England does autumn rather well. Once September rolls around, the countryside bursts into a patchwork of burnished gold, russet, and fiery crimson, and even the most ordinary lane suddenly looks like a Turner painting. The beauty of it all is that you don’t have to go far to find a fine show – stately gardens, woodland rambles, and even city parks put on a spectacular turn. Here are twenty of the best places in England to catch autumn’s grand performance.
1. Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire
If autumn had a cathedral, this would be it. With 15,000 trees gathered from all corners of the globe, Westonbirt glows in every shade from tangerine to oxblood. The Japanese maples, in particular, are so dazzling they make you think nature has gone slightly overboard with the paintbox.
Practical info
- Getting there: Near Tetbury, off the A433; 30 minutes from Bath. Parking available on site. Sat Nav Postcode: GL8 8QS Directions
- Facilities: Visitor centre, café, shop, accessible trails, seasonal events.
- Nearby highlights: Cotswold villages, Highgrove Gardens, Tetbury antiques shops.
2. Stourhead, Wiltshire
This landscape garden has the sort of views that make you wonder if you’ve stepped into an oil painting. Temples, a shimmering lake, and trees that seem choreographed to turn at just the right moment. A walk here in October feels positively theatrical.
Practical info
- Getting there: Off the A303 near Mere. Parking available for National Trust visitors. Sat Nav Postcode BA12 6QD Directions
- Facilities: Café, shop, toilets, waymarked walks.
- Nearby highlights: Alfred’s Tower, Shaftesbury Gold Hill, Longleat.
3. Richmond Park, London
Londoners don’t need to escape to the shires for autumn colour. Richmond Park’s ancient oaks and chestnuts turn golden, while the resident deer lounge about as if they’ve been hired as extras.
Practical info
- Getting there: Accessible by car (A205/A3) or public transport (Richmond, Kingston, or Roehampton gates). Map and Travel
- Facilities: Cafés, car parks, cycle routes, walking trails.
- Nearby highlights: Kew Gardens, Ham House, Thames riverside walks.
4. Grizedale Forest, Cumbria
Set in the heart of the Lake District, this forest manages the trick of mixing bracing fell views with a gallery of sculptures hidden among the trees. Autumn here feels like nature and art in conversation.
Practical info
- Getting there: Between Hawkshead and Coniston, off the A591. Car park at Visitor Centre. Sat Nav Postcode: LA22 0QJ Directions
- Facilities: Visitor centre, café, cycle hire, marked trails, Go Ape.
- Nearby highlights: Coniston Water, Hawkshead village, Beatrix Potter Gallery.
5. Sheffield Park and Garden, East Sussex
A riot of Japanese maples, exotic conifers, and reflective lakes. Stand on one of the bridges and you’ll see twice the colour – once in the trees and once shimmering back at you from the water.
Practical info
- Getting there: Off the A275, near Uckfield. Parking available.
- Facilities: Café, shop, toilets, family trails.
- Nearby highlights: Bluebell Railway, Ashdown Forest, Lewes.
6. Wye Valley, Herefordshire/Gloucestershire
This borderland stretch of the River Wye is all dramatic cliffs and rolling woodland. In autumn the whole valley looks dipped in honey and copper, especially when mist snakes along the river.
Practical info
- Getting there: Accessible via the A40 between Monmouth and Ross-on-Wye.
- Facilities: Visitor centres at Symonds Yat and Tintern, walking trails, pubs.
- Nearby highlights: Tintern Abbey, Ross-on-Wye, canoeing on the Wye.
7. Winkworth Arboretum, Surrey
Not as famous as Westonbirt, but every bit as dazzling. Paths wind through maples, liquidambars, and chestnuts, and the views from the boathouse on the lake are pure chocolate-box autumn.
Practical info
- Getting there: Off the A3100 near Godalming. Parking available.
- Facilities: Café, toilets, children’s play area, shop.
- Nearby highlights: Godalming town, Guildford Cathedral, Loseley Park.
8. Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, Yorkshire
The ruined abbey arches framed by copper beeches are magnificent enough, but add the landscaped water gardens and the deer park and you’ve got an autumn show that is hard to beat.
Practical info
- Getting there: Near Ripon, off the B6265. Parking on site.
- Facilities: Visitor centre, café, shop, walking routes.
- Nearby highlights: Ripon Cathedral, Brimham Rocks, Nidderdale AONB.
9. Ashridge Estate, Hertfordshire
Just outside London, the Chilterns put on an autumn display that makes commuters miss their trains home. The beech woods are especially good, with paths that crunch underfoot like nature’s own soundtrack.
Practical info
- Getting there: Near Berkhamsted, off the A4146. Main car park at Monument Drive.
- Facilities: Visitor centre, café, cycle and walking trails.
- Nearby highlights: Ivinghoe Beacon, Berkhamsted Castle, Grand Union Canal.
10. Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire
A mix of oak, beech, and conifer, with the occasional wild boar thrown in for atmosphere. In autumn, shafts of low sunlight turn the forest into something that looks positively enchanted.
Practical info
- Getting there: Between Gloucester and Monmouth, off the A40.
- Facilities: Visitor centres, cycle hire, sculpture trail, cafés.
- Nearby highlights: Puzzlewood, Clearwell Caves, Symonds Yat.
11. Castle Howard, Yorkshire
The stately home may have starred in Brideshead Revisited, but in autumn the surrounding parkland steals the show. Lakeside walks framed by flaming maples and oaks make the grand façade almost seem modest.
Practical info
- Getting there: 15 miles north of York, off the A64. Parking available. Directions
- Facilities: Café, shop, gardens, adventure playground.
- Nearby highlights: York, North York Moors, Howardian Hills AONB.
12. Kew Gardens, London
Kew is impressive in every season, but autumn feels like its most relaxed mood. The arboretum glows, the ginkgo turns brilliant yellow, and the Great Pagoda peeks through a haze of fiery trees.
Practical info
- Getting there: By Tube (Kew Gardens station), rail, or A316. Directions
- Facilities: Multiple cafés, shops, glasshouses, accessible trails.
- Nearby highlights: Richmond riverside, Syon Park, Ham House.
13. Derwent Valley, Peak District
Known for its reservoirs and stone villages, the Derwent Valley also stages one of England’s most impressive autumn spectacles. When the larches turn orange, the reflections in the water could make a grown rambler misty-eyed.
Practical info
- Getting there: Access via A57 (Snake Pass) or A6013. Directions
- Facilities: Parking, cycle hire, picnic areas, walking trails.
- Nearby highlights: Ladybower Reservoir, Stanage Edge, Bakewell.
14. Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire
Once the haunt of Robin Hood, today it is better known for ancient oaks that look like they’ve been through several centuries of gossip. In autumn, the forest is awash with mellow colour and even the squirrels seem more theatrical.
Practical info
- Getting there: Off the A614 near Edwinstowe. Parking at visitor centre Sat Nav Postcode NG21 9RN
- Facilities: Visitor centre, café, shop, marked trails.
- Nearby highlights: Rufford Abbey, Clumber Park, Nottingham Castle.
15. Dunham Massey, Cheshire
Part stately home, part deer park, part botanical spectacle. The lime avenues and hornbeam walkways flare up in gold, while the resident fallow deer graze as if posing for postcards.
Practical info
- Getting there: Off the A56 near Altrincham. Parking available.
- Facilities: Café, shop, toilets, adventure playground, deer park.
- Nearby highlights: Tatton Park, Manchester, Bridgewater Canal.
16. Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire
This grand Elizabethan hall rises above rolling parkland, which in autumn comes alive with every imaginable shade of yellow and orange. A fine place for both history buffs and leaf-peepers.
Practical info
- Getting there: Off the M1 near Chesterfield (J29). Parking on site.
- Facilities: Café, shop, gardens, walking trails.
- Nearby highlights: Bolsover Castle, Chatsworth House, Peak District walks.
17. Wimpole Estate, Cambridgeshire
The formal gardens are handsome, but it’s the sweeping parkland designed by Capability Brown that really shines in autumn. Wander a little and you’ll stumble across follies peeking through golden woodland.
Practical info
- Getting there: Off the A603, 8 miles from Cambridge. Parking available.
- Facilities: Café, shop, farm, gardens, parkland walks.
- Nearby highlights: Cambridge colleges, Grantchester meadows, Anglesey Abbey.
18. Burnham Beeches, Buckinghamshire
A National Nature Reserve famous for its veteran beech trees. Their twisted, muscular trunks are the stuff of fantasy films, and in October they glow like embers in the half-light.
Practical info
- Getting there: Near Farnham Common, off the A355. Car parks available.
- Facilities: Café, toilets, marked trails, accessible paths.
- Nearby highlights: Cliveden House, Windsor Great Park, Eton.
19. Lyme Park, Cheshire
Fans of Pride and Prejudice may remember this as Mr Darcy’s estate, but in autumn it looks less brooding and more like a riot of colour. The moorland edges contrast beautifully with the ornamental gardens.
Practical info
- Getting there: Near Disley, off the A6. Parking on site.
- Facilities: Café, shop, gardens, deer park, playground.
- Nearby highlights: Peak District, Macclesfield, Kinder Scout.
20. New Forest, Hampshire
Ponies, pigs, and a wild sweep of ancient woodland. In autumn, the beeches and oaks drip in gold, the bracken glows copper, and the whole forest feels like it’s been waiting all year for this moment.
Practical info
- Getting there: Easily accessible from M27/M3; train stations at Brockenhurst, Lyndhurst, Lymington.
- Facilities: Visitor centres, pubs, cycle hire, walking trails.
- Nearby highlights: Beaulieu, Buckler’s Hard, Lymington coast.
Last word
England doesn’t really do subtle when it comes to autumn. From cathedral-like arboretums to deer-filled parks, the country transforms itself into one long postcard. The only real challenge is choosing where to crunch your leaves.
