With autumn officially here, readers are sharing their favourite ways to enjoy the season, from the orange hills of Loch Lomond to the wild seas of Cornwall. These tips highlight the best of the UK's autumn scenery, offering ideas for walks, historic visits, and scenic train rides.
Scottish highlights: Loch Lomond and the Borders
Pete recommends Loch Lomond in autumn, starting with a walk around Balmaha village and a stretch of the West Highland Way. He notes the orange hills, cold air, and dramatic clouds, calling the weather a constant Scottish gamble between sunshine and sideways rain. He finishes, if not driving, with a wee dram.
In the Scottish Borders, Remi Lapeyre suggests Glentress Forest for a crisp autumn day, with walks or mountain-bike rides surrounded by copper, red, and gold. After exploring, he recommends warming up at the cafe and visiting nearby Peebles for a riverside wander and independent shops. The forest feels remote despite being less than an hour from Edinburgh.
English countryside escapes
Oliwia enjoys the rough beauty of Cornwall's sea views, walking the cliff edges between Godrevy and Portreath, where the isolated paths and wild waves offer breathtaking views and burnt orange sunsets.
Everly praises the National Trust's Cragside in Northumberland, where a staff member called it "the best place in England." The 1,000-acre estate features a variety of trees turning reds, oranges, and deep greens, with woodland walks, lakes, gardens, and the hydro-powered Victorian house.
In Birmingham, Rachel recommends Winterbourne House and Garden at the university, an Arts and Crafts style house with stunning gardens, especially beautiful on sunny early autumn days. She suggests seeing herons at the reservoir, browsing the bookshop, and heading to Harborne for lunch.
Graham Deans describes Rocky Brook, the local name for the River Roddlesworth in Lancashire, with wooded valleys, autumn colour, and ruins of Hollinshead Hall. There's a car park, cafe, and pub at Ryal Fold, plus the Hare & Hounds at Abbey Village, with four buses a day from Blackburn.
Katharine recommends the Longshaw estate in the Peak District, noting the fungi in Oaks Wood and Bolehill Quarry and the twisted oaks in Padley Gorge on misty mornings. A free social walk runs every Wednesday, and the cafe offers a treat to finish.
Asma suggests Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire, a National Trust property with golden leaf carpets, lakeside views, and a double tree avenue of 1,296 limes stretching three miles, one of the longest in Europe. The walled kitchen garden features a massive apple collection, and the apple juice is some of the best she's tasted.
Historic and scenic adventures
A Roman autumn at Hadrian's Wall involves walking from Steel Rigg when the moorland turns copper and gold, with every climb rewarding with Northumberland views. Pack a flask, sturdy boots, and waterproofs, as the weather changes quickly. Parking is the only cost, and shorter out-and-back sections make it manageable.
The winning tip from Chelsea is a trip on the Llangollen Railway in north Wales, travelling through the Dee valley on a steam train when leaves have turned orange and gold. Starting in Llangollen with a warm drink, the journey alongside the River Dee offers autumn scenery, followed by exploring the town's little shops. The steam train whistle through the valley makes it feel like autumn properly arriving.
