Recreation in England

England has nine national parks that cover nearly 10 per cent of the land, including: Dartmoor, Exmoor, the Lake District, the Peak District, the Yorkshire Dales, the North York Moors, the New Forest, the Norfolk Broads (marshland and waterways) and Northumberland. The national parks provide respite from the cities and include areas of outstanding national beauty; however, don't expect to see Grizzly Bears and the like!

Isles of Scilly: These beautiful islands are so laid back as to be almost horizontal! Lying about 50kms southwest off the coast of Cornwall, they have a great location in the warm Gulf Stream waters of the Atlantic. A major attraction is the peace and serenity, much attributed to the rocky coves and sandy beaches, but also to the fact that there are no cars. Shipwrecks will entice treasure-seekers.

Northumberland: The Northumberland National Park has a barren and wildness about it that is distinctly un-English in character. For hiking in the park, the grassy Cheviot Hills have some superb and challenging hiking and walking trails. Take a drive around the town As it has a border with Scotland it is no doubt that the area is traditionally awash with castles and battlefield sites, not to mention the Roman Hadrian's Wall.

Shropshire: The beautiful county of Shropshire is peaceful to say the least and has the advantage in suffering from a low population, leaving plenty of space to cycle and walk. Shrewsbury is well worth a visit when in Shropshire loaded as it is with fine Tudor buildings and plenty of parks and gardens.