18 h. ago Wombats, wallabies and whales: four days walking in Wilsons Promontory national park

It’s one of Victoria’s favourite national parks for good reason. Hiking the park’s south reveals stunning coastlines and complex history, topped off by a night in a lighthouseGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailWe left the Wilsons Promontory Lightstation with one last look out to sea, admiring the chain of islands leading like stepping stones across the Strait. They’re the remnants of a landbridge between the Prom and Tasmania’s Freycinet, a link easily seen in the areas’ shared beauty: fine white sand, rough granite and bright orange lichen contrasting with a startlingly blue sea. It’s the nature, the beauty and the walking that brought us here, as well as a sense of unfinished business.My husband and I had been coming to Wilsons Prom for decades, for day walks and multi-day hikes. But we’d never made it to the lighthouse, or stayed in the cottages converted to walkers’ accommodation. To tackle the trip, we booked two bunkrooms and roped in the Schultz family. It would be th...

Politics

19 h. ago Stirlingshire beauty spot subject of parking and path upgrade plans

The application has been made by the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park to expand car parking at the Falls of Falloch, as well as a general revamp of the path network.

Politics

22 h. ago Peak District police using drones to target 'dangerously fast' Bank Holiday bikers

The winding roads of the national park are very popular with motorcyclists

Events

23 h. ago UK national parks warn of ‘catastrophic’ risk from wildfires this Easter

Weeks of fires amid warm and dry spell have decimated ecosystems and threatened endangered species, say expertsWildfires expose ‘postcode lottery’ of firefighting resourcesBritain’s national parks have warned of a “catastrophic” risk from wildfires this Easter after one of the driest early spring seasons on record.Park rangers from the South Downs to the Highlands said the prolonged warm weather and breezy conditions had left large areas extremely dry despite recent rain. Continue reading...

Events

28 h. ago Warning Scottish ministers risk more wildfires spreading with new muirburn system

Organisations calling for change made the warning in light of the wildfires that have occurred across Scotland

Events

43 h. ago Sheep rustlers turn beautiful UK national park into ‘Wild West’

As more than 1,000 reported sheep thefts are investigated, Devon and Cornwall Police suspect farming industry insiders are involved

Politics

3 d. ago Sauntering on streets and grazing on lawns: what happens when rhinos move into town?

In one Nepali village, the resident rhinos are a conservation success story and attract thousands of visitors, but attacks on humans are on the rise“I can’t talk now, I’m in hospital,” Ram Kumar Aryal says when he picks up the phone. “Someone has been attacked by one of the rhinos.” Every few months, Aryal – who is one of the architects of Nepal’s celebrated rhino conservation programme – ends up in one of the hospitals around Chitwan national park to respond to a rhino attack. This time, three women had been injured earlier that afternoon by a female rhino outside Laukhani village in the park’s buffer zone.The hospital had bandaged up their fractured legs and ribs and treated the bites on their hips and knees. “Normally rhinos are vegetarian, but they use their incisors for attacks,” says Aryal. Those incisors can grow to three inches long. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago 30,000 trees to be planted on one of Scotland's best known mountains in heart of national park

Those behind the project said it’s the first of its kind and scale ever undertaken on the mountain and one of the highest woodland initiatives in Scotland.

Politics

3 d. ago Police patrol national park to help protect endangered capercaillies

The wildlife crime officers are carrying out early morning patrols.

Events

4 d. ago Popular Italian region can fine tourists £2,000 for wearing wrong item of clothing

National park authorities can enforce a rule that prohibits visitors from wearing certain footwear

Economics

4 d. ago Tourists slammed by environmental group for causing harm to Spain’s highest peak

Criticism has been aimed at mass tourism and the ‘destruction’ of Tenerife’s volcanic national park

Politics

4 d. ago Welsh pub fights to keep decking put there after child was almost run over

An appeal has been lodged against a national park refusal of decking at a Pembrokeshire seaside village pub which was labelled 'a discordant element within the village'

Politics

5 d. ago Hidden away green 'path in the sky' in Wales that's been reclaimed by nature

Cwm Prysor Viaduct is a beautiful spot to visit in Eryri National Park - but some are worried it will be overrun if it gets the same treatment as other 'discovered' spots

Politics

7 d. ago Child remains found at ancient sacrifice altar hidden in national park

The remains of three children were found at the altar in Tikal National Park in Guatemala

Politics

7 d. ago Heavy rain to reduce risk of wildfires following possible hottest day of year

Highs of 24C are forecast for parts of the UK on Friday and Saturday.

Events

7 d. ago ‘Extreme’ wildfire warnings continue amid warm weather in UK with 24C temperatures expected

Firefighters said the risk of wildfires increases every day that passes without rainfall

Events

8 d. ago Wildfires in Scotland LIVE as 'extreme risk' warning issued amid multiple blazes

A warning has been issued for wildfires across the country for over the weekend as authorities struggle to cope with the situation.

Events

8 d. ago London weather: Met Office issues high temperature forecast for London today amid wildfires alert

The London Fire Brigade has warned there is an increased risk of wildfires as an unusually hot and dry spell of weather continues

Events

8 d. ago Whatever Donald Trump does next, this chaos will soon be shaping ordinary lives for the worse | Gaby Hinsliff

There is now little prospect of the growth Labour promised. With Reform nipping at his heels, Starmer must offer protection to the British peopleIf it’s brown, lie down. If it’s black, fight back. If it’s white, say goodnight.The rhyme we learned hiking as a family through Yellowstone national park last summer is meant as a cheery reminder of how not to get eaten, if you meet a bear. Brown bears are best appeased by playing dead; black bears need to know this will hurt them more than it hurts you; and luckily there aren’t any polar bears in Yellowstone, because nothing deters them.Gaby Hinsliff is a Guardian columnistDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago Scotland's wildfire 'extreme risk' warning extended as crews continue to tackle blazes

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Scottish Wildlife Forum have extended their 'extreme risk' warning over wildfires across Scotland in to the weekend.

Events