How Safe are The UK's National Parks? Crime, Violence, and Weather Risks for Solo Travellers
- Kate
- 4 days ago
- 9 min read
When I first started heading out on my own for hikes and wild camps in the Lake District, the people closest to me were full of concern. My friends and family would say things like, "Aren't you scared of being out there alone? What if you meet someone dangerous?"
Their worries were never about the mountains themselves—the steep ridges, the unpredictable weather, or the fact I was often miles from civilisation. Instead, the fear was always about stranger danger. It was as if the biggest threat to me, as a woman alone outdoors, must surely be another person.
I'll admit, in the beginning, those voices got into my head. I remember my first wild camp vividly: lying in my tent, heart racing at every rustle outside, convinced it must be someone creeping around. Of course, it was just the wind and the sheep. Meanwhile, the real challenges came in the form of lashing rain, a freezing night, and a stove that wouldn't light. By morning, it was apparent—the danger I faced wasn't from strangers, but from being unprepared for the environment.
Now that I share my adventures here on my blog and social media, I hear the same concerns echoed back from other women: "Do you feel safe going out there on your own?" And I completely understand why the question comes up so often—we've been taught to be wary of people, when in reality, the statistics show the outdoors is one of the safest places you can be as a woman.
That's why I wanted to write this post. Not to dismiss the fears (they're valid—we all feel them), but to put them into perspective. The truth is that the real risks in the Lake District and other National Parks don't come from strangers lurking in the woods. They come from the weather, the terrain, and sometimes from our lack of preparation.
This post is for every woman who has dreamed of hiking, camping, or exploring solo but hesitated because of safety fears. I hope that by sharing both the facts and my experience, you'll feel reassured that the outdoors is not only safe, but one of the most empowering places you can spend time—as long as you prepare for the right challenges. Remember, the outdoors is a place of beauty and freedom, and with the right precautions, it can be a source of inspiration and empowerment.
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National parks across the UK are places of beauty, freedom, and escape—but how safe are they? For women travelling solo, these wild spaces can feel both empowering and intimidating. This post looks at what the evidence says about crime, stranger danger, and weather-related risks in Britain's best-loved national parks. While much of my perspective comes from the Lake District—because it's where I spend most of my time—I hope the insights resonate for anyone considering solo adventures in Snowdonia, the Peak District, the Cairngorms, Dartmoor, the Brecon Beacons, or beyond. Our national parks are full of stunning landscapes and rich history, and with the proper preparation, they can be some of the safest and most rewarding destinations for solo travel.
Crime in the Outdoors: The Numbers
When people worry about solo travel, crime is usually the first concern—especially for women. But what do the numbers show?
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), in 2024, about 0.4% of women in England and Wales experienced violence from a stranger. By comparison, most violence is committed by someone the victim already knows [ONS, 2024]. Police data for neighbourhoods inside the Lake District National Park (Ambleside, Keswick, Windermere) show "violence and sexual offences" as a category. Still, they don't reveal the victim's sex or whether the perpetrator was a stranger [Police.uk, 2024].
Other national parks show similar trends. For example, the Peak District—Britain's most-visited national park—reported fewer than 10 violent offences across its central villages in 2023, most linked to domestic incidents rather than stranger attacks [Derbyshire Police FOI, 2023]. In Snowdonia (Eryri), North Wales Police data also suggests low levels of violent crime compared with nearby Bangor or Wrexham [North Wales Police, 2023].
By contrast, city centres such as Manchester, Birmingham, and London see thousands of violent offences each year, particularly at night-time economy hotspots [Home Office, 2024].
Perception vs. Reality
Despite the low rates of stranger violence, fear is widespread. ONS surveys show that 4 in 5 women feel unsafe in parks after dark [EVAW, 2022]. The fear is real—but the actual risk in national parks is much lower than in urban centres.
Female Murders in the Lake District: Rare but Remembered
Murders are sporadic in the Lakes, but a handful of infamous cases have left their mark:
The "Lady in the Lake" Murder (1976/1997): Carol Park's body was found in Coniston Water more than 20 years after she disappeared. Her husband, Gordon Park, was convicted in 2005 [BBC News, 2005; The Guardian, 2005]. This case, while tragic, is an outlier in the Lake District's safety record.
Margaret Hogg (1976): Killed by her husband and left in Wast Water, England's deepest lake. Her body was recovered in 1984 [Wikipedia, 2024]. This case, too, is a rare occurrence in the Lake District.
These cases are tragic but unusual. They make headlines precisely because they are so rare.
City vs. Countryside: Leeds as a Comparison
If we compare with a nearby urban centre like Leeds, the contrast is stark. This comparison is not to instil fear, but to provide a balanced perspective on safety in different environments.
Leeds has seen multiple female homicides in recent years, including Louisa Hall (2023), murdered in a city-centre flat [Yorkshire Evening Post, 2023].
In the 1970s, the city was terrorised by the Yorkshire Ripper murders, many of which targeted women in Leeds' inner areas [Wikipedia, 2024].
FOI data from West Yorkshire Police shows multiple homicide victims every year across the county [West Yorkshire Police FOI, 2024].
The Real Danger in the Lake District: Weather and Terrain
While violent crime is rare, the weather and mountains pose a far greater threat in the Lake District. Every year, mountain rescue teams respond to hundreds of emergencies—and in 2024, fatalities more than doubled, with 32 people losing their lives compared to 14 the year before [BBC News, 2024].
Most of these deaths weren't caused by violence, but by falls, exposure, or medical emergencies triggered by conditions. For example:
In January 2025, a man fell 70 metres from Sharp Edge on Blencathra, one of the most exposed ridges in the Lakes [The Guardian, 2025a].
Around the same time, another walker slipped and fell 590 feet from Helvellyn during snow and ice conditions [The Guardian, 2025b].
These tragedies highlight the sobering truth: the environment itself is the most significant danger in the Lake District.
And it's not unique to the Lake District.
Snowdonia/Eryri: 8 fatalities in 2023, mostly from falls on Crib Goch and Tryfan [North Wales Mountain Rescue, 2023].
Cairngorms: regular winter deaths from avalanches and hypothermia, particularly among climbers and skiers [Mountaineering Scotland, 2023].
Brecon Beacons: multiple fatalities among military trainees in recent years due to heat exhaustion and exposure [BBC News, 2013; Wales Online, 2021].
Across the UK, national parks consistently show that weather and terrain—not people—are the real risks.
Why Are Fatalities Rising?
1. Unpredictable Weather and Climate Change
The Lake District is infamous for its fast-changing weather, with sunshine turning into fog, rain, or snow in minutes. Rescue teams report that warmer and wetter winters, linked to the climate crisis, are creating more hazardous conditions such as ice on exposed ridges and sudden flooding [The Guardian, 2025c].
2. Social Media Influence
Dramatic ridges like Striding Edge (Helvellyn) and Sharp Edge (Blencathra) have gone viral on Instagram and TikTok, encouraging people to try them without understanding the risks. Mountain rescue teams warn that hikers are increasingly motivated by photo opportunities rather than preparation, with tragic results [The Guardian, 2025c].
3. Over-Reliance on Technology
Many visitors rely on phone apps for navigation, but these can fail due to poor signal, flat batteries, or a lack of map detail. Traditional navigation skills—map and compass—are becoming rarer, leading to an increase in callouts for lost or stranded walkers [Mountain Rescue England & Wales, 2023]. Dartmoor and the Brecon Beacons report more lost walkers due to over-reliance on Google Maps rather than OS navigation skills [BBC News, 2022].
4. Lack of Experience
The Lake District attracts millions of first-time walkers every year. Many underestimate the terrain and attempt serious routes in trainers, without waterproofs, food, or headtorches. Mountain rescue reports show that inadequate preparation is one of the most common factors in accidents [Keswick Mountain Rescue, 2024]. Mountain rescue callouts are rising nationwide, not just in Cumbria. In 2023, Scotland's mountain rescue teams logged over 600 incidents, with a notable spike linked to poor weather and inexperienced walkers [Scottish MR Statistics, 2023].
5. More Visitors, More Risk
Tourism in the Lakes has surged to around 15.3 million visitors per year [VisitBritain, 2023]. With higher visitor numbers, the absolute number of incidents has risen—even though the proportion of serious accidents compared to visitors remains small.
The Numbers in Perspective
32 deaths in 2024 may sound shocking, but it remains a tiny fraction of the millions who safely enjoy the Lake District each year.
What’s worrying mountain rescue teams is the trend: more visitors, harsher weather conditions, and risk-taking behaviour influenced by social media are combining to make accidents more frequent and sometimes more deadly [BBC News, 2024; The Guardian, 2025c].
Safety Tips for Solo Hikers/Wild Campers
Plan properly: Carry a physical map and compass—not just a phone app.
Check the weather forecast: Especially in winter, conditions can change rapidly.
Know your limits: Routes like Striding Edge or Sharp Edge are dangerous in ice or snow.
Tell someone your plan: Always let a friend or family member know your route and expected return.
Carry essentials: Food, water, a headtorch, warm layers, and an emergency shelter can save your life. See all my Hiking and Wild Camping Gear here
So, How Safe are The UK's National Parks?
For women travelling solo, the Lake District is statistically one of the safest places you can be. Stranger violence is vanishingly rare, and murders are exceptional rather than routine. The same is true across other UK national parks: whether it's Dartmoor, Snowdonia, or the Cairngorms, police data consistently shows lower levels of violent crime than nearby urban centres.
The real risks come from the environment itself—weather, mountains, rivers, and inadequate preparation. These risks aren't unique to the Lakes: in Snowdonia, walkers are injured each year attempting Crib Goch; in the Cairngorms, winter storms and avalanches claim lives; and in the Brecon Beacons, both hikers and military trainees have tragically succumbed to exposure. But the key difference is that these are risks you can plan for and manage with the right mindset, knowledge, and gear.
By contrast, city environments pose challenges that no amount of hiking kit can control: higher rates of violence, theft, and harassment. London, Manchester, Leeds, and Birmingham all report far greater levels of violent crime per capita than the entire county of Cumbria. That doesn't mean cities aren't worth exploring—they are vibrant, cultural, and rewarding—but it does put into perspective how fears about "stranger danger" in the countryside are often misplaced.
So if you've ever hesitated about a solo trip to the Lakes—or to any of Britain's national parks—out of fear of crime, take heart: with preparation, the hills are among the safest and most empowering spaces you can step into. Equip yourself with navigation skills, respect the weather, know your limits, and you'll discover that the outdoors offers freedom and resilience in ways few other environments can.
The mountains, moors, and coastlines are calling—not just in the Lake District but across the UK—and they're waiting for you to experience them on your terms.
References
BBC News. (2005). Lady in the Lake: Husband jailed for wife's murder.
End Violence Against Women (EVAW). (2022). Women's safety in public spaces survey.
Devon & Cornwall Police. (2023). FOI data on Dartmoor and Exmoor crime.
Mountain Rescue England & Wales. (2023). Annual Review of Callouts and Incidents.
Mountaineering Scotland. (2023). Annual safety report.
North Wales Mountain Rescue. (2023). Incident statistics.
North Wales Police. (2023). FOI data on Snowdonia/Eryri.
Police Scotland. (2023). National park crime statistics.
VisitBritain. (2023). Visitor Statistics: Lake District National Park.
Yorkshire Evening Post. (2023). The sex worker brutally murdered had more than 100 injuries.
BBC News. (2024). Lake District fatalities doubled in 2024.
Cumbria Police. (2024). Annual crime statistics.
Keswick Mountain Rescue. (2024). Rescue Statistics and Reports.
Metropolitan Police. (2024). London homicide data.
Office for National Statistics (ONS). (2024). Crime in England and Wales: Year ending March 2024.
Greater Manchester Police. (2024). Homicide figures.
West Yorkshire Police. (2024). FOI 1963014-24: Homicide Statistics, March 2024.
The Guardian. (2025a). Man dies after 70m fall from mountain ridge in Lake District.
The Guardian. (2025b). Walker falls 590 feet from Helvellyn in icy conditions.
The Guardian. (2025c). Climate crisis and TikTok change the face of mountain rescue work in the Lake District.
Wikipedia. Lady in the Lake trial; Margaret Hogg; Yorkshire Ripper.
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