Northumberland National Park

Northumberland National Park
Protected Area
View of Hadrian's Wall, Northumberland National Park
Country	United Kingdom
Part	England
Counties	Northumberland
IUCN category	V - Protected Landscape/Seascape

Northumberland National Park is the northernmost national park in England. It covers an area of more than 1,030 square kilometres (400 sq mi) between the Scottish border in the north to just south of Hadrian's Wall, and it is one of the least populated and least visited of the National Parks. The park lies entirely within Northumberland, covering about a quarter of the county.

The park covers several distinct areas. In the north are the Cheviot Hills, a range of hills that mark the border between England and Scotland. Further south, the hills give way to areas of rolling moorland, some of which have been covered by forestry plantations to form Kielder Forest. The southernmost part of the park covers the dramatic central section of Hadrian's Wall, dating from the Roman occupation.

The 10,000-year history of human habitation of the region is explored through the many archaeological sites, ranging from prehistoric monuments and Roman remains to Pele towers, constructed as a defence against Border Reivers.

The Park's official symbol is the curlew.

The Northumberland National Park takes its name from the English county of Northumberland. Northumberland means "country north of the River Humber" and is related to the name "Northumbria", referring to the former Anglo-Saxon kingdom which once covered much of Northern England. The national park lies totally within the boundaries of Northumberland.