A country park which has been crowned the UK's favourite is just a two hour drive from Greater Manchester. Featuring its own private beach, Penrhos Coastal Park near Holyhead, Wales has been officially named as the UK's most-loved park.
Environmental charity Fields in Trust sifted through 364 nominations to eventually crown the Anglesey park as the nation's favourite, which received the most public votes. Both beach and woodland walks are an option at this 200-acre park - so it's easy to see why it's extremely popular with both locals and tourists alike.
With a rich history dating back to 1553, the green space is also home to several features of historical interest, including original Tudor era buildings. In recent years, the park has backlash from locals after planning consent was granted for a £100m holiday village with 500 lodges at Penrhos.
Local opposition to the plans continue to this day and the Save Penrhos Coastal Park Holyhead campaign has amassed more than 16,000 followers across its social media platforms, reports NorthWalesLive. In total, over 30,000 people cast their vote for their favourite park and Penrhos Coastal Park in Holyhead gained the most votes to nab the title of best in the UK.
Other parks to receive an honourable mention included Blackpool’s Stanley Park, Aberdeen’s Seaton Park and Craigavon City Park in Northern Ireland. But with stunning scenery which attracts close to 100,000 visitors each year Penrhos Coastal Park could not be beaten.
Chief executive of Fields in Trust, Helen Griffiths, said: “We’re incredibly excited to announce that Penrhos Coastal Park in Holyhead has been voted as the UK’s Favourite Park 2022 by those who use and love it. It is clear that this park is a very special place to a lot of people, and we are thrilled to officially crown it the UK’s favourite.
"We’ve had a fantastic response to the competition from all across the UK and I’d like to thank everyone who nominated and voted for parks over the past few weeks." The vote was part of a campaign to highlight the importance of local parks after appreciation for green spaces grew during the pandemic.
Helen continued: “The UK is home to such a diverse range of green spaces, and we hope that this award has encouraged people to truly appreciate their local parks. Our work to legally protect green spaces for good means we’re well aware of the threats they face and how important it is value and celebrate them.”
Penrhos Coastal Park is located just off the A55, with free parking between 8am-6.30pm and a bus stop outside the park entrance. You can find out more about the ‘UK’s Favourite Parks’ award and Fields in Trust's work on their website.
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