they have a vital role to play in addressing some of the most pressing challenges our country faces, such as biodiversity loss, climate change and wellbeing.

"We need our national parks now more than ever."

The UK's 5 most beautiful national parks

The most beautiful national parks in the UK, according to the BBC, are:

1. Lake District National Park (England)
2. Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park (Wales)
3. Cairngorms National Park (Scotland)
4. Pembrokeshire Coast National Park (Wales)
5. The Broads National Park (England)

Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park among the most beautiful in the UK

Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park was second on the BBC's list of the most beautiful, complied by Mr Davies.

He said Snowdonia offered "spectacular dramatic mountain landscapes, which makes it a fantastic place for adventure: climbing, scrambling and adventurous walking".

Mr Davies continued: "The natural architecture of the Snowdon massif, including Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), the Glyderau and Cader Idris, is often more jagged and angular than the Lake District.

"The rock erodes into incredible formations, such as Castell y Gwynt."

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But Eryri National Park isn't just about rocks and mountains, but also boasts temperate rainforests and Arctic alpine plants such as alpine meadow-grass.

Mr Davies added there was also a human dimension to the national park which added to the area's "beauty" including the likes of Harlech Castle. 

He continued: "Writers have found inspiration here, too.

"There's a collection of 11 medieval Welsh stories called The Mabinogion. A lot of landmarks mentioned in it are in Eryri, so you can read the stories and then go to the places mentioned.

"There's also a popular legend that if you sleep on Cader Idris, you'll wake up as a poet or a madman.

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"Literature and myths form a beautiful part of this national park's landscapes."

The Snowdonia National Park Authority committee voted to use the Welsh names Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) and Eryri (Snowdonia) to refer to Wales' highest mountain and the national park back in 2022, rather than use the English names.

This is a move that was followed in 2023 by the Brecon Beacons which changed its name to Bannau Brycheiniog.