A Welsh national park has been named as one of the top 10 ultimate travel experiences in the UK. Pembrokeshire Coast National Park has made the top 10 of the Lonely Planet's ultimate UK travelist, which ranks the top 500 unmissable experiences and hidden gems across Britain and Northern Ireland. The south-western shore attraction is Britain's only truly coastal national park, covering 240 square miles of sandy beaches, rugged cliffs, secluded rocky coves and hundreds of miles of footpaths. The area also features Iron Age hill forts, Norman castles, medieval churches and Victorian forts as it stretches across numerous historic towns and villages. Describing the national park, the guide calls it a "ravishing stretch of cliff-flanked coves, thrashing seas, wildflower-freckled moors and hedgerowed tracks leading to one-pub villages". A total of 47 Welsh sights and experiences made the list, ranging from taking on Snowdon to squeezing into the country's smallest house in Conwy. Other … [Read more...] about Welsh national park named an ultimated UK destination
Ireland national parks
Rangers could sign another Northern Ireland ace
0 Have your say Rangers have entered talked with Northern Ireland international Josh Magennis. The ex-Kilmarnock star is contracted to Bolton Wanderers, but the Lancashire side have entered administration and dropped into League One which could see the forward moved on.According to the Belfast Telegraph, Rangers have had talks with the player's representatives, who cost the former Premier League side £400,000 from Charlton.Magennis is familiar with Scottish football having played for St Mirren, Aberdeen and Killie.The 28-year-old was a versatile and somewhat misunderstood player before arriving at Rugby Park where he transformed into a dangerous and powerful forward.Having made his debut for the Northern Ireland national team back in 2010, it wasn't until 2014 when he became a regular - he now has 41 caps to his name.If he signs for Rangers he will become the club's fourth Northern Ireland star, joining Kyle Lafferty, Jordan Jones and Steve Davies. … [Read more...] about Rangers could sign another Northern Ireland ace
Your guide to Bloom in the Park
Horticulture remains at the heart of the Dublin festival for Peter Dowdall, particularly the show gardensThe gardening “season” comes and goes in a flash. For months we’re waiting for the temperatures to increase and the weather to calm down into what we can recognise as a summer. Then, when it comes, it seems to be gone before we get a chance to appreciate it. The gardening show season seems to pass by even more instantly, Chelsea and Mallow are already gone for 2019 and Bloom in the Phoenix Park is in full swing this weekend, running each day until Monday at 6pm.This is Ireland’s chance to shine in terms of garden design and when Irish and international garden designers get the chance to showcase their skills in the public realm. Though this festival in Dublin’s Phoenix Park has developed over the years to encompass food, music, children’s entertainment and more, it is for me, at heart, all about the horticulture. The show gardens are the … [Read more...] about Your guide to Bloom in the Park
Rhododendron: An ecological disaster in Killarney National Park
RHODODENDRON, ONCE ALMOST ERADICATED FROM KILLARNEY NATIONAL PARK’S FINEST OAK WOODS, HAS RETURNED. THIS VIGOROUS INVASIVE PLANT IS AGAIN THREATENING THE FORESTS, AND THE NATIONAL PARKS AND WILDLIFE SERVICE HAS REPEATEDLY FAILED TO RESPOND EFFECTIVELY. WHY? The great rhododendron disaster has taken place while Killarney is in the hands of the Irish nation. The nation deserves much better – Daniel Kelly, forestry expert and emeritus fellow in botany at Trinity College Dublin Killarney National Park was chosen as Ireland’s Best Day Out by The Irish Times in 2015, reflecting its well-deserved status at home and abroad for recreation, natural beauty and its bountiful weave of plant and animal life. So you might expect that the park’s keystone oak woodlands are under sensitive ecological management, based on the best science available. After all, they are in the hands of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), whose self-declared primary mission is … [Read more...] about Rhododendron: An ecological disaster in Killarney National Park
Trump plans to allow fracking near California’s national parks
The Trump administration has issued a plan to open more than a million acres in California to fracking, including areas close to Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia national parks. In its proposal, the government made a case that the effects on a range of delicate issues – from degrading air quality to threats to cultural and Native American resources in the area – could be avoided or minimized on 1,011,470 acres across eight counties. The plan could end a five-year fracking moratorium in California enforced by a federal judge. Environmental groups are planning to put up a fight. “We will push back every step of the way against this reckless plan to subject more of California’s lands, wildlife, and communities to fracking,” Monica Embrey, a senior campaign representative at the Sierra Club, said in a statement. Making good on a campaign promise, Donald Trump has attempted to lift environmental regulations on federal lands across the country and has vowed … [Read more...] about Trump plans to allow fracking near California’s national parks