Snowdonia Named Amongst UK’s Best National Parks

TO SUMMIT ALL UP: THE UK’S BEST NATIONAL PARKS

• Premier Inn combined Google review and Instagram data to find the UK’s best National Parks 
• The Peak District came out top, followed by the Lake District and Snowdonia 
• Brecon Beacons, the other Welsh National Park, ranks 6th  
• The Yorkshire Dales came out as the UK’s best ‘hidden gem’ National Park

A new study from Premier Inn has revealed the best National Parks in the UK. Using Google review and Instagram data, the shortlist ranks the parks by how popular they are, how picturesque they are and how highly people rate them.  

For anyone eager to escape the four walls of their home this summer, the UK’s National Parks offer an ideal outdoor retreat; and with an average area of 1,511km² per park, keeping socially distanced shouldn’t prove too difficult! The UK’s National Parks are home to some of the most beautiful landscapes on the planet; offering anything you could possibly need, from rugged coastline to stunning trails and awe-inspiring views. 

To make it easier to choose between all the fantastic options that will be open to us as lockdowns ease and the weather warms up, Premier Inn has created an index of the best National Parks according to a combination of Google reviews and Instagram statistics. 

Top 10 Best National Trust Gardens (According to Google Reviews and Instagram Statistics) 

1. Peak District, East Midlands
2. Lake District, Cumbria
3. Snowdonia, North Wales
4. Dartmoor, South West
5. Cairngorms, Scotland
6. Brecon Beacons, South Wales
7. South Downs, South East
8. Yorkshire Dales, North East
9. Exmoor, South West
10. New Forest, South East  

The results reveal that the UK’s first-ever officially recognized National Park, the Peak District, is the most highly rated in the nation. The park spans five different counties, and beyond its immense landscapes and hair-raising adventure activities, it boasts 2,900 listed buildings, all of which offer tremendous historical value to any staycation in the area. Harry Potter movie aficionados will want to visit the Hardwell Hall filming location for the franchise and foodies will enjoy stopping by Bakewell to taste the traditional English treat in its original home. 

The rest of the top five best UK National Parks each offer their own unique experiences too, with the Lake District’s breathtaking scenery having inspired countless works from the likes of Wordsworth & Beatrix Potter. 

Snowdonia, in the northwest of Wales, offers itself up as Europe’s adventure capital with the highest mountain peak in either England or Wales, surfing at the world’s first inland lagoon, speeding down a zipline, mountain biking and even gorge walking. 

Down in Devon, Dartmoor’s dramatic landscapes are filled with wild ponies and granite tors that are millions of years old, certain to impress visitors of all ages. 

The Scottish Cairngorms play host to ancient Caledonian pinewood trees – with trails that are perfect for exploring on foot or on bike. 

The Brecon Beacons are a second appearance in the list for a Welsh National Park, and this area’s dark skies provide the ultimate opportunity to spot the Milky Way or Northern Lights once the sun sets. 

The rest of the top ten best UK National Parks includes the South Downs chalk hills which run through the south-eastern coastal counties, the hills and valleys of the Yorkshire Dales, Somerset and Devon’s wild Exmoor and the pasturelands and woods of Hampshire and Wiltshire’s New Forest. 

Taking it one step further, Premier Inn also decided to scrutinize the data in order to work out which of the UK’s National Parks fall under a ‘hidden gem’ category. These parks rank highly for good reviews but have the lowest number of visitors – so for anyone wishing to get off the beaten track, these are the places to do it. 

Top 7 Hidden Gem National Parks 

• Yorkshire Dales, North East
• North York Moors, Yorkshire
• Pembrokeshire Coast, Wales
• Cairngorms, Scotland
• Broads, East Anglia
• Exmoor, South West
• Northumberland, North East

The top spot in this list was taken by the Yorkshire Dales, in the North East of England. As any Wallace and Gromit fan will know, this National Park is famous for the UK’s beloved Wensleydale cheese but also offers a number of relaxing adventures for a brilliant staycation, along with some more challenging options for those with an appetite for a physical test.  

A spokesperson from Premier Inn commented: “UK breaks are going to be more appreciated than ever in 2021, and any one of our 15 National Parks here provides the ultimate getaway destination, with plenty of outdoor space and fresh air.  For those wishing to pursue some more remote adventures, we’ve also looked at the best hidden gem National Parks, for more peaceful options with less visitors. We’re thrilled that in both lists there are options in various corners of the UK, from Wales through to Scotland, and hope that this summer everyone gets a chance to experience one themselves.” 

To read more about the research visit here: https://www.premierinn.com/gb/en/hotels/national-parks.html