The 15 national parks in the UK are a treasure trove of outdoor adventures. Staggeringly beautiful and wondrously diverse, these natural playgrounds also offer a wealth of surprises.
As well as boasting some of the very best walking, cycling and horse-riding trails, and countless opportunities for water sports, there are many more unusual things to do in UK national parks too.
From the infamous to the insane, we have picked some of the most extraordinary national park activities where excitement is guaranteed. And if you need somewhere to stay in between your escapades, click the button below to browse our full collection of holiday cottages in the UK.
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Please note, many of these experiences are potentially dangerous and should only be attempted with an experienced guide.
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Take on a via ferrata
Not only is this one of the most unique things to do in the UK, but it’s also one of the most adrenaline-pumping. A via ferrata is a vertigo-inducing trail that will test your mettle to the max as you use a series of cables, rungs and hair-raising ladders to explore parts of our national parks that may be otherwise difficult or impossible even for the most experienced mountaineers and climbers to explore. Clipped to sheer cliff faces by a harness and carabiners, you’ll scramble across bridges and climb to dizzying heights where only the birds fly.
Where can I try this activity?
- Honister Slate Mine, Lake District: The original UK via ferrata experience, where plucky participants make their way towards the summit ridge of the mighty Fleetwith Pike in the Lake District National Park, reaching heights twice as tall as the London Shard.
- How Stean Gorge, Yorkshire Dales: Here you can challenge yourself as you traverse a spectacular limestone gorge in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, swinging above the fast-flowing water as its crashes through the ravine down below.
- Zip World Slate Caverns, Snowdonia: Instead of climbing higher above ground, this via ferrata in the Snowdonia National Park takes you deep underground on a dramatic journey through the caverns and passages of a disused slate mine.
- Kinlochleven, near the Cairngorms: Although this one is located just outside the Cairngorms National Park, we had to include it on our list as this epic via ferrata runs beside the third biggest waterfall in Scotland, Grey Mare's Tail, so the views are incredible!
Zip World Bounce Below, credit Instagram @zip_worldGo cave trampolining
There’s no doubt that this subterranean playground is one of the most unusual activities in the UK, so much so that there’s only one national park where you’ll find it! At Zip World Bounce Below in the Snowdonia National Park, a vast underground obstacle course awaits…
Inside a cavern that’s more than double the size of St Paul's Cathedral, you can play, slide, roll, jump and bounce from net to net on six enormous trampolines suspended above the ground. A network of tunnels, rope bridges and slides connect the three different levels, offering a host of cavernous fun for the whole family.
While you may not be able to ‘bounce’ through all of them, there is a treasure trove of caves to visit in UK national parks; why not discover some more of them in our ultimate guide?
Walks with wildlife
We all love exploring the beauty of our national parks by foot, but did you know that there are many places scattered around the UK that provide furry and feathered companions to join you for the day? From walking with wolves in the Lake District to alpaca trekking across the wild moorland of Dartmoor, these incredible experiences are perfect for animal lovers who also appreciate a good view.
Where can I try this activity?
Soar through the sky on a zip wire
If you’re looking for unusual things to do in the UK and have a head for heights, then our national parks offer a wealth of places where you can try the ultimate daredevil experience: zip wires. Who wouldn’t love to be able to fly? Shooting through the sky at speeds of up to 125mph attached to a wire with a bird’s eye view of the beautiful landscape below is probably as close as you’ll get, and our national parks are simply bursting with wires suspended over forests, quarries and lakes to enjoy.
Where can I try this activity?
- Zip World, Snowdonia: There are three different Zip World locations in the Snowdonia National Park to choose from, one of which features Velocity 2, the fastest line in the world and the longest in Europe where up to four participants can simultaneously race each other on parallel lines.
- Go Ape, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs: There are six zip wires to conquer here in Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, including a dual zip wire over a waterfall and Scotland’s longest zip wire which glides above the treetops for over 400 metres.
- BeWILDerwood, The Norfolk Broads: This is a great option in the Norfolk Broads National Park for younger members of the family as it features zip wire rides fit for all ages, including tiny tots.
- Llangorse Multi Activity Centre, Brecon Beacons: Complete the Sky Trek Challenge at this adventure centre in the Brecon Beacons National Park, with a series of five interconnected zip lines and crossings.
- Zip Trek Adventure Park, Cairngorms: Take an exhilarating aerial ride through a stunning Scottish pine forest in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park.
Pothole into a mysterious underworld
Hidden beneath the surface of the UK is a labyrinth of winding passageways, delicate cave formations, giant chambers, dazzling waterfalls and magnificent geological wonders. Whilst some caves, like the aforementioned Zip World, are easy to access, others involve abseiling into deep crevices, squeezing through tiny letterbox-size openings, negotiating steep ladders, and wading through water and mud. This is potholing, and our national parks are home to some of the most premier potholing destinations in the UK.
Where can I try this activity?
- Alum Pot, Yorkshire Dales: Caving experts Lost Earth Adventures can take you on a journey through an underground stream and down the Dolly Tubs descent. In the sunlit cavern itself, you can abseil to The Bridge where you will get a true sense of the scale of this waterfall-ridden cave complex.
- Porth yr Ogof, Brecon Beacons: Discover the largest cave entrance in Wales, where first-time potholers can follow an Adventure Britain guide through the easiest sections, while experienced cavers have tight crawls, sumps and a maze of passageways to tackle.
- Giant’s Hole, Peak District: Narrow passages, 30ft drops, rushing waterfalls and spectacular rock formations form this dramatic cave in the Peak District National Park which you can explore with Dolomite Training.
- Pridhamsleigh Cavern, Dartmoor: Book a potholing expedition with Devon Adventure and make your way through a jumble of passages, an abundance of mud and an emerald lake which is home to the British cave shrimp, the oldest animal species on our isles.
Get very wet with ghyll scrambling
Ending our list of strange things to do in UK national parks is ghyll scrambling. You may have heard of gorge walking before - traversing a steep-sided rocky ravine where the water has carved a deep channel into the rock – and ghyll scrambling is similar to gorge walking, but with added swimming, jumping into pools, and scrambling up and down narrow mountain streams. Essentially, it’s a very wet obstacle course!
Where can I try this activity?
- Various locations, Lake District: The king of ghyll scrambling, the Lake District offers countless locations to try this extreme sport. Path to Adventure covers Stickle Ghyll, Church Beck, Esk Gorge, Tilberthwaite and Nether Beck. Stoneycroft Ghyll is another favourite which you can conquer with ghyllscrambling.co.uk or Keswick Adventure Centre.
- How Stean Gorge, Yorkshire Dales: Abseil into the flow of water before scrambling over boulders, sliding down waterspouts and sitting beneath waterfalls with How Stean Gorge.
- Ystradfellte, Brecon Beacons: Slip, slide, swim and jump in the rivers of the Ystradfellte region of the national park, also known as Waterfall Country, with Adventure Britain or Quest Adventures.
- Afon Ddu Gorge, Snowdonia: Climb up waterfalls, clamber along rock walls and slide down natural rock water slides with SerenVentures. For young children, Snowdonia Adventure Activities offer a great adventure in the Blaenau Ffestiniog area.
- Hope Valley, Peak District: Dive into the dramatic stream-fed valleys of the 'Dark Peak' in the Hope Valley with Acclimbatize.
- Falls of Truim, Cairngorms: If you fancy ghyll scrambling in Scotland, then Active Outdoor Pursuits offers an exciting and challenging experience.
Stay with us in the national parks of the UK
Nestled among the verdant hills, glistening lakes, heathery moorland and leafy forests of the UK’s national parks, you’ll find a wonderful selection of cosy cottages to soak up the scenery and unwind.
Curl up beside a glowing wood burner after a day of adventure or sink into the warm bubbles of a hot tub and soothe aching muscles. Click the button below to browse our full collection of self-catering accommodation across the UK for a staycation to remember.
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