North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

One of England’s most special places, the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is a stunning landscape of unspoilt heather moors and peatlands, attractive dales and hay meadows, tumbling upland rivers, peaceful woods, friendly communities, intriguing imprints of a working past, distinctive birds, animals, plants and more.

AONBs were established to conserve and enhance our country’s natural beauty, and the protected status afforded to the spectacular landscapes and rare wildlife of the North Pennines ensures they remain gloriously untouched for our visitors to enjoy.

Even the land itself is fascinating - the North Pennines AONB is also a European and Global Geopark, a UNESCO backed designation awarded to areas of world-class geological importance.

Walking, cycling, canoeing, sailing, orienteering…there are lots of ways to get active and explore the incredible North Pennines scenery, and an interesting programme of events brings its natural assets to life throughout the year. The landscape has inspired many of Britain's most famous artists, writers and people of ideas for centuries. Come and let it inspire you.