With your 1000-mile finish line in sight, perhaps it’s time to add a bit of autumn sparkle to your walks in some of the country’s most colourful forests...
SHOW TIME It’s the perfect time to see autumn colour at its richest – like here in Westonbirt Arboretum.
AUTUMN’S NOT AROUND for long. Leave it a few weeks and you’ll find much of the dazzling colour has already hit the turf. But pick the right woodland at the right time (which, as luck would have it, is now!) and you’ll experience the very best of this short but magical season.
If you’re looking for inspiration in your final push to 1000 miles, then a trip to a forest blessed with fiery autumn colours might just renew your enthusiasm to reach that incredible milestone.
The Forestry England website is a good place to start when looking for woods near you. It has more than 1500 forests across England with a great variety of walks on offer. Here are a few we’ve picked that each offer something a bit special…
Gisburn Forest and Stocks, Lancashire
GLORIOUS GISBURN Enjoy night skies as clear as the water in the reservoir in Lancashire.
A lovely combination of autumn colour, wild moorland and a wildlife-rich lake. There are six walking trails to try here, including Dale Head Ramble (3¼ miles), which goes through the heart of the forest and follows an old railway line on the return, with glorious wood and reservoir views.
If you’re playing catch-up with your miles, you might want to try the eight-mile Stocks Circular path, which takes you around Stocks Reservoir with fine views of the untamed landscapes of the Forest of Bowland.
Chopwell Wood, Gateshead
CHOP CHOP! Get yourself to Chopwell Wood while the beech leaves are at their best.
If you want to walk among amazing fiery red trees in dappled sunlight then it’s hard to beat a beech forest. Chopwell Wood is home to wonderful beech woods planted early in the 20th century, plus stands of larch – Europe’s only deciduous conifer – which add to the autumn tones on display.
To experience all of this, try Boundary Walk (4½ miles), which also joins a former mineral railway line and passes numerous woodland sculptures along the way.
Salcey Forest, Northamptonshire
This medieval royal hunting forest is home to the ‘druids’ – impressive veteran oaks, some of which are more than 600 years old. These wonderful trees provide a magnificent autumn display, yet are just part of a much larger ancient woodland with rare wildlife habitats. There are numerous trails to try here, including the six-mile Woodpecker Trail, which circles the whole forest and offers the chance to see deer, as well as most of the bird species native to the forest, including recent sightings of a red kite.
Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire
Now here’s a place like no other! This arboretum is home to more than 2500 species of trees from around the world. And that means one of the most spectacular autumn displays you’ll see anywhere in the country.
Of particular note is the katsura tree (originally from China and Japan), whose incredible heart-shaped butter yellow leaves are complimented by a wonderful sweet aroma you might liken to toffee apple or candy floss. The winged spindle is another seriously impressive species in autumn with rich crimson leaves and pretty parasol-shaped pink seed capsules.
There are several short walks here, the pick at this time of year being Acer Glade (¾ mile), though the popularity of the arboretum means you’ll need to book before you go.
Bolderwood, New Forest National Park, Hampshire
GOLDEN HOUR Gorgeous light floods the New Forest on a fine autumn day.
For rich autumn colour, the New Forest is an obvious place to go, and Bolderwood is an ancient woodland with a great variety of veteran trees. Even from the car park you’ll see giant Douglas firs and ancient oaks
The woodland also has direct links to the crown, as it was once a royal hunting forest, and a 14th-century hunting lodge dating back to King Edward II’s reign existed here.
There are several trails including Radnor Trail (2 miles), which passes mature woodland before crossing a stream and reaching a viewing platform from where you can often spot a herd of fallow deer.
Friston Forest, South Downs National Park, Sussex
PERFECT PEACE Calm reigns beneath the trees in Sussex’s Friston Forest
This forest is a great way to enjoy the South Downs in autumn, with extensive beech woodland and plenty of trails to explore. One of the highlights is White Horse View, a 1½-mile walk along the forest edge, which features a great view of the Litlington White Horse – a chalk carving that has been situated in the hillside opposite for almost 100 years.
Three Forestry England memberships up for grabs!
#walk1000miles nature partner, Forestry England, are giving away three of their annual memberships! Winners will receive membership for a year to the Forestry England forest of their choice. This includes free parking as well as a range of member benefits, such as discounts with Go Ape and Forest Holidays. To enter, head to: www.walk1000miles.co.uk/winforestryoctober
