National Trails UK

Our new website is live. At www.nationaltrails.uk you can find out more about who we are and the work we are doing to strengthen, advocate and inspire on behalf of our beloved #NationalTrails. Join us on our journey...

Today marks the 75th anniversary of the 1949 National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act which led to the creation of the 20 National Trails we enjoy in the UK today. Since the opening of the Pennine Way in 1965 (yes, it can take a while from legislation to launch!), millions of people have benefitted from everything national trails have to offer - from boosting physical and mental wellbeing to ticking off bucket list challenges, and volunteering opportunities to connecting with nature and wildlife. Here’s to the next 75 years! #Nationaltrails #AccesstoNature

What does nature recovery 🍃 on a National Trail look like? While some people might still see access to nature and nature recovery at odds, there are plenty of examples of how they can work in harmony... 🎬 ‘The Path to Nature Recovery: The Pennine Way’ showcases the transformative journey from the boggy, almost impassable Pennine Way to the large-scale peatland restoration project, which continues today with the Moors for the Future Partnership. Thanks to funding from the #protectedlandscapespartnership, this film documents a great case study for what can be achieved for people and nature through partnership working and when the National Trails are looked at beyond the path, to the wider corridor. Made in partnership with Peak District National Park, Moors for the Future Partnership, National Trails UK, #penninenationaltrailspartnership, Kaye Jemmeson, Hannah Brightley, Mike Rhodes, Jo McAllister, Debra Wilson, Robbie Carnegie, Tom Spencer, Martyn Sharp, Shelia McHale, Neil Summers #NationalTrails #PennineWay #Biodiversity #PartnershipWorking #PeatlandRestoration #NatureRestoration #Conservation #BlanketBog #PeakDistrictNationalPark #UKUplands #Moorlands https://lnkd.in/dKSDMQnZ

💫 It's inspiring to see the Pembrokeshire Coast Charitable Trust taking action to protect the breath-taking Pembrokeshire Coast Path National Trail through innovative fundraising. 🌊 Coastal erosion, driven by climate change, poses a growing threat to our treasured National Trails. This year, the Pembrokeshire Coast Trust is calling on everyone who cares about this fragile coastline to support their Big Give campaign—a 7-day match funding initiative that doubles the impact of every donation 🪙 🪙 The Trust aims to raise £20,000 to help safeguard this incredible 186-mile stretch of coastline, featuring cliffs, heaths, and dune grasslands, all accessible via the Pembrokeshire Coast Path National Trail 🌄 Every £1 donated through the Big Give platform will be matched, supporting vital work like path repairs, diversions, bridge restoration, and debris removal—all essential to future-proofing the trail and protecting surrounding habitats from climate impacts. 🦭 🐝 The campaign closes at 12pm on 10th December—don’t miss the chance to make twice the impact 👇 Good luck to the Pembrokeshire Coast Trust team! Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority https://lnkd.in/eSXCUAyZ

Would you like to help National Trails WIN £1,000 of unrestricted funding?😮 Of course you would! And here's how 👇 Benefact Group's annual 12 Days of Giving campaign is back 🎁 Every day for 12 days, Benefact Group will select 10 charities to win £1,000. 💫 It's easy to nominate your local National Trail charity. Simply complete this short form before the 19th December: https://lnkd.in/g3qW3XB If your local National Trail doesn't have an associated registered charity, why not support ALL UK National Trails by nominating National Trails UK? As a small charity, £1,000 would make a huge difference as we strengthen and protect the UK's 20 inspirational National Trails, and inspire more people to use them as a gateway to the great outdoors. The more nominations we receive, the greater our chances of winning! 🌟

Great news that the Coastal Grasslands Reconnected Project is well underway 👏 🌱 🌊 The project will restore 200 hectares of rare coastal habitat along the Durham Heritage coast - which forms part of the 2,700 mile long King Charles III England Coast Path National Trail. It's another inspirational example of #NationalTrails acting as a focal point for projects which deliver for both people and nature. ℹ️ #DidYouKnow that England's Coastal Margin (the strip of access land between the Coast Path and mean low water) covers over 943 square miles? That's larger than the Lake District National Park! 🤯 81% of the Coastal Margin is designated for nature, and nearly 87% of this area has the potential to contribute to the government’s 30by30 target🎯 This means that the King Charles III England Coast Path alongside the Coastal Margin offer a new, once in a generation opportunity to create better nature and access, for people along England's dynamic coastline 👣 🐝 NTUK's Coastal Wildbelt project, funded through the #ProtectedLandscapePartnership, is scoping out how this opportunity can be embraced to drive forward the protection, improvement and enhancement of conditions for people and nature along the coast. Coastal Grasslands Reconnected is just one of the ways in which this opportunity can become a reality 🌟

🤔 What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think about designing outdoor spaces to be welcoming and accessible for people of all abilities? There's no right or wrong answer - your response will likely reflect your experience. To raise awareness during #DisabilityHistoryMonth 🌻 , Laura Perratt shares her experience of engaging with the outdoors while living with a profound hearing loss. Laura writes, "I don’t want to give the impression that those with sensory impairments or other disabilities are somehow “worse off”....it’s just that our experiences are different, and it’s important that this is recognised. While great progress is being made to make the outdoors more welcoming and inclusive for all, more can be done to enhance outdoor experiences for those with sensory deprivation." 💚 What do you think needs to happen to make National Trails welcoming, inclusive and accessible for every ability? Let us know in the comments 👇

Congratulations to our members South West Coast Path Association for receiving the King's Award for Voluntary Service 👏 🏅 This well-deserved recognition celebrates the dedication and passion of those who donate their time to supporting this 600+ mile National Trail. Maintaining this epic route is no mean feat - but these stalwart volunteers make it possible 🤝 Our National Trails network is a massive and vital piece of infrastructure, connecting people to nature, heritage and culture. Every National Trail has a small army of volunteers who help keep these important routes open and accessible to all. A huge thank you to all the volunteers on the South West Coast Path and other National Trails for all you do 🙏

When it comes to accessibility, our network of National Trails are a cut above the rest. Putting Down Routes is a fantastic example of the efforts being made to welcome more people of different abilities and backgrounds into the outdoors. In partnership with Wild with Wheels CIC and Black Girls Hike UK C.I.C, the Kent Downs National Landscape is transforming the North Downs Way National Trail into a more accessible, safe, and inclusive space—helping diverse users connect with this inspiring landscape. Read more below 👇 #connecttonature #accessforall #PuttingDownRoutes #NationalTrails

🎉 Congratulations to the West of England Combined Authority for producing the first of the 48 Local Nature Recovery Strategies for England which contains sections of the Cotswold Way, the King Charles III England Coast Path and the coastal margin, at the heart of our #coastalwildbelt project. By viewing the National Trails as corridors and through partnership working they can support the West of England's identified actions for nature recovery 🦋, especially: 🌿 "Improve roadside verge management for nature" - if it works for a road, why not a National Trail? 🌿 "Create pocket parks and green spaces in unused spaces, prioritising areas with least access to local green space" #cotswoldway #cotswoldnationallandscape #protectedlandscapespartnership #bigchalk 👀 Keep an eye out for more information in the coming days on how we see the coastal margin supporting Local Nature Recovery Strategies.