{"id":40824,"date":"2024-10-08T18:12:17","date_gmt":"2024-10-08T16:12:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/e4781297-cc62-47a9-a376-783bd1edd8db"},"modified":"2024-10-08T19:26:49","modified_gmt":"2024-10-08T17:26:49","slug":"best-autumn-walks-in-the-uk-discover-stunning-trails-through-golden-forests-and-scenic-countryside","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/rss_feed\/best-autumn-walks-in-the-uk-discover-stunning-trails-through-golden-forests-and-scenic-countryside\/","title":{"rendered":"Best autumn walks in the UK: Discover stunning trails through golden forests and scenic countryside&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"rssexcerpt\">The arrival of autumn sees the British countryside transform into a spectacular display of oranges, reds, yellows and golds \u2013 experience this seasonal splendour with our pick of the best autumn walks in the UK. <\/p><p class=\"rssauthor\">By <\/p><p class=\"rssbyline\">Published: Tuesday, 08 October 2024 at 16:12 PM<\/p><hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/><?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\" standalone=\"yes\"?>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><p><strong>Autumn in Britain sees a wash of breathtaking colours spread across the countryside. Trees turn red, yellow and gold, hills and moors glow russet and red, and our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/wildlife\/trees-plants\/hedgerow-plants-flowers-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">hedgerows<\/a> bow beneath the weight of ripe berries and fruits.<\/strong><\/p><p>It&#8217;s a great season for wildlife spotting, too, with highlights including foraging <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/wildlife\/birds\/jay-guide-how-to-identify-behaviour-where-to-see-in-britain\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">jays<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/wildlife\/mammals\/red-squirrel-guide-how-to-identify-and-where-to-see-in-britain\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">squirrels<\/a>, rutting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/wildlife\/mammals\/british-deer-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">deer<\/a>, overwintering wildfowl and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/wildlife\/birds\/guide-to-wading-birds-britain\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">waders<\/a>, and the incredible <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/wildlife\/where-to-see\/salmon-guide-identification-when-where-to-see-salmon-run\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">salmon run<\/a>.<\/p><p>So why not make the most of it and get outside?<\/p><p>From bracing hikes over windswept moorlands to gentle woodland strolls that are perfect for families, our guide to Britain&#8217;s best autumn walks has something for everyone.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Make the most of autumn with our pick of the UK&#8217;s best seasonal walks\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading heading-1 template-article__title\">Best autumn walks in England<\/h2><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading heading-1 template-article__title\">Allen Banks, Northumberland<\/h3><p><em>3.5 miles\/5.6km | 2.5 hours | moderate <\/em><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"5409\" height=\"3575\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2020\/06\/Allen-Banks-woodland-in-autumn-37ca2de.jpg\" alt=\"Autumnal woodland at Allen Banks in Northumberland\" class=\"wp-image-64152\" title=\"Autumnal woodland at Allen Banks in Northumberland\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Take an autumn wander through a deep-cut river gorge, cascading with wooded slopes, bubbling rivers and busy wildlife\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>This hidden corner of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/uk-travel\/holiday-ideas\/guide-to-northumberland-national-park-places-to-stay-days-out-best-walks-and-wildlife-highlights\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Northumberland<\/a> presents a real lost-world feel. Where the River Allen has cut a precipitous gorge on its winding course to join the River Tyne, that sense is reinforced. Forests of beech and oak cascade down the steep-sided valley, the largest area of ancient woodland in Northumberland.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/best-walks-in-northumberland-national-park\">Best walks in Northumberland<\/a><\/li><\/ul><p>October is the best time to visit as autumn takes hold and the trees present a final <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/days-out\/best-places-in-britain-to-see-autumn-colours\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">flourish of colour<\/a> before their leaves fall to the woodland floor. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/allen-banks-northumberland\">Allen Banks<\/a> is also home to some spectacular <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/wildlife\/how-to-identify\/guide-to-british-fungi-where-to-find-and-how-to-identify\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">fungi<\/a>, including puffballs, sulphur tufts and fairy inkcaps, adding to the allure of an autumn wander.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/allen-banks-northumberland\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Allen Banks walk: map and route<\/a><\/li><\/ul><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading heading-1 template-article__title\">Savernake Forest, Wiltshire<\/h3><p><em>5.9 miles\/9.5km | 3-4 hours | easy-moderate<\/em><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1953\" height=\"1302\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2018\/09\/Savernake-4f77724.jpg\" alt=\"Savernake in autumn\" class=\"wp-image-28991\" title=\"Savernake Forest\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Savernake Forest contains thousands of veteran oaks, offering the opportunity to stumble upon a remarkable tree around every corner\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>Afew miles south of the historic town of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/weekend-guide-to-marlborough\">Marlborough<\/a> lies a sprawling 2,750-acre forest, once a popular hunting area where royalty chased <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/wildlife\/mammals\/british-deer-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">stags<\/a> past trees that still stand today.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/best-hikes-in-wiltshire\">Best walks in Wiltshire<\/a><\/li><\/ul><p>Savernake is now in private ownership (but open to the public and managed by the Forestry Commission) and is believed to hold the highest concentration of veteran trees in Europe. Several of these specimens have been bestowed with names that reflect their age and history, including the imposing Big Belly Oak, one of the oldest <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/wildlife\/trees-plants\/oak-tree-guide-lifespan-uk-species-identification\">oak trees<\/a> in Britain.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/walk-savernake-forest-wiltshire\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Savernake Forest walk: map and route<\/a><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"wp-block-columns highlight-box is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-layout-13 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-layout-19\"><div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Britain&#8217;s best autumn pub walks<\/h4><p>Head into the British countryside this autumn for a seasonal ramble through golden forests and woodlands, before dropping into a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/britains-best-autumn-pub-walks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">country pub<\/a> for a well-earned rest.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"6240\" height=\"4160\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2019\/09\/Brotherswater-Inn-at-the-end-of-Brothers-Water-from-Caudale-near-Hartsop-Cumbria-UK-4045344.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-64061\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Brotherswater Inn at the end of Brothers Water from Caudale near Hartsop, Cumbria\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading heading-1 template-article__title\">Rhinefield Forest, Hampshire<\/h3><p><em>3.2 miles\/5.1km | 2 hours | easy<\/em><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2091\" height=\"1394\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2019\/02\/Rhinefield-Forest-New-Forest-c63aec5.jpg\" alt=\"Rhinefield Forest in autumn\" class=\"wp-image-36323\" title=\"Rhinefield Forest, New Forest\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Take a sensory stroll past towering redwoods and monumental firs\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>A pine-scented route that sweeps through the heart of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/best-new-forest-national-park\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">New Forest National Park<\/a>, Rhinefield Ornamental Drive is home to some of the tallest trees in England.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/best-walks-in-hampshire\">Best walks in Hampshire<\/a><\/li><\/ul><p>Alongside the oak, ash and beech, non-native trees are an outstanding feature of the park. Lining the Drive are 55m-tall redwoods and mighty <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/people\/historical-figures\/david-douglas\">Douglas firs<\/a> that were planted by the Victorians in the 1850s.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/walk-rhinefield-hampshire\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rhinefield Forest walk: map and route<\/a><\/li><\/ul><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading heading-1 template-article__title\">Buttermere and Rannerdale Knotts, Cumbria<\/h3><p><em>7.5 miles\/12km | 5 hours | moderate\u2013challenging<\/em><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2121\" height=\"1414\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2018\/09\/GettyImages-128040883-40a12d8.jpg\" alt=\"Autumn trees reflecting in Buttermere\" class=\"wp-image-28958\" title=\"Buttermere, Lake District National Park\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Vikings settled in Cumbria in the 9th and 10th centuries, and it is thought that the word Buttermere derived from their descendants led by a Norse chieftain called Buthar\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>Henry David Thoreau wrote of tramping eight or 10 miles to \u201ckeep an appointment with a beech tree, a yellow birch or an old acquaintance among the pines\u201d. Here in the Lakes, visitors can do the same with a walk of about eight miles, first climbing to the crest of Rannerdale Knotts before returning via the iconic Buttermere Pines.<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/best-whttps:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/best-walks-in-the-lake-districtalks-in-the-lake-district\">Best walks in the Lake District <\/a><\/p><p class=\"body-copy-large\">This autumn walk includes some of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/best-walks-in-the-lake-district\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Lake District<\/a>\u2019s most beautiful trees and forests, where myth and legend tangle with the Scots pines and the golden needles of larches.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/walk-buttermere-rannerdale-knotts-cumbria\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Buttermere walk: map and route<\/a><\/li><\/ul><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tarr Steps, Somerset<\/h3><p><em>7.1 miles\/11.5km | 4.5 hours | moderate<\/em><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"8546\" height=\"5792\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2020\/09\/Tarr-Steps-in-autumn-7e59234.jpg\" alt=\"Autumn colours along the River Barle at Tarr Steps, Somerset\" class=\"wp-image-64136\" title=\"Tarr Steps, Somerset\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This gentle ramble meanders alongside the river before looping through Withypool and climbing for gorgeous views over Exmoor\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>Tarr Steps is one of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/uk-travel\/holiday-ideas\/exmoor-national-park-guide-where-to-go-places-to-stay-and-best-walks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Exmoor<\/a>\u2019s true hidden treasures, especially in autumn \u2013 once you\u2019ve discovered it, you\u2019ll find yourself drawn back time and time.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/best-walks-in-exmoor-national-park\">Best walks in Exmoor National Park<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/best-walks-in-somerset\">Best walks in Somerset<\/a><\/li><\/ul><p>Tucked away down a narrow lane five miles from Dulverton, the steps are an ancient clapper bridge \u2013 large flat slabs of stone placed on stone supports \u2013 across the River Barle, which dates back to around 1000 BC. Local legend says the five-tonne slabs were placed here by the Devil to win a bet with a local giant (apparently Old Nick still has sunbathing rights on its stones).<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/walk-tarr-steps-exmoor-national-park\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tarr Steps walk: map and route<\/a><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"wp-block-columns highlight-box is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-layout-14 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-layout-20\"><div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Visit a spectacular autumn arboretum<\/h4><p>Britain&#8217;s trees are at their most beautiful in the autumn months, making September, October and November a great time of year to visit arboretums such as Westonbirt, Batsford and the National Memorial Arboretum \u2013 discover these spectacular tree collections and more with our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/days-out\/best-autumn-arboretums-uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the UK&#8217;s best arboretums<\/a>.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"5915\" height=\"3943\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2020\/08\/Batsford-Arboretum-3a450ad.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-121939\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Autumn colour at Batsford arboretum, Morton-in-Marsh, Cotswolds UK\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Birchover, Derbyshire<\/h3><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"6016\" height=\"4016\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2021\/08\/Birchover-82345d1.jpg\" alt=\"Robin Hoods Stride in autumn\" class=\"wp-image-120956\" title=\"Robin Hood's Stride, Birchover, Derbyshire\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Robin Hoods Stride near the village of Elton in the Peak District\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>Surrounding the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/best-walks-in-the-peak-district\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Peak District<\/a> village of Birchover is a haunting landscape of gritstone bluffs, standing stones, burial mounds and Bronze-Age stone circles, hidden in inky woodland or exposed on windswept upland.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/best-hikes-in-derbyshire\">Best walks in Derbyshire<\/a><\/li><\/ul><p>The paths here are littered with the history and mythology of the south-east Peak, from the hermit of Cratcliffe Tor who led travellers to safety off the ancient Portway trail, to the notorious outlaw who leapt across the soaring pillars that straddled <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/people\/historical-figures\/guide-to-robin-hood-history-of-the-legend-and-best-places-to-visit\">Robin Hood<\/a>\u2019s Stride. Rowtor Rocks tells a story of prehistoric rock art and Victorian sculpture, while Stanton Moor reveals 4,000 years of human activity.<\/p><p>Discover all this and more on a 5.3-mile walk through the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/peak-district\/\">Peak District National Park<\/a>.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/walk-birchover-derbyshire\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Birchover walk: map and route<\/a><\/li><\/ul><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading heading-1 template-article__title\">Cragside, Northumberland<\/h3><p><em>2.7 miles\/3.8km | 1.5 hours | easy<\/em><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"877\" height=\"585\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2017\/10\/Tumbleton-Lake-7c0188b.jpg\" alt=\"Tumbleton Lake in autumn\" class=\"wp-image-46830\" title=\"Tumbleton Lake\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The route runs alongside Tumbleton Lake &#8211; on a still day, the reflections are magical\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>Towering trees thick with colour, lakes and brooks criss-crossed by bridges, and a fantastical country mansion \u2013 enter the watery world of Cragside, an enchanting estate dreamt up by an ambitious inventor.<\/p><p>On this walk, look out for Douglas fir, western hemlock, giant sequoia \u2013 some towering above 50m \u2013 along with beech, Norway spruce, pedunculate oak, Norway maple, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/wildlife\/trees-plants\/scots-pine-facts\">Scots pine<\/a>, larch, common lime and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/wildlife\/trees-plants\/silver-birch\">silver birch<\/a>, creating a majestic riot of autumn colour. It\u2019s a true woodland wonder<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/walk-cragside-northumberland\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cragside walk: map and route<\/a><\/li><\/ul><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Old man of Coniston, Cumbria<\/h3><p><em>6.7 miles\/10.6km | 5 hours | moderate\u2013challenging<\/em><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"7360\" height=\"4912\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2022\/08\/Old-Man-of-Coniston-5001764.jpg\" alt=\"Golden morning from the Old Man of Coniston\" class=\"wp-image-146443\" title=\"Old Man of Coniston\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Enjoy a sunrise from top of the Old Man of Coniston\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>The village of Coniston, an attractive little spot bisected by the bustling waters of a mountain stream, sits near the northern end of beautiful <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/visit-coniston-places-to-stay-things-to-do\">Coniston Water<\/a> in Cumbria.<\/p><p>It is an area that was made famous for Victorian tourists by John Ruskin, who has a grandiose memorial in the churchyard. There are still memories of those days in the rebuilt elegant 19th-century steam yacht gondola that offers regular trips on the lake.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/walk-old-man-of-coniston-cumbria\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Old man of Coniston walk<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/walk-old-man-of-coniston-cumbria\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">: map and route<\/a><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"wp-block-columns highlight-box is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-layout-15 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-layout-21\"><div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Best places in the UK to see autumn colours<\/h4><p>Autumn&#8217;s colour palette of reds, oranges, yellows and golds sweeps across the countryside from the end of September, through October, November and into early December. From spectacular woodlands to hills, arboretums and waterways, discover the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/days-out\/best-places-in-britain-to-see-autumn-colours\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">best places in the UK to see autumn colour<\/a>.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3000\" height=\"2002\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2019\/05\/Hope-Valley-Peak-District-342519d.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-45549\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hope valley on a beautiful misty morning in Autumn with rustic bracken and golden trees glowing with the first light of the day in the English Peak District National park. Castleton, Hope valley, UK\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading heading-1 template-article__title\">Teign Gorge, Devon<\/h3><p><em>4.3miles\/6.9km | 3 hours | moderate<\/em><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"5616\" height=\"3744\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2020\/09\/The-River-Teign-near-Fingle-Bridge-Dartmoor-in-autumn--210d466.jpg\" alt=\"The River Teign surrounded by autumnal foliage, near Fingle Bridge in Dartmoor National Park, Devon, England\" class=\"wp-image-64080\" title=\"The River Teign, near Fingle Bridge in Dartmoor\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The River Teign runs through Fingle Wood in northern Dartmoor\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>The River Teign tumbles off windswept moors, swirling and carving through a spectacular gorge overhung with crooked oaks and beeches. The fresh autumn air invigorates the soul, while the peace is occasionally broken by the chilling bellows of a stag ready to rut.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/best-walks-in-dartmoor\">Best walks in Dartmoor<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/best-walks-in-devon\">Best walks in Devon<\/a><\/li><\/ul><p>Deep within this valley in the northern fringes of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/visit-dartmoor-national-park-places-to-stay-things-to-do\">Dartmoor National Park<\/a>, an ancient woodland is returning.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/teign-gorge-devon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Teign Gorge walk<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/teign-gorge-devon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">: map and route<\/a><\/li><\/ul><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading heading-1 template-article__title\">Rivington Terraced Gardens, Lancashire<\/h3><p><em>2.7 miles\/4.3km | 1.5 hours | easy\u2013moderate<\/em><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"5616\" height=\"3744\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2022\/02\/RivingtonTerracedGardens-537084c.jpg\" alt=\"Rivington Terraced Gardens in mist\" class=\"wp-image-119297\" title=\"Rivington Terraced Gardens\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Autumn is a particularly rewarding time to visit the gardens, when deep carpets of fallen leaves line the paths and fungi flourish\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>Like the remains of a lost civilisation, the ruins and follies of Lord Leverhulme\u2019s terraced gardens add a real spirit of adventure and discovery to an autumn exploration of Rivington Wood.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/best-hikes-in-lancashire\">Best walks in Lancashire<\/a><\/li><\/ul><p>In the early 20th century, soap baron Lord Leverhulme created a terraced garden of Japanese lakes, pagodas, archways, Romanesque bridges and an elaborate ballroom. By 1925 it was all abandoned and today is being reclaimed by nature. It\u2019s a great place to spice up a walk with a game of \u2018hide and seek\u2019.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/walk-rivington-terraced-gardens-lancashire\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rivington Terraced Gardens walk: map and route<\/a><\/li><\/ul><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stourhead, Wiltshire<\/h3><p><em>5.5 miles\/8.8km | 3 hours | moderate <\/em><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2617\" height=\"1759\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2019\/10\/Stourhead-d204126-e1660052328311.jpg\" alt=\"Lake and bridge in autumn\" class=\"wp-image-64377\" title=\"National Trust's Stourhead\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Palladian bridge and the lakeside Pantheon at the National Trust&#8217;s Stourhead\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>The 5-mile King Alfred\u2019s Tower walk (2 hours) takes you up through beautiful woodland to King Alfred\u2019s Tower, a 160ft-high folly designed for Stourhead\u2019s owner Henry Hoare II in 1772. There are truly spectacular views from the top, with the deep autumnal hues of red, russet and yellow from surrounding forest. It is not open to visitors every day, so make sure you check out the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationaltrust.org.uk\/place-pages\/317\/pages\/opening-times-calendar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">best times to visit<\/a>.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationaltrust.org.uk\/stourhead\/trails\/stourhead-king-alfreds-tower-walk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">King Alfred\u2019s Tower walk: map and route<\/a><\/li><\/ul><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Brownsea Island, Dorset<\/h3><p><em>1 miles\/1.6km | 30 mins | easy <\/em><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2018\/09\/Brownsea-Ferns-C2A9National-Trust-Images-Chris-Lacey-28229_0-1-ceedd31.jpg\" alt=\"Ferns in forest\" class=\"wp-image-11124\" title=\"Brownsea Island\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Brownsea Ferns turn russet in autumn\/Credit: Chris Lacey, National Trust Images &#8211; National Trust Images<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>On Brownsea\u2019s easy Lake and Heath Walk (1 mile\/1.6 km, 40 mins) there are a whole range of bright hues to enjoy, from sweet chestnuts and beeches to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/wildlife\/trees-plants\/hazel\">hazel trees<\/a> and scarlet oaks from North America. Even the local wildlife adds to the vibrant atmosphere, with migrant redstarts and the local population of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/wildlife\/mammals\/red-squirrel-guide-how-to-identify-and-where-to-see-in-britain\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">red squirrels<\/a> as the stars of the show. <\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/best-walks-in-dorset\">Best walks in Dorset<\/a><\/li><\/ul><p>This easy walk will take you round the island to enjoy all the delights of the season, with sweeping coastal views thrown in for good measure. Combine your visit with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationaltrust.org.uk\/brownsea-island\/features\/poole-harbour-bird-boats-\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Poole Harbour Boat Cruise<\/a> for one of the one of the best autumn and winter bird spectacles in the UK.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationaltrust.org.uk\/brownsea-island\/trails\/lakes-and-heath-walk-brownsea-island\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Brownsea walk: map and route<\/a><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"wp-block-columns highlight-box is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-layout-16 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-layout-22\"><div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">British fungi guide<\/h4><p>The UK&#8217;s woods, riverbanks and meadows are home to roughly 15,000 species of wild mushrooms. Find out how to identify the most common species found in Britain, plus essential safety tips on which mushrooms are edible or poisonous in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/wildlife\/how-to-identify\/guide-to-british-fungi-where-to-find-and-how-to-identify\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">British fungi guide<\/a>.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1106\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2018\/09\/Porcini-in-forest-762472b.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17623\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Two king boletus mushrooms growing in green moss.\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ashridge, Hertfordshire<\/h3><p><em>5.9 miles\/9.4km | 3 hours | moderate<\/em><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"4720\" height=\"3147\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2017\/09\/Ashridge-Hertfordshire-6e2b67d.jpg\" alt=\"Ashridge, Hertfordshire\" class=\"wp-image-45628\" title=\"Ashridge, Hertfordshire\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Look out for resident muntjacs or fallow deer herds through the trees\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>The Autumn Colour Trail (5.9 miles\/9.4km, 3 hours) at Ashridge leads you through some of the most spectacular woodland and parkland at Ashridge. Every corner you turn or hill you climb will give you more breath-taking views of autumnal colour.<\/p><p>The final stretch of the trail offers a stunning palette of colours provided by the beech, oak and lime trees, and if you have the time to climb the monument, the views are dazzling. Lucky wildlife spotters may catch a glimpse of the resident <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/wildlife\/mammals\/british-deer-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">muntjacs<\/a> or fallow deer herds through the trees. In autumn the fallow deer are particularly active as the bucks are busy trying to attract during the rut.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationaltrust.org.uk\/ashridge-estate\/trails\/autumn-colour-trail-at-ashridge\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ashridge walk: map and route<\/a><\/li><\/ul><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Belton House, Lincolnshire<\/h3><p><em>3.2 miles\/5.1km | 1.5 hours | easy\u2013moderate<\/em><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"803\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2018\/09\/Belton_autumn_colour_RikaGordan_0-2eb0d68.jpg\" alt=\"Belton_autumn_colour_RikaGordan_0-2eb0d68\" class=\"wp-image-11136\" title=\"Belton_autumn_colour_RikaGordan_0-2eb0d68\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The magical, misty mornings and crisp, clear days of autumn are an ideal time to enjoy Belton Park&#8217;s colours\/Credit: Rika Gordan<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>Autumn reds, yellows and golden browns can be found all over Belton, from the adventure playground and parkland to the tranquil views overlooking the boating lakes. The magical misty mornings and crisp, clear days of autumn are an ideal time to enjoy the wonderful succession of changing colours. As you explore the estate on Belton Park Walk (3.2 miles\/5.1km, 1.5 hours) you can rustle your way through fallen leaves and enjoy the gorgeous golds and yellows of the lime trees along the cobbled drive. Closer to the house, rich ruby and russet creepers clad the honey-coloured walls of the West Courtyard, where the sharp but sweet aroma of ripening quinces lingers on the air.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationaltrust.org.uk\/belton-house\/trails\/belton-park-walk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Belton Park walk: map and route<\/a><\/li><\/ul><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Best autumn walks in Scotland<\/h2><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading heading-1 template-article__title\">Glen Affric, Highland<\/h3><p><em>11 miles\/16.6km | 6-7 hours | moderate\u2013challenging<\/em><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"5385\" height=\"3590\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2019\/11\/GettyImages-528894527-767ec8a.jpg\" alt=\"Mountains, forest and loch in autumn\" class=\"wp-image-49525\" title=\"Glen Affric, Highlands, Scotland\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Enjoy an 11-mile hike around the shores of Glen Affric, the Highland&#8217;s most beautiful glen\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>Often hailed as the Highlands\u2019 most beautiful glen, Glen Affric not only boasts shimmering lochs and rugged mountains, but it is also one of the largest remnants of the pine forest that used to cover much of Scotland. For centuries the flanks of the glen were blanketed with birch, rowan and magnificent Caledonian pines.<\/p><p>Much of the forest was felled during the Industrial Revolution, but in recent decades Glen Affric has been at the centre of a determined attempt to conserve and extend the remaining woodland.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/walk-glen-affric-highland\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Glen Affric walk: map and route<\/a><\/li><\/ul><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading heading-1 template-article__title\">Steall Falls and Glen Nevis, Highland<\/h3><p><em>2 miles\/3.2km | 1.5 hours | moderate<\/em><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"5472\" height=\"3648\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2019\/01\/IS7A6895-3346459.jpg\" alt=\"Steall Falls, Nevis Gorge, Scotland\" class=\"wp-image-39792\" title=\"Steall Falls, Nevis Gorge, Scotland \u00a9Jake Graham\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An Steall \u2013 also known as Steal Falls or The White Spout \u2013 dominates the valley\/Credit: Jake Graham<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>Tapering south from the Highland town of Fort William, gorgeous Glen Nevis is bounded by several high, rugged mountains, including the huge bulk of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/days-out\/walk-ben-nevis-highland\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ben Nevis<\/a>, which, at 1,344m (4,409ft) above sea level, is the highest point in the British Isles. Other iconic peaks include Sgurr a\u2019 Mhaim and Stob Ban and the glen is a playground for mountaineers, mountain bikers and white-water rafters.<\/p><p>However, it is a low-level, two-mile walk through the dramatic Nevis Gorge that really packs a punch and provides an unforgettable aural and visual experience, especially in autumn.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/walk-steall-falls-and-the-nevis-gorge-highland\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Steall Falls walk: map and route<\/a><\/li><\/ul><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Glenfinnan, Highland<\/h3><p><em>10.6 miles\/17.1km | 7 hours | challenging<\/em><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"7360\" height=\"4912\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2022\/07\/GettyImages971804550-2a7d9bd.jpg\" alt=\"Famous Glenfinnan Railway Viaduct in Scotland\" class=\"wp-image-120005\" title=\"Famous Glenfinnan Railway Viaduct in Scotland\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Glenfinnan Viaduct is elevated 30m above the valley floor\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>Seek refuge from the cold inside one of Scotland\u2019s most majestic churches, then venture into the Highlands past the wizards\u2019 railway to a lonely mountain pass.<\/p><p>In autumn and winter, as day breaks from a cloudless night, the glen is particularly magical. Frost envelops everything: the pine trees, the mountain ridges, the church\u2019s pitched roof. It dusts frozen puddles, crunches beneath feet and petrifies plants.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/walk-glenfinnan-highland\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Glenfinnan walk: map and route<\/a><\/li><\/ul><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading heading-1 template-article__title\">Birks of Aberfeldy, Perthshire<\/h3><p><em>2.7 miles\/4.3km | 1.5-2 hours | moderate<\/em><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2362\" height=\"1575\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2019\/10\/E98XXA-93f500f.jpg\" alt=\"Aberfeldy Birks, Perthshire, Scotland\" class=\"wp-image-47399\" title=\"Aberfeldy Birks, Perthshire, Scotland\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u2018Birks\u2019 is the old Scots word for birch trees\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>When Robert Burns came to visit Aberfeldy in 1787, he was so impressed by the spectacular waterfalls and birch woods outside that he wrote a poem celebrating the area\u2019s natural beauty. \u2018Birks\u2019 is the old Scots word for birch trees, and there are plenty of them around \u2013 glowing gold in autumn \u2013as you follow the path along Moness Burn.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/walk-birks-of-aberfeldy-perthshire\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Birks of Aberfeldy walk: map and route<\/a><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"wp-block-columns highlight-box is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-layout-17 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-layout-23\"><div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Scotland&#8217;s best walks<\/h4><p>Explore the Highlands, Scottish Isles, Borders and more with our guide on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/scotlands-best-walks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">best walks in Scotland<\/a>. Whether you&#8217;re looking for long-distance Highland hikes, coastal treks or short river walks and loch-side strolls we have walking routes for all abilities.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"5760\" height=\"3840\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2023\/03\/Stac-Pollaidh-132ac91.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-141807\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Autumn time below Stac Pollaidh in Assynt, North West Highlands, Scotland, UK\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading heading-1 template-article__title\">Big Tree Country, Perthshire<\/h3><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"6708\" height=\"4472\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2021\/08\/River-Garry-in-autumn-48f6efe.jpg\" alt=\"River Garry in autumn\" class=\"wp-image-120964\" title=\"River Garry, Pitlochry\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The River Garry winding through stunning autumn woodland\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>This signed walk leads through the National Trust for Scotland Linn of Tummel, originally part of Bonskeid Estate. The large Douglas firs and Sitka spruce date from around 1900, part of a great pine planting tradition in Perthshire, sparked by the Scottish Plant Hunters.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/pitlochry-perth\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Big Tree Country walk: map and route<\/a><\/li><\/ul><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Best autumn walks in Wales<\/h2><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading heading-1 template-article__title\">Waterfall Country, Powys<\/h3><p><em>2.5 miles\/4km (5 miles\/8km return) | 2 hours (4 hours return) | moderate<\/em><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"4272\" height=\"2848\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2019\/01\/IMG_16000-d90658b.jpg\" alt=\"Waterfall Country in autumn\" class=\"wp-image-34663\" title=\"Waterfall Country, Vale of Neath, Wales\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Spilling water, mossy riverbeds and tree-shrouded caverns \u2013 Waterfall Country is an autumn walker&#8217;s dream\/Credit: Jake Graham<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>\u201cI cannot call to mind a single valley that\u2026 comprises so much beautiful and picturesque scenery and so many interesting and special features.\u201d With these words, Victorian naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace was describing neither the Amazon nor the Far East that he explored on his intrepid travels, but somewhere much closer to home: the Vale of Neath and Waterfall Country on the southern slopes of the Brecon Beacons.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/walk-waterfall-country-powys\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Waterfall Country walk: map and route<\/a><\/li><\/ul><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading heading-1 template-article__title\">T\u0177 Hyll, Betws-y-Coed, Conwy<\/h3><p><em>4.4 miles\/7.1km | 2.5 hours | moderate<\/em><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"5363\" height=\"3553\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2019\/05\/GettyImages-83518724-51cc125.jpg\" alt=\"Llyn Bodgynydd in autumn\" class=\"wp-image-39038\" title=\"Llyn Bodgynydd, Gwynedd, Wales\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Discover stunning Llyn Bodgynydd\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>T\u0177 Hyll, or \u2018the Ugly House\u2019, is named for its colossal, crudely cut yet lovely stones. It\u2019s a place of uncertain origin \u2013 a brigand\u2019s hide-out, duke\u2019s folly, or maybe a t\u0177 unnos (a home built in a day to secure ownership of land). What is certain is that it\u2019s now a cosy tearoom selling fresh-baked delights and very, very good tea.<\/p><p>It&#8217;s also the starting point of a peaceful woodland walk, which offers seasonal delights whether you visit in spring, summer, autumn or winter.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/ty-hyll-betws-y-coed-conwy-wales\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">T\u0177 Hyll walk: map and route<\/a><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"wp-block-columns highlight-box is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-layout-18 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-layout-24\"><div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Best walks in Wales<\/h4><p>Discover 30 of the best walks in Pembrokeshire, the Brecon Beacons, Snowdonia and more stunning landscapes with our round-up of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/best-hikes-in-wales\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Wales&#8217; most spectacular walks<\/a>.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3872\" height=\"2581\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2020\/04\/Cwm-Idwal-Wales-0a1c74c.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-125162\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Summer landscape of Llyn Idwal lake and Glyderau mountains, Snowdonia, North Wales\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading heading-1 template-article__title\">Coed y Brenin, Gwynedd<\/h3><p><em>3.5 miles\/5.6km | 2 hours |easy-moderate<\/em><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1960\" height=\"1306\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2018\/09\/Coed-y-Brenin-waterfalls--7faa79b.jpg\" alt=\"Coed y Brenin waterfalls in autumn\" class=\"wp-image-30830\" title=\"Coed y Brenin waterfalls\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A series of cascades run through the heart of Coed y Brenin\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>In Snowdonia\u2019s rain-soaked forests, everything is clean and wet. Mist rises, trees transpire, moisture kisses your skin and wets your lips. Oxygen-rich air lifts your spirits and the sound of water fills your ears as it trickles down tracks, bubbles through moss, and crashes in creeks.<\/p><p>Coed y Brenin Forest Park is managed for timber and recreation, with well-marked mountain-bike, walking and running trails.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/walk-coed-y-brenin-snowdonia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Coed y Brenin walk: map and route<\/a><\/li><\/ul><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading heading-1 template-article__title\">Plas Power Woods, Wrexham<\/h3><p><em>1.5 miles\/2.4km | 1 hour | easy<\/em><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"6016\" height=\"4016\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2021\/01\/Plas-Power-woods-0503aa3.jpg\" alt=\"Waterfall at Las Power near Wrexham\" class=\"wp-image-120908\" title=\"Plas Power, Wrexham\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Clywedog Trail follows the river to Wrexham via Minera Lead Mines\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><p class=\"body-copy-large\">The Vale of Clywedog wriggles defiantly through a part of the map that red lines and grey blocks dominate. And through it, the delightfully sylvan 9km Clywedog Trail follows the river to Wrexham via Minera Lead Mines, the corn mills at Kings Mill and Nant Mill, Bersham Ironworks, the Turkey Paper Mill and the William Emes-designed open parkland of Erddig Estate, where the trees are a true delight come autumn.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/plas-power-woods-wrexham\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Plas Power walk: map and route<\/a><\/li><\/ul><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Carn Pica, Powys<\/h3><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"880\" height=\"587\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2018\/08\/Brecon-Beacons-pony-1c2f13f.jpg\" alt=\"Look out for wild ponies on the ridge up to Carn Pica\" class=\"wp-image-28462\" title=\"Brecon Beacons pony\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Look out for wild ponies on the ridge up to Carn Pica\/Credit: Daniel Graham<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>The Brecon Beacons National Park comprises many great peaks, each as worthy as the next \u2013 one of the most understated of all these is Carn Pica.<\/p><p>There\u2019s no easy way to get to the summit of this mountain, which rises more than 750m above sea level. You can approach it from the long, sprawling mass of Bryn and the boggy uplands of Waun Rydd, or from the west and the Central Peaks of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/walk-pen-y-fan-powys\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pen y Fan<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/day-out-cribyn-powys\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cribyn<\/a>. One of the quietest ways to reach the summit, however, is from the east and Talybont Reservoir. It\u2019s a steep route to the top, but on an early autumn day the slopes are blanketed in pink heather, and views of the surrounding woodland add a tint of gold to the scene.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/walk-carn-pica-powys\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Carn Pica walk<\/a><\/li><\/ul><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Best walks in Northern Ireland<\/h2><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading heading-1 template-article__title\">Tollymore Forest Park, County Down<\/h3><p><em>Variable distances, from half-mile to six-mile trails<\/em><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1168\" height=\"777\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2021\/01\/Tollymore-Forest-967823b-e1660046511969.png\" alt=\"River in forest\" class=\"wp-image-67301\" title=\"Tollymore Forest\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Look for giant redwoods and Monterey pines in Tollymore Forest Park\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><p class=\"p1\">The River Shimna rises on the rutted slopes of the Mourne Mountains, gurgling over granite and heather before dropping into the shadowy depths of Tollymore Forest.<\/p><p class=\"p3\">In autumn, burnt-orange beech leaves cling to ashen spurs, their increasing minimalism countered by majestic evergreens and low-lying reefs of mosses, liverworts and feathery ferns. The forest\u2019s saturation and decay are palpable.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/tollymore-forest-park-county-down-northern-ireland\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tollymore Forest walk<\/a><\/li><\/ul><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading heading-1 template-article__title\">Glenariff Nature Reserve, County Antrim<\/h3><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-landscape_thumbnail\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"6000\" height=\"4000\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2020\/04\/Glenariff-Forest-Park-c8b0540.jpg\" alt=\"waterfall, boardwalk and river and trees\" class=\"wp-image-104071\" title=\"Wooden boardwalk on the hill with a view on tall waterfall and river in Glenariff Forest Park\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In autumn and winter the rivers swell, accentuating their beauty\/Credit: Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>The Rivers Glenariff and Inver have cut right through this spectacular steep-sided gorge \u2013 the Queen of the Glens.<\/p><p>These rivers can be lively and dramatic as they tumble over boulders and a series of three impressive waterfalls. But then they become suddenly calm and tranquil, flowing lazily through oak and beech woodland, sunlight streaming through the fresh new leaves.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/go-outdoors\/walks\/walk-glenariff-nature-reserve-county-antrim\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Glenariff Nature Reserve walk<\/a><\/li><\/ul> <\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The arrival of autumn sees the British countryside transform into a spectacular display of oranges, reds, yellows and golds \u2013 experience this seasonal splendour with our pick of the best autumn walks in the UK. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":40825,"template":"","categories":[1,115],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"18"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2024\/10\/best-autumn-walks-in-the-uk-discover-stunning-trails-through-golden-forests-and-scenic-countryside-scaled.jpg",2560,1709,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2024\/10\/best-autumn-walks-in-the-uk-discover-stunning-trails-through-golden-forests-and-scenic-countryside-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2024\/10\/best-autumn-walks-in-the-uk-discover-stunning-trails-through-golden-forests-and-scenic-countryside-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2024\/10\/best-autumn-walks-in-the-uk-discover-stunning-trails-through-golden-forests-and-scenic-countryside-768x513.jpg",768,513,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2024\/10\/best-autumn-walks-in-the-uk-discover-stunning-trails-through-golden-forests-and-scenic-countryside-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2024\/10\/best-autumn-walks-in-the-uk-discover-stunning-trails-through-golden-forests-and-scenic-countryside-1536x1025.jpg",1536,1025,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2024\/10\/best-autumn-walks-in-the-uk-discover-stunning-trails-through-golden-forests-and-scenic-countryside-2048x1367.jpg",2048,1367,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"The arrival of autumn sees the British countryside transform into a spectacular display of oranges, reds, yellows and golds \u2013 experience this seasonal splendour with our pick of the best autumn walks in the UK.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/40824"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/40825"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40824"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40824"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}