Uncovering the Lost Memos of the Great Outdoors
Hello, I’m Lawrence, and I’m on a quest to uncover all of the memos that Britain and America lost in the pond. One of those memos pertains to nature, also personified as ‘Mother Nature’, or in my imaginative take, ‘David Attenborough’s spare bedroom’. Both countries are enriched with stunning landscapes that inspire escape and exploration, inciting a longing to abandon solitude for the evergreens, captivating ocean views, and a glimpse of subtle wildlife.
The Enduring Beauty of National Parks
Among these natural vistas, national parks hold a unique charm. My personal favorite is the Lake District, the largest and most visited national park in England and second only to the kern dorms in Scotland within the UK. With its sprawling countryside, expansive lakes, and quaint flat-capped local populace, it’s an experience that’s enough to inspire the lyrical cadence of a country file host. There are 15 designated national parks in the UK for context, more than in the much larger state of California. Despite its smaller size, the UK impressively nurtures these rich sites of natural beauty.
Reflecting on America, on the other hand, I reported six years ago that eleven states are larger than the entire UK. By sheer coincidence, the same number of US national parks make the list of those that dwarf Britain’s largest parks in terms of size. Indeed, everything seems bigger in America, including its remarkable national parks.
The Grandeur of American National Parks
Unprecedented in their vastness, American National Parks are breath-takingly magnificent. Take, for instance, the Grand Canyon in Arizona, which former President Theodore Roosevelt defined as a natural wonder unparalleled throughout the rest of the world. This fascinating landscape is actually the smallest US National Park on this list, but its uniqueness is no less diminished. The expansive National Park service view records an area of 4,800 kilometers squared. The Canyon, in all its grandeur, is larger than Rhode Island and could be said to span the UK from the top of the Kern Gorm’s to the bottom of the Lake District, if stretched out in a straight line.
Another standout park is the Everglades National Park in Florida, displaying the unpredictable beauty of tropical wildlife and sprawling wetlands. It is larger than Grand Canyon Park and duly dwarfs the British Kern Gorm’s. Despite being flat, the sheer expanse of wetlands is mesmerizing to behold.
Vivid Alaska’s Wilderness
High up in Alaska, we have the remarkably diverse Gates of the Arctic National Park. With vast wetlands, snowy peaks, and remarkable sand dunes, it exceeds not only the brit um-ti Kern Gorm but the entire area of Delaware. It’s worth noting this park is one of the least visited in the country, something which adds to its intriguing mystique.
Monumental Wonders and Breathtaking Peaks
The Yellowstone National Park boasts of geysers, waterfalls, and super-volcanoes, and is twice as large as the Kern Gorm’s. The towering peaks of Eagle Peak render all characters of Macbeth dwarfed in contrast, much like geological witchcraft brought to life.
Alaska also hosts another expanse, the Glacier Bay National Park, three times more enormous than its Montanan counterpart. Surrounded by a gentler climate and proximity to cruise ships, this park draws more annual visitors than most other Alaskan parks.
The Death Valley, infamous for the highest ever recorded air temperature, is the largest National Park in the contiguous United States. The Telescope Peak here looms over Macduff’s hill as its gigantic brother, standing tall and majestic.
Yet the largest parks remain yet to be addressed, including Denali National Park and Preserve, roughly equivalent in size to Slovenia. It’s a beautiful focal point reaching 20,000 feet, nearly five times as tall as Macduff and four-and-a-half times the size of Ben Nevis. However, the park which wears the crown of size is Alaska’s Wrangell-St. Elias, accounting for 53,000 square kilometers. This titan of natural parks dwarfs not only the Kern Gorm’s but is almost 12 times as large.
The Enduring Allure of Natural Parks
All these breathtaking parks evoke a sense of grandeur and magnificence unparalleled in our everyday urban settings. Their sheer size and distinct beauty render them truly majestic marvels of the natural world. It is no surprise then that once normalcy resumes, these parks would undoubtedly be on the top of everyone’s travel list. In the coming years, both the UK and the US’s national parks will continue to play an indispensable role in nurturing our love for nature, active lifestyles, and a deep sentiment for exploration. Don’t let these natural wonders get lost in the pond – extend your adventurous spirit to seeking peace, rejuvenation, and inspiration in the sheer expanses of these incredible parks.