As autumn begins, the countryside “puts on its brightest show”, said Helen Daly and Emma-Louise Pritchard in Country Living. Now is the time to experience the season “at its most colourful” as woodland paths wind through “gold, russet and crimson”. Here are some of our favourite spots for a wholesome day out in nature across the UK.
Cannock Chase, Staffordshire
The woodland of Cannock Chase is “worth visiting all through the year, but there is something particularly special” about autumn, said Daniel Graham on BBC Countryfile. The “former medieval royal hunting forest” is mainland England’s smallest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and is also home to endangered species such as the nightjar and woodcock. October is the best time to catch glimpses of the male fallow deer rutting, or see muntjac and red deer searching for the rare Chase berry, a “blueberry-cowberry hybrid”. This 6.5-mile walk, of moderate difficulty, “explores all of these habitats and their wildlife”.
Abinger Roughs and Shere Woodlands, Surrey
The 300-year-old “ancient, gnarly oak trees” on Abinger Roughs are the perfect antidote to an “existential crisis”, said Alexandra Sims and Rhian Daly on Time Out. Just a 15-minute drive away are the Shere woodlands, which are equally tranquil. As autumn turns to winter, you begin to understand why the village of Shere made a cameo in the film “The Holiday”. But for the next few months, you’ll find yourself “amid beech, cypress, yew and dogwood trees”, in the kind of woodland which “feels like it should be much further away from a capital city than it is”.
Castle Ward, County Down
The 18th-century mansion on the shores of Strangford Lough draws visitors for its “mix of palladian and gothic architecture”, said Jen and Sim Benson in The Times. But its 800-acre estate holds many moments of excitement for autumn walkers. Stroll through the “leafy deciduous woodland and historic follies, tracing the water’s edge to the ruins of an old castle”, with only short but steep hills in the three-mile loop. “Look out for vast flocks of light-bellied brent geese arriving from the Arctic in autumn and grey seal pups, born in November.”
Teign Gorge, Devon
This stroll is “perhaps the most famous walk on Dartmoor”, said Helen Daly and Emma-Louise Pritchard in Country Living. You start off in the shadow of the “imposing bulk” of Castle Drogo – the last castle to be built in England – and move on though “areas rich in history, with incredible views and abundant wildlife”. Along the way you will reach Fingle Bridge, which dates back to the 13th century and is a “popular focal point for budding photographers”, as well as Poohsticks in the river Teign. On the way back along the river, the “dense oak woodland” is filled with “vibrant shades of yellow and orange” at this time of year.
Allen Banks, Northumberland
Allen Banks is “awesome in autumn”, said Sarah Baxter in The Telegraph. It cuts through “deepest Northumberland”, following the river in a “sheer-sided gorge”, “flanked by the most extensive area of ancient woodland in the county”. Keep an eye out for “scampering red squirrels” and little “ornamental features added by the Victorians”. Autumn brings “fiery beech and oak spilling down the valley”, and, as an added bonus, 180 different species of fungi to observe.
Lace up your hiking boots for our favourite autumn walks