While Northern Ireland's countryside may at first glace appear a placid place dedicated purely to the appreciation of nature's beauty a closer inspection would suggest that there is plenty more besides. Without doubt Northern Ireland does offer some breathtaking scenery; likes its independent neighbour occupying the southern side, the other island it is green beyond comparison with anywhere else in the British Isle. However it is also a hive of high-octane activity offering all manner of adrenalin-fuelled outdoor pursuits. The coasts around Antrim, Londonderry and Down for example, offer some of the best scubadiving in Europe giving participants a chance to witness some fascinating wrecks, incredible underwater rock formations and even some pretty awesome sea life.
Land based pursuits include conoeing, bouldering, rock climbing pony trekking and abseiling in the Mourne Mountains. Surfing believe it or not is also highly popular with Causeway Coast amongst the most popular destinations for revelers to hit the board.
Weather permitting you can stretch out and catch a few rays on one of the beutiful beaches that line the coasts of Antrim, Down and Londonderry. The sands are white and unspolied and the seas clean and welcoming to swimmers and bathers.
Logh Erne in Country Fermangh is renowned for the magnificence ot its fishing and cruising. The wates are clean and pure and the Lough is not congested. Lough Erne has a canal link to the river Shannon providing the longest navigable inland waterway in Europe. The bridge is used by fishermen and spans an eighty foot chasm. Northern Ireland is also a golfer's paradise with over 90 heath land, parkland and link courses scattered throughout Northern Ireland.
Accommodation is as abundant as it is varied with hotels, guest hosues, B&B's and self catering properties among thr most populat options.
Farmstays are also a popular option and give holidayers a chance tol really appreciate what Irish rural like is about.
The largest of England's National Parks provides an exciting mix of mountain and lake scenery. Its 2,292 square kilometres cover fells, dates, lakes and villages. The National Park also includes part of the West Coast, with beaches and tidepools.
Postcard-perfect in summer, in fall the brown bracken of the mountain slopes contrasts with the reds of oak forests and the beginnings of snow-white frosting on the mountain peaks. The Lake District is a walker's paradise at any time.
Of the many hill-walking routes the park has to offer, Scafell Peak at 3210 ft high is one of the most popular. Helvellyn at 3116 ft is a similarly popular option which offers both simple or challenging walks depending on the path you take.
The weather in the area is notoriously unpredictable and can go from fine to stormy in a matter of minutes. Visitors are advised to always check weather reports before setting of on walks.
Accommodation in the park is abundant with many properties overlooking the lakes themselves. Windermere is an especially popular area and offers everything from plush hotels to quaint guest houses and youth hostels.
Windereme is also highly popular amongst lovers of water pursuites and in peak season is filled with everyone from windsurfers to sailboats to those just taking quiet paddle in an inflatable dingy.
Some of the parks other popular attarctions include: Coniston Water, Brantwood, Ennerdale, Hay Bridge Deer National Park Visitor Centre, Brockhole, Muncaster Castle and Castlerigg stone circle.
The unrivalled beauty of the scottish highlands is truly a sight to behold. Rich green hills and miles of plush valley area just a few of the reasons that visitors hold this area in such high regard.
Beauty aside the highlannds also offers plenty of amenities and is well equipped to deal with the year round influx of tourists. Beautiful abbeys, priories and churches and grand stately homes make for interesting viewing if you've had enough of appreciating what nature has to offer. With about 18 museums scattered throughout the area also you won't be short of anything to do if the weather is a little unpleasant.
Amongst the many popular countryside destinatios the area offers there are a number that list regulary in Highland guides. These include: Canna, Cairngorms, Culloden, Corrieshalloch Gorge, Cape Wrath, Falls of Glomach, GlenCoe, Kintail & Morvich, Loch Ness, Road to the Isles, Torridon, Trotternish Peninsula and Thurso Drive.
There's no shortage of accommodation in the area; the more common tourist areas include Beauly, Boat of Garten, Carloway, Carrbridge, Cromarty, Dunoon, Fort Augustus, Fort William, Garve, Inverary, Invergordon, Inverness, Isle of Islay, Kirkwall, Kyleakin, Lairg, Lochinver, Nairn, Oban, Stornoway, Taynuilt, Ullapool and Wick plus many more.
Derbyshire and the Peak District feature some of England's finest countryside. Besides stunning scenery the area offers great facilities for tourists and locals alike and with a little investigation you can easily find facilities and attractions that meet your requirements.
Many visitors are attracted to the Peak National Park both by the rugged scenery and natural beauty of the Gritstone Dark Peak, and the more gentle limestone White Peak with its lovely river valleys, so much so that over 22 million people visit the National Park each year. Only other National Park in the world receives more.
As a result of the area's popularity, accommodation is plentiful and there's something available to suit all budgets. Popular options include farm holiday accommodation, youth hostels, pine log cabins, caravanning and camping, cottage accommodation and hostels and serviced accommodation.
Some of the best places to stay however are outside the peak national Park, so do not restrict your choice to the park alone. Its worth nothing that three of Derbyshire's finest towns; Ashbourne, Buxton and Matlock lie outside the Peak National Park.
Outdoor pursuits in the Peak district are plentiful also. Rock climbing is very popular as are cycling and walking. 2005 in fact sees the districts first ever walking festival featuring a 15 mile walk on Bleaklow looking at aircraft wrecks, to a one an a half mile stroll around Hathersage discovering the Charlotte Bronte connection. If you're looking for something a little more adrenalin charged then head to Staffordshire where you can sample the fun of alton Towers' white knuckle rides.
The Peak district has something to offer everyone of all ages and all financial backgrounds. Nature after all is free and to be appreciated by everyone.
