The North East of England does autumn rather well. One moment you’re crunching through golden leaves in a cathedral city that looks like it belongs on a film set, the next you’re out on a wind-brushed headland watching the sea crash against the cliffs, or meandering up a river valley where the mist lingers as though it’s got nowhere else to be. This is a region that can do rugged and romantic in the same breath – and in autumn it really leans into both.
There’s something about the cooler air up here that makes the colours sharper, the landscapes more dramatic, and the pubs more inviting at the end of a long walk. Castles look moodier with a backdrop of stormy skies, waterfalls roar louder after autumn rains, and woodlands glow in every shade of copper and gold as though competing to outdo each other. It’s the sort of place that makes you glad you remembered your walking boots, and vaguely regretful that you didn’t bring a thermos the size of a milk churn.
So whether it’s a riverside wander beneath Durham Cathedral, a stomp across moorland that once echoed with Roman legions, or a clifftop path where the gulls provide the soundtrack, the North East has autumn walks that tick every box. The only real challenge is deciding where to start.
Durham Riverside and Cathedral Loop Walk
Route details
- Distance: 3.5 miles (5.5 km) circular
- Time: 1.5–2 hours
- Difficulty: Easy – mostly level riverside paths with some gentle climbs into the city
- Start/finish: Durham Market Place
- Transport: Durham is easily reached by train from Newcastle, Darlington, and York. Buses serve the city from surrounding towns. Parking is available at Prince Bishops or Walkergate car parks.
The walk
This riverside loop is Durham at its most atmospheric, especially in autumn when the trees along the River Wear are ablaze with copper and gold. From the Market Place, wander down to Framwellgate Bridge and pick up the riverside path. The water here curves lazily around the city, giving you views of boathouses, old stone bridges, and leafy banks that seem a world away from the bustle above.
Follow the loop around the peninsula, pausing on Prebends Bridge, where the view of Durham Cathedral rising above autumn trees is nothing short of postcard-perfect. The return path climbs gently into the heart of the city, where you can explore the Cathedral itself – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and its cloisters, once the haunt of monks and now quietly echoing with centuries of history.
Autumn adds a special touch to this route: the crunch of leaves underfoot, mist rising off the river on cool mornings, and shafts of low sunlight that catch the sandstone walls of the Cathedral in a warm glow. It’s a walk that feels short but endlessly rewarding, blending city charm with riverside calm.
Practical info
- Getting there: Durham is on the East Coast Mainline with regular trains from Newcastle (15 minutes) and York (45 minutes). Easy road access via the A1.
- Facilities on the route: Cafés, shops, and pubs in the city centre. Toilets near the Market Place and at the Cathedral.
- Points of interest nearby: Durham Cathedral, Durham Castle, Oriental Museum, and Crook Hall Gardens.
- Route link: Durham Riverside Walk – GPS route
Allen Banks and Staward Gorge Walk
Route details
- Distance: up to 5 miles (8 km) circular
- Time: 2.5–3 hours
- Difficulty: Moderate – woodland paths with some steeper sections and uneven terrain
- Start/finish: Allen Banks National Trust car park, near Bardon Mill
- Transport: Best reached by car via the A69 (parking at the National Trust site). The nearest train station is Bardon Mill, 2 miles away, with limited services.
The walk
Allen Banks is Northumberland at its most enchanting – a deep wooded gorge carved by the River Allen, where trees cling to steep slopes and paths twist and turn in delightful secrecy. Autumn is the time to visit: the woods light up in amber, gold, and russet, with fallen leaves carpeting the trails like a storybook setting.
From the car park, you descend into the gorge, where the sound of rushing water keeps you company. The route takes you across suspension bridges, along riverside paths, and up to viewpoints that look out over the dramatic valley. Keep your eyes peeled for red squirrels darting through the canopy and dippers bobbing in the shallows.
Staward Peel, the remains of a medieval tower house, adds a historic flourish to the walk. The structure is little more than stone walls now, but it hints at a time when this remote gorge was once a strategic stronghold.
What makes this walk special in autumn is the sheer intensity of colour: the beech and sycamore glow like lanterns, while the undergrowth is speckled with fungi. On crisp mornings, mist lingers low in the valley, giving the whole place an almost magical quality.
Practical info
- Getting there: Off the A69 near Bardon Mill. The National Trust car park is signposted.
- Facilities on the route: No facilities once in the gorge. Nearest pubs, cafés, and shops in Bardon Mill or Haydon Bridge.
- Points of interest nearby: Hadrian’s Wall, Vindolanda Roman Fort, and Housesteads Roman Fort.
- Route link: Allen Banks PDF Map
Simonside Hills Walk, Rothbury
Route details
- Distance: 7 miles (11 km) circular
- Time: 3–3.5 hours
- Difficulty: Moderate – a mix of moorland tracks, rocky paths, and some steady climbs
- Start/finish: Lordenshaws car park, near Rothbury
- Transport: Best reached by car, just south of Rothbury on the B6342. Parking at Lordenshaws (pay-and-display). Limited bus services run to Rothbury from Morpeth and Alnwick.
The walk
The Simonside Hills rise above Rothbury like a natural fortress, a ridge of heather moorland with panoramic views over Coquetdale and, on a clear day, all the way to the Cheviots and even the North Sea. Autumn is the perfect time to tackle this route: the bracken fades to deep bronze, the heather gives off its last purple flush, and the skies take on that bright, sharp clarity you only get on crisp days.
From Lordenshaws, the path climbs steadily onto the ridge. You’ll pass the famous prehistoric rock carvings before reaching the first of the sandstone outcrops. The high point, Simonside itself, feels wonderfully remote – the kind of spot where you can lean into the wind, gaze across miles of countryside, and forget the modern world entirely.
The circuit continues across the ridge before looping back through woodland. In autumn, the contrast is striking: open moor up top, then quiet paths under canopies of gold and amber below. The mixture of terrain keeps the walk varied and rewarding.
It’s easy to see why this landscape has inspired so many Northumbrian legends. Folklore tells of the duergar, mischievous dwarves said to lead night-time travellers astray here. In the low evening light, with shadows stretching across the heather, you can almost believe it.
Practical info
- Getting there: Lordenshaws car park is 2 miles south of Rothbury, signposted off the B6342.
- Facilities on the route: None on the ridge itself. Shops, cafés, pubs, and toilets in Rothbury.
- Points of interest nearby: Cragside House and Gardens, Rothbury town, and the Coquet Valley.
- Route link: Simonside Hills circular – GPS route
Hardwick Park Walk, Sedgefield
Route details
- Distance: 3 miles (6 km) circular (with options to extend)
- Time: 1.5–2 hours
- Difficulty: Easy – level, well-maintained paths suitable for most walkers
- Start/finish: Hardwick Park Visitor Centre, Sedgefield
- Transport: Just off the A177, 1 mile from Sedgefield. Car park available at the Visitor Centre. Buses run from Durham, Stockton, and Darlington to Sedgefield.
The walk
Hardwick Park is one of County Durham’s finest landscaped parks, a Georgian pleasure ground restored to its former glory. It’s the kind of place where strolling is the main event: wide paths curve around ornamental lakes, stone bridges cross the water, and decorative follies appear like surprises in the trees.
In autumn, the whole park turns theatrical. The lakes are ringed with golden leaves, mirrored perfectly in the water, while ornamental trees blaze in reds and yellows. The famous Gothic Temple and stone columns make striking silhouettes against the seasonal colours.
This walk is less about strenuous exercise and more about atmosphere. Families linger to feed the ducks, couples wander along winding paths, and photographers crouch for that perfect reflection shot. There are shorter loops for a gentle stroll, or you can wander the longer trails that extend into the surrounding countryside.
If you enjoy a dash of history with your walking, this is a fascinating spot. The park was designed in the 18th century by John Burdon, and many of the follies were deliberately built as conversation pieces – from the ruined castle to the triumphal arch. It feels like an outdoor stage set, especially when autumn light softens the edges.
Practical info
- Getting there: Located on the A177 between Sedgefield and Coxhoe. The Visitor Centre car park is signposted.
- Facilities on the route: Visitor Centre with café, shop, and toilets. Picnic areas around the park.
- Points of interest nearby: Sedgefield town, Wynyard Woodland Park, and Durham city (20 minutes’ drive).
- Route link: Hardwick Park walking route
Hadrian’s Wall Path: Housesteads to Steel Rigg Walk
Route details
- Distance: 8 miles (9.5 km) circular
- Time: 4–4.5 hours (allow longer if exploring the Roman sites)
- Difficulty: Moderate – rolling terrain with short, steep ascents and descents along the crags
- Start: Housesteads Roman Fort
- Finish: Steel Rigg car park
- Transport: Both start and finish points are just off the B6318. Parking available at Housesteads (National Trust/English Heritage) and Steel Rigg. The AD122 Hadrian’s Wall Country Bus links key points along the wall, including these two stops.
The walk
This stretch of Hadrian’s Wall is arguably the most dramatic of all, tracing the craggy spine of the Whin Sill escarpment. Autumn is a wonderful time to walk it – the crowds thin, the air sharpens, and the late light turns the stonework honey-gold.
Starting at Housesteads, you can explore one of the best-preserved Roman forts before striking out west along the Wall. The path rises and falls with the rugged landscape, climbing over Highshield Crags and dipping into gaps carved by glaciers. At Sycamore Gap – made famous by Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – the iconic tree stands solitary among sweeping slopes, even more striking against autumn skies.
The final stretch towards Steel Rigg offers big, cinematic views over Northumberland’s rolling countryside. Sheep graze on the hillsides, the wall snakes away into the distance, and it’s easy to imagine Roman soldiers once patrolling here in all weathers.
In autumn, bracken glows rusty-orange, the rowans carry clusters of red berries, and the stillness of the landscape feels timeless. It’s a walk that mixes epic history with natural spectacle, and few routes anywhere in England pack so much into six miles.
Practical info
- Getting there: Both Housesteads and Steel Rigg are signposted from the B6318 (the Military Road). Use the AD122 bus to connect start and finish.
- Facilities on the route: Visitor centre, shop, and toilets at Housesteads. Seasonal kiosk at Steel Rigg. No facilities on the trail itself.
- Points of interest nearby: Vindolanda Roman Fort and museum, Chesters Roman Fort, and the market town of Hexham.
- Route link: Housesteads to Steel Rigg walk
Hamsterley Forest Walk, County Durham
Route details
- Distance: 4 miles (6.5 km) circular (with longer routes available)
- Time: 2–2.5 hours
- Difficulty: Easy to moderate – forest tracks and woodland trails with some gentle gradients
- Start/finish: Hamsterley Forest Visitor Centre
- Transport: Located on the B6295 between Crook and Eggleston. Pay-and-display parking at the Visitor Centre. Limited bus services run to nearby Wolsingham.
The walk
Hamsterley Forest is County Durham’s great woodland escape – 2,000 hectares of pine, spruce, oak, and beech spread across a broad valley. In autumn, it comes alive in a blaze of colour: golden beech leaves fall in soft drifts, fungi sprout at the bases of old trees, and the air smells richly of damp earth and pine needles.
This circular route starts from the Visitor Centre and follows broad forest tracks before winding into quieter trails along streams and glades. The forest has a timeless, almost fairy-tale quality in autumn, especially when mist lingers between the trunks on cooler mornings. Deer are sometimes glimpsed in the clearings, and red kites wheel overhead.
The return path passes through mixed woodland where the variety of trees makes autumn especially vivid. Whether it’s the flicker of rowan berries, the deep gold of larches, or the fiery canopy of oaks, there’s colour at every turn. Families love the Gruffalo sculptures hidden in the trees, while seasoned walkers can easily extend the loop deeper into the forest.
Hamsterley is the kind of place where you can linger as long as you like: picnic by the river, explore mountain bike trails, or simply soak up the stillness of a proper English forest in its seasonal prime.
Practical info
- Getting there: Signposted from the A68 at Witton-le-Wear. Parking at the Visitor Centre (pay-and-display).
- Facilities on the route: Visitor Centre with café, shop, and toilets. Picnic areas and children’s play zones.
- Points of interest nearby: Wolsingham market town, High Force waterfall in Teesdale, and Barnard Castle.
- Route link: Hamsterley Forest circular walk
And that, really, is the joy of the North East in autumn – you don’t have to look far for a walk that will leave you feeling both exhilarated and mildly smug. You’ve got castles perched on cliffs that look like they’ve been planted there for dramatic effect, rivers that wind obligingly through forests just when the leaves are at their brightest, and moors that stretch on until you start wondering if you’ve wandered into Scotland by mistake. Add in the comforting certainty of a pint or a pot of tea at the finish line, and you’ve got everything you need for a perfect autumn’s day out.
