By clicking a retailer link you consent to third-party cookies that track your onward journey. This enables W? to receive an affiliate commission if you make a purchase, which supports our mission to be the UK's consumer champion.
Sam covers personal finance topics, from the best savings rates to the reasons mortgage lenders say no. He enjoys crunching the numbers to help consumers get ahead.
We are spoilt for natural beauty in the UK, with 15 National Parks and more than 60 National Landscapes and National Sceneic Areas.
But what if, rather than visiting one for a day trip or holiday, your home was located within one of these areas of natural beauty? Luckily, Nationwide has crunched the numbers.
Here, Which? takes a look at how prices vary, the best options for your shortlist based on our research, and why buyers are currently in a strong position to negotiate on price.
Homes within a National Park are 24% more expensive compared with a similar property elsewhere, according to Nationwide analysis. In cash terms, this is around £66,500 based on the UK average house price.
Properties on the fringes of National Parks are also more expensive. Homes within 5km (a little over 3 miles) of a National Park cost 6% more on average.
The two National Parks with the most expensive average property prices are both in the south of England. The average price of property in the New Forest, the most expensive National Park, is £563,000. The park with the highest average property prices in the north of England is the Peak District.
At the other end of the table, Eryri in Wales has the cheapest average property price. The Pembrokeshire Coast has the highest average price of Wales’s three National Parks, at £310,000. National Parks cover 20% of the land area in Wales, the highest proportion of the home nations.
The table shows average property prices across the 11 National Parks included in Nationwide's analysis.
| New Forest | 570 | £563,000 |
| South Downs | 1,624 | £485,000 |
| Peak District | 1,437 | £450,000 |
| Dartmoor | 935 | £348,000 |
| Loch Lomond and the Trossachs | 1,865 | £330,000 |
| Lake District | 2,362 | £325,000 |
| Yorkshire Dales | 2,179 | £315,000 |
| Pembrokeshire Coast | 621 | £310,000 |
| Bannau Brycheiniog | 1,344 | £292,000 |
| Cairngorms | 4,528 | £255,000 |
| Eryri | 2,176 | £203,000 |
Source: Nationwide. There are 15 National Parks in Great Britain. The table shows data for the main National Parks, according to Nationwide.
The UK's best National Park is Northumberland, according to our survey of more than 8,000 Which? members.
The average property price in the park isn't included in Nationwide's analysis. However, Land Registry data shows that the average home in the Northumberland local authority costs £213,000. The UK average is currently £270,000.
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park ranks second in our table. The Lake District, the UK's most visited National Park, achieved the third-highest score, alongside the Yorkshire Dales and Cairngorms.
To see the full results and find out which National Park finished bottom of our rankings, head to the best National Parks in the UK.
Find the right mortgage using the fee-free service provided by L&C Mortgages
Compare mortgagesIf you click on the link and complete a mortgage with L&C Mortgages, L&C is paid a commission by the lender and will share part of this fee with Which? Ltd helping fund our not-for-profit mission. We do not allow this relationship to affect our editorial independence. Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
If you're a buyer seeking to be closer to the great outdoors you could also consider moving to, or near, a National Landscape.
The National Landscapes Association describes them as 'outstanding areas whose distinctive character and natural beauty are so precious that they are safeguarded in the national interest'. These were formerly known as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and are called National Scenic Areas in Scotland.
Access to protected countryside comes at a cost for buyers, but has a lower premium than homes within a National Park. Properties within a National Landscape or National Scenic Area command a 14% premium, according to Nationwide analysis.
The Surrey Hills is the National Landscape with the most expensive property; the average home costs more than £700,000. It covers a quarter of Surrey and is home to around 40,000 people, mostly in small villages and rural hamlets such as Shere, Mickleham and Westhumble.
Cornwall was the cheapest area in Nationwide's analysis, with the average home costing £300,000.
The Cotswolds is the UK’s largest National Landscape, and perhaps most well known, stretching from North-East Somerset to South Warwickshire. Some of the main towns in the Cotswolds include Tetbury, Bourton-on-the-Water and Stow-on-the-Wold. As well as boasting natural beauty, the Cotswolds’ central location and good rail accessibility also make it an ideal location for commuters.
| Surrey Hills | 422 | £710,000 |
| Chilterns | 833 | £685,000 |
| High Weald | 1,461 | £505,000 |
| North Wessex Downs | 1,730 | £475,000 |
| Cotswolds | 2,038 | £465,000 |
| Kent Downs | 878 | £450,000 |
| Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs | 983 | £443,000 |
| South Devon | 337 | £388,000 |
| East Devon | 268 | £380,000 |
| Wye Valley | 326 | £370,000 |
| Dorset | 1,129 | £345,000 |
| Cornwall | 958 | £300,000 |
Source: Nationwide. There are 38 National Landscapes in England and Wales and 30 National Scenic Areas (NSAs) in Scotland. The table shows data for the largest National Landscapes, where sufficient data is available.
Borrowers continue to be affected by conflict in the Middle East, which has pushed up energy prices and, in turn, mortgage rates. In the past week, major lenders including Barclays, Lloyds and Santander have increased rates.
Mortgage rate rises in 2026 have reduced buyers' purchasing power by 9% since January, according to Zoopla analysis. However, fewer buyers combined with a record number of homes for sale mean those searching for a home are in a strong position to negotiate on price.
However, buyers need to be careful when negotiating. Lloyds Bank says it is seeing more sellers 'choosing to sit tight' rather than accept offers they consider too low.
For sellers, setting a realistic asking price is critical in the current market. There may be a slight uptick in buyers searching for property this autumn, but experts still expect a challenging few months ahead.
Lloyds Bank says: 'We expect the market to remain fairly subdued in the months ahead, but this will likely only have a limited impact on house prices.'
Make every penny count. Get the best deals, avoid scams and grow your savings, with expert guidance for only £49 a year.
Join Which? Money
