As I start to tick more of the National Parks & ANOBs off my list. It has quickly been realised that to complete the ones that are further away from my home in Staffordshire. I need to plan out some longer journeys and mutli-day treks.
This will help to complete a few at a time. With an aim to utilise the time I need to take away from my day job as a designer.
So this is just a post to give an update of the three expeditions that I plan on completing between now and June next year to enable me to see all our National within the 12 months I originally gave myself. So I’ll be splitting these into three larger four or five day missions.
The Southern Coast
There are four National Parks that live on our southern coast, and the list below shows the order in which I want to complete them. Separating circular hiking routes with camping between each.
- South Downs
- New Forest
- Dartmoor
- Exmoor
I’ll be taking this on early in the season next year, so I’ll be wandering around the south coast during March 2023.
The North of England
My family comes from the north, Tindale (once spelled Tynedale) is a name that comes straight from the Tyne and the Dale clans coming together, bridging the gap between two of our infamous National Parks.
So it only seem right that I look to attempt these close together and whilst I’m up in the northern stretches of England I’ll be looking to take in the other NPs in the greenest section of our country.
- Northumberland, I’ll also visit the Northumberland Coast AONB when I do this one so I can see Bebbanburg, or as it now known Bamburgh (for all you other The Last Kingdom fans)
- The Lake District
- Yorkshire Dales
- North York Moores
I’ll be looking to take on the north of the country in April next year, avoiding any school holidays and hoping that I can find some sunny spring days.
The Two Coasts
There are two coastal national parks that still remain on my list at this point. One to the east being the Norfolk Broads and to the west the Pembrokeshire Coast.
I will simply define that these ones will take place on weekends when the time allows during the spring months. I do want to have completed these by the beginning of May. Which will leave me with two National Parks to tick of my list.
Up in the Highlands
Then, in May, I’ll be spending two weeks in Scotland. Where I’ll be using all my skills, my determination and pure love for life to visit the Trossachs & Loch Lomand and Cairngorms.
I am going to be planning these trips so that I can visit the pyramids which can be found in the forests near to the Balmoral. There to memorials past members of the Royal Family at a similar time to a new king being coronated.
In my time in Scotland I do hope to visit some of the Special Areas of Conservation, the Scottish equivalent of AONBs.
My main aim however is to celebrate achieving the goal of seeing all our National Parks with a four or five day trek around the Cairngorms. It will include wild camping and bothies, and I’m sure I’ll be having some conversations with wild animals along the way. I already had a very interesting chat with a sheep in the Shropshire Hills. Who did manage to guide me to the exit of her field.
It is a challenge to view all 15 of our National Parks in a nine month period, but it will just be the beginning of my adventures discovering the wilderness of the United Kingdoms.
What will come next
Well, there are still plenty of ANOBs which is won’t have seen. Northern Ireland has nine alone, and it will be my hope to complete these in one swoop during the following year. Probably with a trip to the Game of Thrones museum included.
Then I will focus on seeing the other clusters that are found throughout the country. Revisiting some of the NPs to complete the highest peaks around the country.
Why
I set off on this mission in the hope that it would help with my mental health as I fight with some of my own internal demons. Not only that, I wanted to find inspiration in my own lands, for an epic story that I am writing. How could I write what it is like to travel through wild lands when I hadn’t experienced it first hand.
There is no better way to connect with my characters, method writing is truly becoming my thing. Even at this early point into my adventures the influence can already be seen.
Not only has it been great inspiration, but in the last couple of years I have cancelled multiple foreign holidays for various reasons. It lead me to realise that I am missing the beauty that can be found simply driving up a road.
Our country is beautiful, I’m so happy that I’m getting a chance to see that.