This is a question we often get asked. Our answer? Autumn is a fantastic season for hiking in South West England. It doesn’t arrive dramatically but is a wonderfully slow transition. September to November, each month is distinct from the other and has something special to offer walkers and hikers.
September hiking
September brings misty mornings, long warm days, and cool evenings to South West England. In many ways, it feels like an extension of summer. Yet the countryside is unmistakably shifting toward autumn as a lower sun bathes the landscape in golden hues and longer shadows.
Hedgerows come alive with vibrant blackberries, elderberries, and hawthorn berries, offering perfect opportunities for foraging during walks. Overhead, swallows and house martins gather on telephone wires, preparing for their epic migration south.
Meanwhile, villages and towns across the country celebrate traditional harvest festivals, timed to coincide with the harvest moon—the biggest and brightest full moon of the year.
October hiking
October brings true autumn to South West England. The weather becomes more unpredictable so having the right kit is important. However, temperatures remain ideal for hiking throughout, making October one of our favourite months for hiking. There’s a quietness and beauty to the countryside that is simply wonderful. The days shorten and there’s the scent of woodsmoke from newly lit fires on the air.
From mid-October onwards, leaves transform into vibrant golds, bronzes, and reds and conkers lie half hidden in leaves on woodland floors. The skies are filled with the cries of pheasant and the calls of geese migrating south for the winter.
After a refreshing day’s hike, nothing beats arriving at a cosy country inn, greeted by a glowing hearth fire and hearty seasonal food.
November hiking
Shorter days, cooler temperatures, and spectacular sunrises and sunsets – this is what November means to us. Trees shed their final leaves, revealing their sculptural shapes silhouetted dramatically against November skies. The countryside takes on a muted palette of browns and golds, punctuated by vibrant evergreens, mosses, and fungi.
Walking days are shorter, but if you’re out and about at dawn or dusk you may, if you’re lucky, see some of our more elusive wildlife such as owls, hares and hedgehogs.
From mid-November on, we start to see the first morning frosts and fell the familiar crunch of frozen ground under our boots. There is nothing quite like an exhilarating hike followed by the warm welcome of a cosy country inn and a roaring log fire.
If you’d like to explore the beauty of South West England in autumn, simply send us an email. We can advise you on the best regions and months to explore at this wonderful time of year.
