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Thetford Forest

Autumn is a fantastic season to see amazing flashes of colour; warm browns, rich oranges and deep reds are all around us at this time of year.

Autumn is a wonderful time of year for those who love nothing better than pulling on a cosy jumper, relaxing by the heat of a roaring fire and all things pumpkin-spiced! And what better time to get outside and enjoy the array of vibrant colours on display, as we officially say goodbye to the summer?

We love autumn and autumn colours so much that we’ve put together a list of some of the best places to see autumn colours in the UK… 


1. Bedgebury Forest, Kent

Bedgebury Forest

Located close to the Sussex border in Kent, you’ll find Bedgebury Forest. Here you can ride your bike across the numerous cycle paths and gaze up at the changing canopy as the wind rustles through the golden leaves.

Bedgebury Forest also welcomes dogs and with plenty of trees to sniff and fallen leaves to roll in, your four-legged friend is sure to enjoy the day out! Please be aware that dogs are allowed off the lead in the forest, but must be kept on the lead at all times when in The National Pinetum, around the children’s play area and on the red mountain-bike route.

Prices: If arriving by car the cost is £10 Monday to Friday and £13 at weekends and bank holidays
Opening times: 2nd – 30th September 8am – 7pm; 1st – 24th October  8am – 6pm; 25th October – 21st November 8am – 5pm; 22nd November – 30th December 2019  8am- 3.30pm
More information: www.forestryengland.gov.uk/bedgebury


2. Dyffryn Gardens, the Vale of Glamorgan

Dyffryn Gardens

Located in the Vale of Glamorgan, Dyffryn Gardens cover over 55 acres with formal and informal gardens, providing plenty of space for an autumnal adventure.

It’s a very exciting time at the gardens this autumn as it marks the start of a five year project which will help protect the beautiful trees within their Arboretum. Why not make your trip to Dyffryn Gardens an annual one? This way you’ll be able to monitor the progress of the project and capture the true beauty of their woody collection.

Prices: £10.90 for adults, £5.45 for children and £27.50 for families
Opening times: Until September 30th 10am to 6pm; September 30th – October 20th  10am – 5pm;  October 21 – December 31 10am – 4pm
More information: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dyffryn-gardens


3. Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, Gloucestershire

Westonbirt

Westonbirt is possibly the best place in the UK to view autumn colours, as their Arboretum is home to over 15,000 tree specimens from all over the world!

Here you can follow one of the Arboretum’s many walkways or take to the skies and look down over the colourful foliage from the STIHL Treetop Walkway.

October highlights at Westonbirt include the Japanese maples, Cappadocian maple and Sweet gum where as in November, visitors should look out for the Nikko maple, Native oak and Paperbark maple.

Prices: £10 for adults and £4 for children
Opening times: 9am to 4.30pm, final entry to the arboretum is 4:30pm until November and 4pm December – February
More Information: www.forestryengland.gov.uk/westonbirt-the-national-arboretum


4. Bodnant Gardens, Conwy

Bodnant gardens

The world-famous Bodnant Gardens cover over 80 acres of land above the River Conwy. Home to National Collections and Campion Trees, guests could spend hours exploring the variety of exotic and colourful plants on display.

There is a wonderful selection of events taking place at Bodnant this autumn, including a specialist walk to see the autumn colours on October 12th and the ‘Head Gardener’s Walk’ on November 16th where guests can find out all about the gardens’ history and development.

Prices: £14 for adults, £7 for children, £35 for families
Opening times: 10am to 5pm until October 31st then 10am until 4pm until the end of December
More information: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/bodnant-garden


Do you love autumn as much as we do? Browse our range of Autumn short breaks and discover some our favourite cosy cottages for autumn that will make your next holiday an unforgettable one!


Image credits: Bedgebury by Albert KubxcaCC BY-ND 2.0; Dyffryn Gardens by Ben SalterCC 2.0; Westonbirt by Mark KentCC BY-SA 2.0; Bodnant Gardens of by Paul PierceCC 2.0

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