Summer is well and truly underway here in the South West. We’re welcoming lots of guests to their Foot Trails and are excited to see and hear how they are enjoying the trails and footpaths in our little corner of the UK. And there are still many more weeks of summer walking to come!
As much as we are enjoying sunny summer, we’re also excited about what’s round the corner afterwards: autumn.
Crisp mornings, bright days, stunning sunsets and breathtaking autumn foliage. It’s a wonderful time of year to be out exploring the countryside. But where are the best places to walk in England in autumn?
Naturally, we think the South West is best for autumn walking, and all of our walks are ideal for September and October. But we think some particular trips really shine during the ‘season of mists and mellow fruitfulness’?
Our new Wild Coast & Wild Moor trip in North Somerset/Dorset is a case in point here. Autumn is a wonderful time to hike from the rugged coast of North Somerset to the heart of Exmoor. The dramatic river valleys turn a fiery red-gold as the leaves on the trees start to turn. Spectacular sunrises and sunsets cast golden light and long shadows of the wilds of Exmoor, the distant sea shimmering in the background.
The Cotswolds is another region that we think really excels in September and October. The rolling wolds, quaint villages and charming market towns are even more picturesque in autumn. As the countryside starts to settle down for its winter sleep, the quiet paths and trails are joy to wander along, the crunch of leaves underfoot, the sounds of pheasants calling out across stubble fields, and a sense of the evenings drawing in and the days shortening. And at the end of a good day’s walking, you know there’ll be a warm welcome and crackling log fire waiting for you at a cosy country inn.
Then there’s our Wessex Ancient Kingdom holiday, taking you out over the three counties of Wiltshire, Dorset and Somerset. It’s a wonderful place in autumn: the rolling chalk downlands slowly transform into misty, atmospheric landscapes offering 360° views of the colourful autumnal countryside – not a single road or electricity pylon in sight. Wandering on through this utterly rural landscape, to shady, intimate river valleys that paint a beautiful scene of reds, browns and golds. The landscape is dotted with tiny villages, little changed since they were first recorded in the Domesday book. Norman and Saxon churches, romantic ruined castles, beautiful thatched cottages – quintessential ‘Old England’ at its best.
If you’d like to know about our top trips for autumn, take a look at our website page or send us an email. Now is the perfect time to book for autumn and we’d love to chat through your plans with you.
