ENGLAND: Land of Beauty
As its name implies, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), is a stretch of countryside deemed worthy of conservation by Natural England, a branch of the Department of the Environment formed in 2006 from the amalgamation of the Countryside Agency, English Nature and the Rural Development Service. It has similar aspirations to the National Parks, seeing protection of each area working hand in glove with the individual economic aspects of its unique rural environment.
There are currently 34 English AONBS, the largest being the Cotswolds and the smallest the Isles of Scilly. The first to be designated was the Quantocks in 1956 and the most recent the Tamar Valley in 1995 although some have been subsumed into National Parks (see Explore England 2017).
Each is quirky and idiosyncratic and well worthy of exploration on foot, or on two or four wheels. Much is open and obvious but equally much is off the beaten track and hidden away. In all cases it is recommended that time be taken to plan ahead before absorbing the atmosphere, regional variations in agriculture, cottage industries and rural heritage in general.
Care should also be taken to carry the requisite kit, including a map, compass, mobile phone and whistle, and sensible clothing for the area and time of year. If you are walking in a remote region then make your itinerary public before you depart, including your expected time of arrival at a specific location.