Before you head off on your walk… how’s your parking?
You’ve packed the boots, checked the weather and planned the route. But have you thought about parking?
On busy weekends at popular beauty spots, poor parking has become a growing problem. Long lines of cars end up on verges, blocking gateways, narrowing roads and making life difficult for pedestrians, local residents, farmers, businesses and perhaps most alarmingly, emergency services.
An unofficial parking space might seem harmless when you’re heading off for a few hours, but if everyone makes the same decision, the impact quickly adds up.
Take our quick Countryside Parking Checklist before you set off
✅ Countryside Parking Checklist
☐ Am I parked in a designated parking space or approved parking area – are there any signs or yellow lines showing there are restrictions?
☐ Could an tractor, bus, ambulance, fire engine or mountain rescue vehicle get through if needed?
☐ Am I blocking a gate, field entrance or access track?
☐ Can pedestrians, wheelchair users and families with pushchairs pass safely?
☐ Before finding unofficial parking, have I checked whether there’s another nearby option?
☐ Would I be happy if other drivers copied my parking – could that cause issues on this particular road?
If you’ve ticked every box…
Enjoy your walk. 🥾
If not…
Move your car!
Poor parking is becoming a growing problem across some of the UK’s most popular outdoor destinations. In Eryri, almost 40 vehicles were towed away after illegally parking and obstructing roads during a busy Easter weekend.
In the Peak District, around 200 poorly parked vehicles near Mam Tor blocked access for gritters and emergency services, with some cars ticketed and towed.
Meanwhile in the Lake District, police issued 64 parking offences in a single afternoon in Wasdale after what officers described as some of the worst parking they had seen, amid ongoing concerns about blocked roads, disrupted bus services and delayed emergency access.
A few questions to ask yourself before you head off:
- Have I saved a backup parking location before I leave home?
- Could I start this walk from a different point on the route?
- Can I visit earlier or later in the day when parking is likely to be less busy?
- Could I car share with friends or family instead of taking multiple vehicles?
- Could I use a park and ride service if one is available?
- Is there a train or bus route that gets me close to the start of the walk?
- Is there another place I could visit that’s less likely to be so busy!
You can search thousands of ready made routes on OS Maps to find an alternative day out in the countryside.
Park with respect.
Explore with confidence.
Follow the Countryside Code.
By Hilary Pullen
Meet Hilary, Editor of OS Maps Discover. Hilary is based in North Wales and loves hiking with her dogs in the mountains of Eryri and Bryniau Clwyd, you can find her on Instagram @nearlyuphill and read her guides to walking in North Wales.
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