Sketching the enchanting National Parks

Joe has been doodling National Park scenes since he was a child. Now he’s put them into a colouring book for adults and is donating £1 to us for every book bought!

I began creating these drawings as a way to share my experiences with National Parks, an attempt to capture some of the essence and beauty of each Park that had an impact on my life in some way. I have been exploring some of these National Parks since I was a kid and it has left a deep, lasting imprint on my life that has left me with the urge to adventure and discover. Even now I still get that childlike feeling of seeing a hill and having to run to the top to find out what is on the other side. They have also inspired me in almost everything I do, particularly my drawings outside of colouring books, each one always seems to contain elements of nature that pour from my subconscious without me even realising.

Throughout history the countryside and National Parks of the UK (and Ireland) have been the setting for some of the most renowned fairy tales, myths, stories, folklores, poetry and literature that have been passed down through the ages. My colouring book pays homage to a handful of these enchanting places that have whisked me away on adventures through dense woodlands, across stormy seas and towering peaks. I would love people to be inspired, not only to spark their own creativity but to remind them of the irreplaceable wildlife and ecologies that thrive in these areas which are rapidly dwindling in the face of modern society.

Adult Colouring Book: National Parks of the UK and Ireland – Buy it now and donate £1 to us!

At this current time in our history I think our natural world is the most threatened it has ever been, world leaders are able to deny the existence of climate change and fracking is still pushing forward despite the countless facts showing just how damaging the process is. It has never been more important to fight for our precious green spaces, they are home to the majority of our wildlife in our country with some of them containing ecology that cannot be found anywhere else in the world let alone in the UK. With our constant drive to develop and build to keep up with an increasing population and a desperate need for more energy, homes and financial stability we can forget how important these areas are to our world as well as ourselves.

Through this colouring book I hope to increase awareness of these stunning natural landscapes that have inspired me throughout my life, I want them to be around for years so future generations can potentially have the same experience I had and which I’m sure so many others have had. This is why I feel it is so important to support an amazing organisation, Campaign for National Parks who fight every day for the protection and improvement of these wondrous places so that more people can enjoy them for years to come.

Please note, the opinions expressed in all our blogs are of the author, and not endorsed by Campaign for National Parks. We are hosting blogs on a variety of subjects to provoke thought and discussion about National Parks.