AONB Network

An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is exactly what it says it is: an outstanding landscape whose distinctive character and natural beauty are so precious that it is safeguarded in the national interest. No other country in the world has Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty – it is a uniquely British designation that belongs to a worldwide Protected Landscape Family.

There are 46 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the UK.
AONBs cover about 18% of the UK countryside.
66% of people live within ½ hr of an AONB.
Just over 1/5 of the English Coast is AONB.
Over 19,000km of footpaths and bridleways pass through AONBs including 10 National Trails.
AONBs store million of tonnes of CO2 each year staving off global warming.
AONBs protect some of the UK’s most important and sensitive habitats.
AONBs are visited by millions of people each year but don’t be put off, with 23,301 sq km there is still plenty of space to quietly enjoy.