In December 1949 the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act became law¹, and Britain's first national parks were established with the aims:

To conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of each park.

And...

To promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment, by the public, of the special qualities of each park.

Unlike national parks in many parts of the world, those in England and Wales are not remote, uninhabited regions, but areas that are both lived in and worked in, therefore there is also a duty to:

... foster the social and economic well-being of the local communities.

If any of these aims are irreconcilable, the first aim is given priority.

Balancing these diverse aims and representing the interests of such a variety of people with a vested interest in the rapidly shrinking 'great outdoors' in an area so densely populated² is quite a challenge, so each area has its own authority to manage the park.

Each park authority is funded through the taxpayer - 75% from Westminster (Central Government), and 25% from the local authorities such as county and district councils, who in turn have a seat on the authority in order to represent their interests. These organisations are the sole planning authorities for the area who, by designation, manage the footpath network, provide a ranger service and supply tourist information³. There are also local access agreements negotiated by the authority with landowners⁴ for the benefit of the public. Overall, their key role is one of sustainable management of the countryside.

The parks cover nearly 10% of the land within both England and Wales. If we take Wales alone, the total land coverage by the three Welsh parks is nearly 20% of that country. Each national park has its own unique niche in the countryside, its own beauty and its own problems. Areas as diverse as the mountains of Snowdonia to the Fens of the Norfolk Broads are protected. The national park status gives the greatest possible protection to the landscape available under UK law.

The first national park designated was the Peak District in 1951. More steadily followed, until the tenth park in 1957, then a long wait for the eleventh in 1989. At the time of writing, there are also two national parks undergoing the consultation processes prior to designation to determine their boundaries.

The National Parks

The Peak District

Designated in 1951, The Peak District covers a land area of 555 square miles. Situated in the heart of England, it is one of the most visited national parks in the world.

The Lake District

Designated in 1951 and covering an area of 880 square miles, The Lake District is the largest of the national parks and is home to Scafell Pike, which at 978 metres is the highest English peak. Situated in the far north west of England, its beautiful landscape has been an inspiration to, among others, the poet Wordsworth.

Snowdonia

Snowdonia, the third park designated in 1951, is at 840 square miles, the second largest. Located in North Wales, it is famous, of course, for Mount Snowdon, which at 1085 metres, is the highest peak in England and Wales.

Dartmoor

Established in 1951 and covering 368 square miles, Dartmoor, located in south western England, is best known for its bleak moorland, windswept tors and herds of ponies roaming freely.

Pembrokeshire Coast

Designated in 1952 in the westernmost part of Wales, The Pembrokeshire Coast is one of the smallest parks at 240 square miles, but unique in encompassing largely coastal areas.

North York Moors

Designated in 1952, at 554 square miles, The North York Moors encompass the largest expanse of heather moorland in England and Wales as well as 26 miles of north eastern England's coastline.

The Yorkshire Dales

Designated in 1954, covering 683 square miles, The Yorkshire Dales, located at the top of the Pennines in Northern England, have beautiful scenery which has been widely used in UK television programmes, such as Emmerdale and All Creatures Great and Small.

Exmoor

Designated in 1954, Exmoor is the smallest of the national parks at only 267 square miles. It straddles both Devon and Somerset in south western England. It is also home to high, wild clifftops and open moorland populated with red deer and ponies.

Northumberland

Established in 1956, Northumberland covers 405 square miles. The most northerly of the national parks, it meets the Scottish border at the Cheviot Hills to the north and Hadrian's Wall to the south.

The Brecon Beacons

Designated in 1957 and covering 519 square miles, The Brecon Beacons separate rural mid-Wales from the industrial valleys to the south. Despite the name of the park, the Brecon Beacons are only one of four ridge ranges in the area.

The Broads

The Broads were set up by a special act of Parliament in 1989 and cover an area of 117 square miles. Although the Broads don't have the title of a national park, their status is effectively the same, but with an additional duty to protect navigation - with over 200 miles of navigable waterways the Broads have the largest network in the country. The East Anglian park is the largest protected wetland area in the country.

The New Forest and the South Downs

After a long process, designed to give all interested parties a chance to be consulted and to establish the correct boundary for the protected areas, The New Forest in Hampshire became a National Park on 1 March, 2005. The South Downs, in Sussex and Hampshire, is still awaiting a date for its transferal to National Park status to be completed.

For further information see The Council for National Parks.