Natural England can only designate land as National Park if it has sufficient natural beauty and opportunities for open-air recreation. Natural England must also be satisfied that it is especially desirable that the special purposes of National Parks should apply to the area. When considering areas for designation as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, only the single natural beauty criterion is applicable.

Natural beauty is more than just “beautiful scenery”. It includes the wildlife and cultural heritage of an area as well as its natural features. It can be found in landscapes that have been altered by humans through agriculture, forestry or in parklands.

Whinfell Ridge © Natural England & Simon Warner