A Guide to the National Parks of Wales
EducationA Guide to the National Parks of Wales
A GUIDE TO THE NATIONAL PARKS OF WALES.
The small Principality of Wales consists of 22 counties in an area of 20,779 square kilometres, with a coastline of 1,207 kilometres and a mutual border with England of 257 kilometres.
It's interior is home to steep, dark mountains and lush, green valleys, and it's coastline boasts miles of sandy beaches and rocky coves situated in picturesque coastal villages, thriving seaside resorts or atop wild and rugged clifftops.
Considering it's small scale, Wales still manages to find space for three National Parks or Parc Cenedlaethol, one in the north of Wales, one in the south and one along it's coast.
The three parks are all run and maintained by The National Parks Authority of Wales which include other environmental bodies such as the Forestry Commission and the National Trust, amongst others.
These areas are a safehaven for Wales' abundant bird, marine and wild life, ancestral home to a myriad of unique and diverse flora and fauna, and a wealth of geological treasures, not to mention an endless source of pleasure, enjoyment and breathtaking scenery for their thousands of visitors every year - oh and I almost forgot, lots of sheep ! -
BRECON BEACONS NATIONAL PARK.
PARC CENEDLAETHOL BANNAN BRYCHEINIOG
The Brecon Beacons are a range of peaks situated in the south east of the country, which were designated with national park status in 1957.
The area encompasses 32 picturesque towns and villages in an area of 1,344 square kilometres.
The park is made up of bare, grassy moorland grazed by Welsh Mountain Ponies, valley pastures and forestry plantations, all interspersed with caves, lakes and waterfalls.
The park is also serviced by the Brecon Mountain Railway, a narrow gauge railway, which takes visitors on excursions around the perimeter of the 102 hectare Pontsticill Resevoir.
The parks highest peak is Pen Y Fan at 886 metres.
The area is a haven for hikers, bikers,campers and nature and wildlife lovers.
POST CODE - SA9 1GL.
TELEPHONE - 01639 730 395.
WEBSITE - www.breconbeacons.org/
PEMBROKE COAST NATIONAL PARK.
PARC CENEDLAETHIOL ARFORDIR PENFRO.
The Pembroke Coast National Park is the U.K's first and only coastal park which was designated with national park status in 1952.
The park covers the entire 299 kilometres of the county of Pembrokeshire's coastline and covers an area of 629 square kilometres.
The area is encompassed by rugged cliffs, sandy beaches and wooded estuaries, that consist of 40 beaches and 11 seaside towns and villages.
The park's highest point is Pen Y Afr at 175 metres.
The park includes no less than 7 special areas of conservation, 6 national nature reserves, 75 sites of special scientific interest and a marine nature reserve.
The area is a haven for nature and wildlife lovers and is best accessed by way of it's miles of coastal, walking paths.
POST CODE - SA72 6DY.
TELEPHONE - 0845 345 7522.
WEBSITE - nt.pcnpa.org.uk/website
SNOWDONIA NATIONAL PARK.
PARC CENEDLAETHIOL EYRI.
The Snowdonia National Park is situated in North Wales and was designated with national park status in 1951.
The park, which gives it's name to the park's highest point and Wales' highest mountain, the 1,085 metre high Mount Snowdon, covers an area of 2,170 square kilometres and is Wales' largest national park.
The whole area is a special area of conservation due to it's unique wildlife, flora and fauna.
The area, which is classified as the wettest area in the U.K , encompasses 13 towns and villages within it's environs and is a haven for hikers, bikers and climbers.
The rugged, wild landscape of this park is interspersed with breathtaking views of it's lakes and valleys, all of which are accessed by way of 2,380 kilometres of walking paths.
The park is also serviced by the Snowdon Mountain Railway, the only rack and pinion railway in the U.K, which takes visitors from the small town of Llanberis ( postcode LL55 4TY ) to the summit of the great mount, known as Yr Wyddfa.
POST CODE - LL48 6LF.
TELEPHONE - 01766 770 274.
WEBSITE - snowdonia.org.uk
Image courtesy of Richard Outram, wikimedia commons.
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