Northumberland National Park | |
---|---|
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape) | |
Location | United Kingdom (North East England) |
Coordinates | 55°19′N 2°13′W / 55.317°N 2.217°W |
Established | 1956 |
Governing body | Northumberland National Park Authority |
UK National Parks |
---|
Parentheses denotes the year. An area with ‡ has similar status to a UK National Park. Areas marked † are proposed. |
Northumberland National Park is the northernmost national park in England. It covers an area of more than 1,050 square kilometres (410 sq mi) between the Scottish border in the north to just south of Hadrian's Wall. The park lies entirely within Northumberland, covering about a quarter of the county.
Of the thirteen National Parks in England and Wales, Northumberland is the most remote from large urban areas, the least populated, and the least visited.[1]
The park covers several distinct areas. In the north are the Cheviot Hills, a range of hills that mark the border between England and Scotland. Further south, the hills give way to areas of rolling moorland, some of which have been covered by forestry plantations to form Kielder Forest. The southernmost part of the park covers the dramatic central section of Hadrian's Wall, dating from the Roman occupation.
The 10,000-year history of human habitation of the region is explored through the many archaeological sites, ranging from prehistoric monuments and Roman remains to Pele towers, constructed as a defence against invading Scots and Border Reivers.
The Park's official symbol is the curlew.