The UK is filled with stunning scenery and it is a great place for travellers who just want to relax in natural surroundings. Here are the best scenic areas in the UK.
The Cotswolds AONB
The Cotswolds lie on the sections of oolitic limestone that extend from Lynne Bay to the North Sea coast. Over the years the lands have been cultivated and there are now agricultural lands, woodlands, parks and deep incised valleys covering an area of around 60 miles. It has sections of Jurassic Rocks which date between 240-140 million years ago. It contains more than 50 percent of UK’s Jurassic unimproved limestone grassland.
The cultivated wildflower grasslands support rare butterflies like the Chalkhill Blue and the Duke of Burgundy. Woodlands cover 10 percent of the area and they are a mix of coniferous and deciduous trees. Farming is done on 86 percent of the AONB and there are crops, grasslands, farm holdings and rough grazing sites. It has historic sites such as Blenheim Palace and Neolithic sites such as Hetty Peglers Tump near Uley and Belas Knapp south of Winchcombe. Dry stone walls run across the Cotswolds landscape and the earliest known are circa 3000BC. There are many beautiful stone and thatched cottages with amazing views dotted around this remarkable area, so you can enjoy relaxing in these natural surroundings.
Lake District National Park
The Lake District is considered one of the most scenic places in the UK and it has 12 of the largest lakes in England. You can enjoy walking, cycling, swimming, boating and even swinging in the trees. Visit William Wordsworth’s Rydal Mount resident that is called the Dove cottage. Castlerigg Stone Circle is a circle of 48 stones that are 3000 to 4000 years old. There are accommodations available and a few places even have pubs & restaurants. Haystacks summit is not to be missed if you are looking for the best spot to take photos of this mesmerizing landscape.
Loch Lomond & The Trossachs
Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park is 720 square miles that are filled with varying landscapes. It has 22 Lochs and Loch Lomond is the largest and most popular. There are lots of rentals available and you can go kayaking, paddle boating, row boating and motor boating on the lake. There are plenty of accommodations and you can stay in self catering cottages, hotels, or bring a campervan and attach it to the hook-ups that are available. There are lots of different kinds of wildlife and you may see deer, squirrels, bats, hedgehogs and badgers.
Yorkshire Dales National Park
Yorkshire Dales National Park is 841 square miles. It has a very versatile landscape that includes stunning limestone scenery, an underground labyrinth of caves, stone built villages, spectacular waterfalls, farmlands, obsolete mines, and flowery meadows. The Pennine Way is the best place for cycling, camping and trekking. Walk the Ingleton Waterfall Trails and you will see several incredible waterfalls and stunning landscapes. Visit the Yorkshire Three Peaks which are the mountains of Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen-y-ghent. There are many more areas of note like White Scar Caves, Gordale Scar , Aysgarth falls, Skipton Castle, Malham Tarn, and Bolton Castle.
Llyn Peninsula AONB
This peninsula in Wales is great for travellers who wish to experience the remote beauty of the Welsh coast. Bardsey Island is a small island which has rare plant species, marine wildlife, migrating sea birds and it is also recognised as a site for special scientific interest. Yr Eifl and Tre’r Ceiri are igneous mountains created by lava thousands of years ago. Llithfaen is a small village that is home to the National Welsh Language Centre.
