Wildlife

The Brecon Beacons National Park in South Wales was established in 1957.  It is a mountainous area covering 519 square miles (1344 square kilometres).  In fact, the Brecon Beacons includes four distinct mountain ranges, the Black Mountain range in the west, the Brecon Beacons themselves, often referred to as the Central Beacons, where the highest mountain, Pen-y-Fan, is located (2907 feet/886 metres), the Fforest Fawr upland area and, just to confuse everyone, the Black Mountains in the east - which include a peak called Black Mountain.

Brecon Beacons National Park is famed for its waterfalls (like Henrhyd Waterfall and Ystradfellte), caves and forests; you can lose yourself in its wilder parts.  It is proud to be an International Dark Sky Reserve and, like many of Britain’s National Parks, the Brecon Beacons are used for military training, including by elite special forces.  The area is also packed with ancient sites, castles and industrial heritage.  There is even a narrow-gauge heritage railway, the Brecon Mountain Railway, which runs about 5 miles between Pant and Torpantau.

Principal settlements in the Brecon Beacons National Park are Brecon, Crickhowell, Gilwern and Hay-on-Wye – famous for its bookshops and literary festival.

Named for the mountain Cairn Gorm, the Cairngorm National Park in North East Scotland was established in 2003 and is Britain’s largest.  Twice as big as the Lake District, it covers a diverse area of 1748 square miles (4,528 sq kilometres), which includes spectacular landscapes, wild mountains, moorland, forests, rivers and farmland.  There are 43 mountains over 3000 feet (914 metres); the highest point is Ben Macdui at 4294 feet (1309 metres).  So, this is challenging walking and climbing territory – and remote.  The forests are part of the ancient Caledonian Forest that covered much of northern Scotland thousands of years ago.  The Park is also home to some of Britain’s rarest animals, including the golden eagle, red squirrel and Scottish wildcat.

All of Scotland’s traditional wild creatures can be seen at the amazing Highland Wildlife Park and there’s a herd of reindeer that can be visited on the slopes of Cairngorm.  The Cairngorm National Park experiences some of Britain’s coldest weather.  It is one of the few places in Britain to offer the prospect of skiing on real snow – Aviemore being a favourite destination for this.  You can also bungee-jump and play golf (but not at the same time).

There are castles and country estates, like Blair Castle and Balmoral, one of the Royal Family’s favourite homes (parts of the Balmoral Estate are open to the public at specified times, but not during the summer).  The National Park has at least 6 whisky distilleries within its boundaries – and while you’re about it, why not attend one of the several Highland Games held at places like Braemar or Tomintoul.

Principal settlements in the Cairngorm National Park include: Aviemore, Ballater, Braemar, Grantown-on-Spey, Kingussie, Newtonmore, and Tomintoul.

Dartmoor is a place for walkers, geologists, history enthusiasts, campers – or anyone who likes being outside.  It is a sometimes mysterious, sometimes beautiful, sometimes harsh landscape, an upland area of granite heather-covered moorland.  Its most famous natural features are its tors - classic examples of exposed intrusive vulcanicity.  It also boasts wild ponies and an extraordinary number of prehistoric remains – standing stones, stone circles, rows and settlements – such as those at Grimspound and Hound Tor.  Remote Wistman’s Wood is a frankly weird oakwood, with stunted trees growing on a moss-covered landscape.  There are pretty villages too, such as Lustleigh, Widecombe in the Moor and Postbridge (with its 13th century clapper bridge).  Parts of Dartmoor are used by the armed forces for training, but there’s plenty of room for everyone else.

Dartmoor National Park in Devon was established in 1951 and covers an area of 368 square miles (953 sq kilometres).  It is an upland area of granite heather-covered moorland, completely land-locked, famous for its tors - classic examples of exposed intrusive vulcanicity.

Principal settlements in Dartmoor National Park include: Ashburton, Bovey Tracey, Buckfastleigh, Chagford and Moretonhampstead.

Exmoor National Park is in the north of Somerset and Devon and covers an area of 268 square miles (694 sq kilometres).  The Park was established in 1954 and the highest point is Dunkery Beacon at 1702 feet (519 metres).  It is a varied area of moorland, farmland, deep valleys, ancient woodland and high sea cliffs, tumbling into the Bristol Channel.  Kites and kestrels wheel overhead, otters can be found in the gushing streams, while red deer and ponies roam wild.  Man has left traces from prehistoric times and in the middle ages it was a royal hunting forest.  Today, picturesque villages and hamlets nestle comfortably in its folds.

It is also famous for the fictional Lorna Doone, and the Beast of Exmoor – an elusive creature which, if it exists, may be some form of large wild cat, like a cougar, released or escaped from captivity.

Principal settlements in Exmoor include Lynton and Lynmouth, Dunster, Porlock and Dulverton.

Mwnt is a stretch of coastline, a beach, a hill, a church.  A few miles north of Cardigan on the Wales Coast Path, there is a sheltered sandy cove, popular with families and one of the best places in Ceredigion to spot dolphins, porpoises and seals.  There are easy steps to the beach, a café and toilets at the top and a National Trust car park (pay and display).  Overlooking the beach is the remains of an old lime kiln, but the main feature is the hill, Foel y Mwnt, that towers over the area and which gives it its name: mwnt means ‘mount’.  There are great views over Cardigan Bay from the top, if you have the legs and head to clamber up it.

In the shelter of the hill is the tiny whitewashed Church of the Holy Cross.  It could be named for a cross that once stood on Foel y Mwnt and there may well have been a church on the site since early Christian times.  The present building dates from the 14th century, when it served pilgrims travelling to St Davids or Strata Florida, as well as local sailors.  It has a 13th century font made of stone from the Preseli Hills.

As a final note, Mwnt was raided by Flemings in 1155.  A bloody battle ensued, in which the invaders came off worse.  The event is still commemorated.