North West England is bounded to the east by the Pennines and to the west by the Irish Sea. The region extends from the Scottish Borders in the north to the West Midlands region in the south. To its southwest is North Wales. Amongst the better known of the North West's physiographical features are the Lake District and the Cheshire Plain. The region includes parts of three National parks, all of the Lake District, and small parts of the Peak District and the Yorkshire Dales, and three areas of Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.