15 amazing spots in National Parks which you can get to via public transport

Dust off your picnic baskets, and head to Dartmoor for lunch in one of the three ancient oak woodlands! One particularly good spot is Piles Copse, which is a SSSI.

To reach this wonderfully secluded spot, you can get the train to Ivybridge (or buses go from Totnes to Ivybridge), follow the river upstream to Harford and onto the open moor from Harford Moor Gate. From there, it’s a 3km walk to Piles Copse, but don’t forget a map just in case!

There’s no shame in admitting you prefer a flatter cycle route, rather than an incline nightmare. And one stunner of a spot to visit for an even path, is the Ornamental Woods in the New Forest. Enjoy the trees, and wild ponies!

Get the train to Brockenhurst Railway Station, where you can hire bikes to tour the woods right in the car park of the train station. From there, it’s just a twenty-minute cycle to the woods!

Take a stroll along The Valley of Rocks, meeting one of the friendly feral goats that live around this craggy landscape. Scramble up to the clifftops and enjoy the sea views and fresh air!

If you get a train to Barnstaple, you can then take a bus from there to Lynton, which takes around 55 minutes. From Lynton, it’ll then be a ten-minute walk to The Valley of Rocks!

Absolutely steeped in history, the small market town of Arundel is well worth a visit for all its stunning architecture and markets on every 3rd Saturday of the month. And most of all, its incredible castle – where they regularly hold re-enactments, like jousting!

You can get a direct train to Arundel from London in 1hr27m, and it’s only a mile or so into the centre of the town from the station.

Take a trip to ‘Waterfall Country’, an area that falls between the villages of Hirwaun, Ystradfellte, and Pontneddfechan. It’s a tiny world of its own, with wooded gorges, caves and waterfalls – and it’s an SAC (Special Area of Conservation) and SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) to boot!

Head to the train station in nearby Neath, and you can get a X7 bus to Glynneath, the town over from Pontneddfechan. From Glynneath, it’s just a 25-minute walk to the start of the trail!

The smallest city (by population), St Davids might be small, but it is mighty. Take a wander round the incredible cathedral, and fuel up at Grain for some phenomenal pizza. Not to mention, you can get the 403 bus to Whitesands Bay from here, to enjoy swimming and surfing!

Head to Cardiff, where you can get the train to Haverfordwest. Once there, you can take the T11 bus to St Davids, which should take around 51 minutes. Once there, on Saturdays, a 403 will take you to Whitesands in around 15 minutes.

There are walks galore here, but particularly great hikes can be had at the Glyders, Glyder Fach and Glyder Fawr. They have phenomenal views (as you’d expect from 3000 metres high), alien-esque geography, with craggy rock formations – and a great view of Mount Snowdon, and their own stunning lakes.

All you need to do to get here is take the train to Bangor, and from there, get on a T10 bus to Llyn Ogwen. There, you can access multiple trails to the Glyders.

There’s a good chance the name ‘Kinder Scout’ rings a bell – and with good reason too. It’s the highest peak in The Peak District National Park. The sprawling vistas that tumble into the distance are sights that’ll last a lifetime. Not to mention the waterfall…

To see these views for yourself, get the train to Edale, and then head up to Kinder Scout on the footpath signposted to Grindsbrook. And if in doubt, well, look for the great big mountain.

Potterheads might recognise this one! Malham Cove is a particularly unique limestone formation that looks like an amphitheatre. It happens to be where Harry camped in ‘The Deathly Hallows’. As it turns out, muggles are allowed access too (just no camping).

Get the train to Skipton, which will then allow you to grab one of the shuttle busses that go three times a day to Malham.

You just can’t go to The Lake District and not go out on the water. There’s a lot of water-based activities, but one particularly luxurious way is to catch a steam yacht across Coniston Water – just like the Victorians did back in the 18th century.

The way here is nice and simple, just take the train to Windermere Station, and from there, you can take the 505 bus to Coniston!

It’s walks galore in Northumberland, and there’s plenty to find, be it outdoor sculpture parks or great stargazing. But you got to, at least once, visit Hadrian’s Wall. Once spanning 73 miles, coast to coast, you can go see the remains of forts, and Roman artefacts.

Just grab a train to Hexham (worth visiting in its own right), and then catch the AD122 – the Hadrian’s Wall Country Bus! You can hop on and off to get to various parts you want to visit.

Whitby was the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula, with the gothic Whitby Abbey overlooking the town and The North Sea. But there’s plenty more to find than inspiration, try out the famed fish and chips, or amble about the town exploring – there’s plenty to find.

Getting here’s a doddle. All you need to do is get the train direct to Whitby. The easiest access is either from Newcastle, or from Middlesborough.

There’s nowhere else in England like The Broads. It’s watersport heaven, with so much of it easily accessible by kayak, boat or by paddleboard. You can even hire your water-vehicle in Hoveton and Wroxham, and take a trip along the River Bure.

To get to these parts, simply take the train to Norwich, where it’s a short direct train to Hoveton and Wroxham – only 13 minutes!

You can’t, and you won’t, beat a wild swim on the beach at Luss. It’s on the western shore of Loch Lomond, and if the fresh waters weren’t enough, maybe the miles of open water, and hills surrounding might persuade you. It will be chilly though, so go warm up at a café after!

This one’s lovely and straightforward. Just get the train to Glasgow, and then take the 926 from Glasgow to Luss – which takes about an hour.

Have you ever been to Craigellachie National Nature Reserve? We thought not. With birch woodland, open glades and the gentle incline leading to a rocky summit – there’s views of the entire Cairngorms National Park. And, it happens to be hotspot for common buzzards, if you’re the birding type.

To get here, just Head to Edinburgh, and from there take the train to Aviemore – where it’ll be just a few minutes’ walk from the station to access the reserve.

These, amazingly, are but a few of the incredible places in national parks you can visit via public transport. There are far too many to even mention in one place, they’re almost endless. Our national parks are beautiful beyond compare, and there isn’t a need to travel far to get your share of adventures. That’s why with your help, we’re aiming to raise £50,000 to protect our national parks and improve access to them for everyone. Read more about how you can help, here.