Five of the best autumn walks

Crunchy leaves, cosy boots and a flask of hot tea to look forward to at the end - an autumnal walk is one of the season’s biggest joys. The National Trust has over 500 places to visit across the UK and Ireland and there are plenty of fantastic walks to be had for the upcoming cooler months.

1. Wildlife walks
There are plenty of parks in which to catch sight of some magnificent deer and stags but Attingham Park in Shropshire is a great location with a two-mile walk with views of the river and the golden trees to mark the start of your stroll.

If seal-spotting is your sport, the Atlantic grey seals have their pupping season which starts in September and runs through until November. Port Quin’s walking trail in Cornwall runs along the coast where you can spot grey seals amongst the rest of the breath-taking views. Seals pop up from the sea for air around every 15 minutes so keep your eyes peeled in order to spot them.

2. Colourful walks
Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire has an impressive and colourful tree display surrounding the crumbling ruins. The walking trail will take you around the estate where you can marvel at the sight of the Abbey!

For an Irish walk packed with colour we would recommend Minnowburn in County Down, close to the outskirts of Belfast. A flowing river runs through farmland and woodland filled with beech, ash, oak and hazel trees which all turn gorgeous autumnal colours throughout the season.

3. Woodland walks
If woodland sights and smells are high up on your list of autumnal walk must haves then the walking trail at Nymans, West Sussex is a must do. A circular walk with evergreens and an over 50m tall giant redwood plus lots of different types of funghi to spot.

Cambridgeshire houses another fantastic woodland walk with the Wimpole folly and woodland walk at the Wimpole Estate. This location has eight species of woodland bat, a Chinese bridge and was designed by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown.

4. Cosy cafe walks
We mentioned a cup of tea previously and this has to be one of the most important things about a chilly walk. Not to mention a scone…

Visit Dunwich Heath in Suffolk for delicious scones and a coastal stroll with views of the sea. This location even has a ‘scone club’ loyalty programme where scone-lovers can collect points and earn a free scone!

If you’re visiting the Isle of Wight, a trip to the Old Battery Tea-room must be on the cards - once a signal station in World War II, it sits amongst the Cold War rocket test site, a 19th century fort and a Victorian monument to a poet laureate.

5. Ancient tree walks
Calke Abbey houses a pair of thousand-year-old oak trees which are simply a must see while strolling around the grounds as they are some of the oldest trees in Europe. Plus, you can spot toads, birds and insects amongst their habitats.

A Welsh location for incredibly old trees is Dinefwr in Carmarthenshire where there are nearly 300 ancient trees - a lot of them hollow. The moderate walk should take around one and a half hours and covers almost 2.5 kilometres.

We hope you enjoy some of these fabulous walks and if you’re planning for seasons to come, read all about our 10 favourite in-bloom National Trust gardens that are great to explore during the summer months and pop them on your list for next year.

Last updated on: April 25, 2022

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