THE RECHARGE PROGRAMME

The aim of ‘The Recharge Programme’ is to enhance the EV charging network across all 15 National Parks.

Chargers have now been successfully introduced in three National Parks: the Lake District, the Peak District and Dartmoor. They will be welcomed by visitors, local communities and Park Rangers, alike.

THE LAKE DISTRICT NATIONAL PARK.

The spectacular Lake District, England’s largest and most visited National Park, is the first of the parks to benefit from The Recharge in Nature Project and we are excited to be installing the very latest Pod Point electric-vehicle charging points in three key locations. 

WINDERMERE AND AMBLESIDE.

Beautiful Windermere, England’s largest lake and its nearby bustling town of Ambleside, make this one of the most visited areas in the Lake District, but public charging is limited. Installing EV charging stations at Waterhead car park will put this fantastic base for adventures on both land and lake, firmly on the EV map.

HAWKSHEAD.

A charming village with a history that dates back to Norse times, Hawkshead welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. And at long last, by introducing its first public charging stations, we will finally be supporting travel by electric vehicle.

CONISTON.

Home to the Old Man Of Coniston, a fell that rises dramatically above the village to over 2,600 feet, this is one of the busiest and best-known walking and hiking bases in the Lake District. The Recharge In Nature Project will double the EV charging capacity and help provide infinitely better facilities for EV drivers in this ever-popular tourist spot.

THE PEAK DISTRICT
NATIONAL PARK.

The Peak District, the UK’s original National Park, covers more than 550 square miles and is visited by millions of people, every year. The installation of new charging facilities, in three very popular locations, means that EV drivers can now travel with more confidence to experience the joy of the great outdoors, in the heart of the country.

MILLER'S DALE.

Two new charging points have been installed in Miller’s Dale car park. Sitting alongside the Monsal Trail and on an exceptionally picturesque section of the River Wye, this once bustling former railway station is now a vibrant hub for trail visitors. Cyclists, walkers and nature lovers can all make the most of this spectacular location, which is also highly accessible with its surfaced, level and traffic-free routes.

NORTH YORK MOORS
NATIONAL PARK.

The North York Moors is a special place of great beauty and tranquillity, where far-reaching heather moorlands give way to tree-topped skylines, deep wooded dales, babbling becks and a rugged coastline. Electric-vehicle charging points have initially been installed at Sutton Bank, a very popular location, with more to follow.

SUTTON BANK.

Vet and author James Herriot declared the tremendous view from the dramatic Sutton Bank escarpment over the Vale of Mowbray and the Vale of York, the "finest in England". At the busy visitor centre we’ve installed three new chargers. So why not stop, visit the shop and blow away the cobwebs with a walk or cycle ride?

YORKSHIRE DALES NATIONAL PARK.

Spectacular waterfalls and ancient woodlands contrast with the scattered remains of rural industries. Together, nature and people created a special landscape of immense beauty and character – one of the most picturesque places in the country. New charging points have been installed at three of its busiest and most popular locations.

Hawes - Dales Countryside Museum.

At 850ft above sea level, this magical little market town is one of England’s highest. Its fascinating museum, managed by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, is now home to two new charging points. The museum tells the story of the people and landscape of the Yorkshire Dales past and present. Hawes is also ideally located in the heart of the Dales walking country. Visitors can also take the nearby Snaizeholme Red Squirrel Trail at Widdale or visit the Wensleydale Creamery, home to the world-famous Wensleydale cheese.

Malham - National Park Visitor Centre.

The Visitor Centre is a great starting point for anyone wanting to make the most of this stunning area. There is much to explore, including some of the most dramatic sights in the Yorkshire Dales - like the awe-inspiring cliff of Malham Cove and the delightful waterfall at Janet’s Foss. Two new charging points have been installed in the Visitor Centre car park. Interesting fact: the car park is a designated Dark Sky Discovery site, so why not visit after dark to experience the dark skies overhead?

DARTMOOR NATIONAL PARK.

Wild, open moorlands and deep river valleys, with a rich history and rare wildlife, life-affirming Dartmoor is now more accessible by EV thanks to the instillation of charging points in five high-footfall locations.

Postbridge Visitor Centre.

Postbridge lies in the centre of Dartmoor and is an ideal place to explore Dartmoor’s Bronze Age archaeology. Just a short walk from the National Park Visitor Centre, the home of two new charging points, is one of the best examples of a clapper bridge - believed to date back to medieval times. Postbridge is also a great centre for accessible walking and cycling routes in Bellever Forest.

AN IMMERSIVE JOURNEY THROUGH THE LAKE DISTRICT NATIONAL PARK.

To celebrate our first chargers being installed, award-winning travel filmmaker and photographer, Finn Beales has made a fully immersive film recorded in binaural sound, to help you experience the slow sounds of nature to its fullest. Enjoy the beauty of our most treasured landscapes as we join Finn on his slow, relaxing journey.

DISCOVER BMW ELECTRIC.

Find out more about driving electric with BMW.

* Taken from Amalgamated NPA Visitor Data, 2018 - supplied by the National Parks.

** BMW commissioned Jigsaw Research, an independent insight agency, to undertake a survey using research data from a nationally representative sample of 1014 car drivers in Great Britain. There was also an additional boost sample of 110 battery electric vehicle drivers, in order that this subgroup could be looked at separately with a greater degree of confidence. The research data was gathered via an online questionnaire, that ran during October 2022. Research was conducted for BMW by Jigsaw Research, an independent international strategic-insight agency with an exclusively senior team. Data integrity, validation and analysis were performed by Jigsaw Research. Data and outliers were validated in accordance with standard research industry rules, disciplines and best-practice approaches.

*** Based on research by the University of Derby's Nature Connectedness Research Group and experiences at National Trust sites, research conducted by Miles Richardson for the University of Derby shows that if you can connect a child aged up to 11 with the natural environment, they are more likely to exhibit sustainable behaviours later in life.