Outdoor Activities In Northumberland National Park

Northumberland National Park (www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk)  cares for the landscape and cultural heritage of 405 square miles - over a fifth of Northumberland from Hadrian’s Wall to the Scottish border. Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy more than 1100 kilometres of rights of way including two national trails and a number of long distance walking, cycling and horse riding trails as well as the central, most visited section of Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site. Plus, there are 32 Sites of Special Scientific Interest covering over 10,000 hectares; three National Nature Reserves and 6 Special Areas of Conservation within the boundary of the national park. Northumberland National Park celebrated its 50th year of designation in 2006. It was officially designated as the most tranquil place in the country in the CPRE’s Tranquillity Mapping Report. [caption id="attachment_1476" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Kielder's Lakeside Way"][/caption] Home to northern Europe’s largest man-made lake and England's largest forest, Kielder Water & Forest Park (www.visitkielder.com) is one of Northumberland's best attractions. It is perfect for individuals or families who love nature, water sports, exploring, walking, cycling and much more. It features mile after mile of purpose-built trails including forest walks for all the family and dedicated mountain bike routes The Lakeside Way is a 26 mile multi-user trail, suitable for walkers, cyclists, horse riders and wheelchair users, that runs right around the shoreline of Kielder Water. Waterskiing and sailing enthusiasts take to the water all year round and the lake offers a huge challenge to keen trout anglers between March and October. A haven for wildlife such as otters, roe deer, badgers and bats, Kielder Water & Forest Park is home to around 50% of England’s native red squirrel population. In 2010, three chicks were born to a record-breaking osprey couple who, in 2009, became the first birds for at least 200 years to successfully raise chicks in Northumberland.