Looking to spend a day or two in the best national park in the UK? Recent data carried out by cinch, has discovered the best national park to visit in the UK and luckily for Mancs the top one in the country is just a short drive away from Manchester.
The study from the online car dealership has revealed the best national parks to visit based on the number of nearby cafes, parking spaces, average temperature and social media popularity. Coming in first place was the Peak District – from rolling hills and scenic landscapes to shimmering lakes and historic sites, it is quite possibly the perfect destination for outdoorsy travellers.
The top national parks to visit in the UK:
- Peak District
- Lake District
- New Forest
- Northumberland
- Dartmoor
- Norfolk and Suffolk Broads
- Pembrokeshire Coast
- Loch Lomond & The Trossachs
- South Downs
- Eryi (Snowdonia)
- Exmoor
- Yorkshire Dales
- Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons)
- Cairngorms
- North York Moors
Covering five different counties (Derbyshire, Cheshire, Staffordshire, Yorkshire and Greater Manchester) and featuring spectacular landscapes, the Peak District is an ideal destination if you’re looking for a spot of nature and picture or video opportunities.
The Peak District was named the best national park in the UK due to receiving over 363 million views on TikTok, making it a true favourite among nature lovers and social media users. It also received 2.3 million mentions on Instagram too.
However, if you’ve visited the Peak District already and fancy a change, the Lake District in Cumbria and New Forest in Hampshire and Wiltshire are beautiful alternatives as well. Sitting in second and third place respectively, these national parks are a glorious backdrop for a weekend away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
The Lake District, which is just a two-hour drive from Manchester, came out on top when it came to the number of cafes, boasting an impressive 335 cafes dotted along the well-trodden paths of Ambleside, Windermere and other picturesque Cumbrian villages.
And when it comes to parking New Forest came out on top with 120 car parks spread across its land, making it easy to find a spot to leave the car and take a walk. However, the Peak District and Pembrokeshire Coast were also considered driver-friendly areas, too – home to 44 and 40 car parks respectively.