Places that make you feel small, in the best way.

Red Hill Nature Reserve

Asterby Lane, NE of Goulceby, Louth

Chalk escarpment / viewpoint · Half day–full day

Gaping Gill

Southern slopes of Ingleborough, near Clapham, North Yorkshire

Limestone pothole and underground waterfall · Check before visiting

Sandwood Bay

North of Kinlochbervie, Sutherland, north-west Highlands, Scotland

Beach · Full day

Dartmoor National Park

Dartmoor, southern Devon, England

Moor · Half day, Full day, Weekend

Orford Ness National Nature Reserve

Orford Quay, Orford, Suffolk IP12 2NU

Mixed-habitat reserve · Half day

Duncansby Head

Near John o’ Groats, Caithness, Highlands, Scotland

Viewpoint · 1–2 hours

Falls of Glomach

Kintail, Scottish Highlands

Waterside landscape · Full day

RSPB Bempton Cliffs

Bempton, near Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire

Coastal reserve · Half day

Llyn y Fan Fach

Near Llanddeusant, Carmarthenshire, in the Black Mountain area of Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons), Wales

Lake · Half day

Glen Tanar National Nature Reserve

Near Aboyne, Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire

Forest · Half day

Aberlady Bay Local Nature Reserve

Aberlady, East Lothian, on the south shore of the Firth of Forth

Mixed-habitat reserve · 1–2 hours

Flanders Moss National Nature Reserve

Carse of Stirling, near Thornhill, Stirlingshire

Bog · 1–2 hours

Swinn Wood

Aby, near Alford

Ancient woodland · 1–2 hours

Scale Force

Above the south-western shore of Crummock Water, near Buttermere, Cumbria

Gorge waterfall · AllTrails estimates 1.5–2 hours for its 4.4-mile out-and-back route. Britain Express describes a shorter 2.5-mile return

High Cup Nick

Near Dufton, North Pennines, Cumbria, England

Valley · Half day

Gait Barrows National Nature Reserve

Between Silverdale and the Yealands, Lancashire

Mixed-habitat reserve · Half day

Eas a’ Chual Aluinn

Assynt, Sutherland, Highlands, Scotland

Waterside landscape · Half day

Ullswater

Lake District, Cumbria

Lake · Half day

Dole Wood

Obthorpe Lane, Thurlby, Bourne

Ancient woodland fragment · 1–3 hours

Lydford Gorge

Lydford, near Tavistock, Devon

Waterside landscape · Half day

Achmelvich Beach

Achmelvich, Assynt, Sutherland

Beach · Half day

Kisdon Force

River Swale, 500 metres downstream from Keld, Swaledale, North Yorkshire

Two-cascade river waterfall in a wooded limestone gorge · Check before visiting

Llyn y Fan Fawr

Carmarthenshire Fans, western Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, Wales

Lake · 1–2 hours

Warton Crag Local Nature Reserve

Crag Road, Warton, near Carnforth, Lancashire

Mixed-habitat reserve · Half day

RSPB Scotland Troup Head

Troup Head, near Banff, Aberdeenshire AB45 3JJ

Coastal reserve · 1–2 hours

Dungeness National Nature Reserve

Dungeness, Romney Marsh, Kent TN29 9NE

Mixed-habitat reserve · 1–2 hours for a focused visit

Rutland Water Nature Reserve

Egleton, Oakham, Rutland LE15 8BT

Mixed-habitat reserve · Half day

Coral Beach

Claigan, north of Dunvegan, Isle of Skye, Scotland

Beach · 1–2 hours

Llyn Padarn

Llanberis, Gwynedd, North Wales

Lake · Half day

Birling Gap and the Seven Sisters

East Dean, near Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN20 0AB

Coastal reserve · 1–2 hours for a short visit

Hatfield Forest

Bush End Road, Takeley, near Bishop’s Stortford, Essex CM22 6NE

Mixed-habitat reserve · 1–2 hours to half day

Neist Point Lighthouse

Neist Point, Duirinish Peninsula, Isle of Skye, near Glendale, Scotland

Viewpoint · 1–2 hours

RSPB Minsmere

Minsmere, Saxmundham, Suffolk IP17 3BY

Mixed-habitat reserve · Half day

Rutland Water Nature Reserve

Egleton, Oakham, Rutland LE15 8BT

Mixed-habitat reserve · Half day

The Strid

Strid Wood, Bolton Abbey Estate, North Yorkshire

River · 1–2 hours

Trowbarrow Quarry

Silverdale, Lancashire

Mixed-habitat reserve · 1–2 hours

Findhorn Bay Local Nature Reserve

Findhorn, Moray, Scotland

Coastal reserve · 1–2 hours

Forvie National Nature Reserve

Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Mixed-habitat reserve · Half day

Forvie National Nature Reserve

Near Newburgh, Aberdeenshire, on Scotland’s north-east coast

Mixed-habitat reserve · Half day

Loch Callater

Glen Callater, near Braemar, Cairngorms National Park, Scotland

Lake · Half day

Muir of Dinnet National Nature Reserve

Near Dinnet, Aberdeenshire, on Royal Deeside

Mixed-habitat reserve · 1–2 hours to explore a highlight

RSPB Scotland Loch Garten Nature Centre

Loch Garten, Abernethy Forest, near Boat of Garten, Cairngorms National Park

Mixed-habitat reserve · 1–2 hours

YWT Flamborough Cliffs

Flamborough Cliffs, North Marine Road, Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire YO15 1BJ

Mixed-habitat reserve · 1–2 hours for a reserve visit

RSPB Scotland Troup Head

Near Banff, Aberdeenshire

Mixed-habitat reserve · 1–2 hours

Arnside & Silverdale National Landscape

Around Arnside and Silverdale, on Morecambe Bay, spanning Cumbria and Lancashire

Waterside landscape · Half day

Clachtoll Beach

Clachtoll, Assynt, Sutherland, Scottish Highlands

Beach · Half day

Glen Roy National Nature Reserve

Glen Roy, Lochaber, Scottish Highlands

Mixed-habitat reserve · Half day

Llyn Edno

Moelwyn hills, Eryri (Snowdonia), Gwynedd

Lake · Full day