Currently, many EV drivers worry that the Parks may not have enough public charging points. In fact, areas like the National Parks were sometimes referred to as ‘charging deserts’ - bereft of all, or most public charging options. We wanted to ease that anxiety and allay fears by adding charging stations near major routes and busy locations that had little or no support for electric vehicles. See a list of all our charging locations below.

England:

• The Lake District - Coniston Boating Centre, Ruskin Avenue, Glenridding, Hawkshead, Waterhead, Ravenglass.
• The Peak District - Millers Dale, Parsley Hay, Moorland Centre.
• Yorkshire Dales - Grassington, Malham, Hawes.
• North York Moors - Sutton Bank, Danby Lodge.
• Dartmoor - Postbridge Visitor Centre, Princetown Visitor Centre, Lydford Car Park, Meldon Reservoir.
• Northumberland - The Sill, Alwinton.
• Exmoor - Exford, Blackmoor Gate.
• South Downs - Seven Sisters.
• New Forest - Jubilee Car Park
• Norfolk Broads - Pleasureboat Inn.

Scotland:

• Cairngorms - Reindeer Visitor Centre, Nethy Bridge.

Wales:

• Brecon Beacons - Mountain Visitor Centre, Craig-y-Nos.
• Eyri (Snowdonia) - Saithgroesffordd, Llangower.

In addition to ‘The Recharge Programme’, BMW UK also worked with National Parks UK to support locally delivered initiatives, which a focus on vital nature restoration, biodiversity and wellbeing through ‘The Recharge in Nature Fund’. These initiatives, one in each National Park, helped the National Parks to progress faster and with greater impact in high priority areas. See some highlighted projects below.

2023:

• Dew Ponds Restoration in the South Downs. Dew ponds are vital to the habitat of the South Downs, but as many as 70% of the ponds were in poor condition or had disappeared. We funded the restoration and creation of ten new dew ponds, improving water quality and restoring the ecosystem. This enriched the experience for local visitors and the pond-dipping school children who regularly visit them.

• Wild Leaders in the North York Moors. Wild leaders is a volunteering scheme for children aged 11-17. In 2023/24, over 120 sessions and 1,500 volunteering hours were delivered to young people (aged 17+) from towns and cities around the North York Moors. This initiative promoted the importance of physical and mental health, while establishing a group of long-term conservationists for the National Park.

• The Community Engagement Programme in Dartmoor. Over 1,300 children from surrounding urban communities were given the opportunity to experience the beauty of Dartmoor, forging a lasting connection with nature. Research shows that if you connect a child to nature between the ages of 7 and 11, they are more likely to practice sustainable behaviours in later life***.

2024:

• Nature Rangers in Northumberland. This initiative employed two new Nature Rangers from the local area to be part of Northumberland National Park’s Ranger team. Their focus was on nature and climate action, playing a key role in conserving the beauty and wildlife of the National Park.

• Peaks of Health in the Peak District. ‘Peaks of Health’ enabled the Park’s health initiatives to reach new audiences and work with a wider network of partners. It linked up with eight community-based organisations and trained them to support guided walks and cycles in the serene natural beauty of the Peak District National Park.

• Naturelink in Pembrokeshire Coast. This initiative developed more sustainable travel and improved accessibility in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. The park purchased an electric minibus with wheelchair access, helping the Park to provide more sustainable and accessible transport for all.

2025:

• Hay Meadows in the Lake District. Between June and September 2025, teams worked closely with farmers to identify meadows appropriate for restoration, before sowing native wildflower seeds from nearby donor sites or introducing locally propagated plants. This initiative improved soil health so traditional farming practices can benefit from the species-rich environment the hay meadow creates.

• 100 Dew ponds in the Cairngorms. The Cairngorms is home to 25% of the UK’s rare species and its freshwater environments support a wealth of biodiversity. Working with a variety of partners, the ‘100 Ponds Network’ created 85 new ponds and enhanced the 15 existing ponds to create a habitat network across Strathspey and Deeside.

• Easier access in Bannau Brycheiniog. National Parks are open to everyone, but the Brecon Beacons wanted to enable inclusive access as much as possible. This was achieved by updating and publishing the “Easier Access Guide to the Park” as well as improving the bus service to the Central Beacons with more buses and subsidised travel at weekends and bank holidays.