Autumn Colour
Nothing beats a woodland walk in autumn when gold and crimson leaves crunch under your feet, the sun is bright and low and warming hot chocolates await in cosy cafes.
We have to start our collection with a New Forest walk, because in our opinion this is the best place in Hampshire to guarantee you autumn colour almost everywhere you go. Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary is a great bet, with a well signed and easy to follow trail.
Don’t be caught out by these Canadian maples as they turn red quite early in the season. The avenue of trees is stunning, so make sure you don’t miss them.
Creech woods have easy, flat paths for you to follow. The bracken makes the woods an autumnal shade of orange through October and we found lots of ‘fairy’ toadstools on our visit.
There is an extensive network of woodland paths at Farley Mount, so you don’t have to search far to get that autumn feeling. Be sure to check out the hill top monument and the little natural play area while you are there.
At this time of year, my social media is flooded with pictures of the tree tunnel that you pass through on the way to Halenaker Windmill. It is an iconic scene for photographers wanting the perfect autumn shot.
Much of the woodland around this part of the canal is actually coniferous, but the deciduous trees and bracken still lend a beautiful orange hue to the surroundings. There is also a striking maple by the visitor centre that will be red in early autumn.
There are some great trees to look out for on this walk. The ones in this photo are surrounding Silent Pool. The views of the Surrey Hills from Newlands Corner look all the more inviting when decked in autumn colour.
The deer park is a free to roam part of the estate and you will see some great old trees sporting their autumn colours. An additional autumn perk of this walk is that the deer will be rutting in September/October - a spectacle you can catch when viewing from a distance.
The children love the play area at the start of this walk as they often have it to themselves. I love the walk around the heathland, pond and woodland. All of which look wonderful in autumn.
Staunton Country Park is an excellent choice at any time of year for a walk with the kids due to the play area and look out tower. In autumn the trees around the lake are dipped in golden colours, making the view even more special.
Winkworth Arboretum is the champion of autumn walks. You just can’t beat it! Unless you are National Trust members, you will need to pay, but when coupled with the woodland play area and walks by the lake, it is worth the cost.
Look at all those coppery leaves! Waggoners Wells looks resplendent in the autumn. It is a great place to walk with a series of three ponds and lots for kids to climb on and paddle in.
The little abandoned church in the woods looks all the more charming when the leaves turn amber. The walk on our website was designed to route through a spring poppy field. In autumn you might be better off exploring The Mens Nature Reserve, an area of woodland behind the church.
Although we don’t have autumn photos of these walks, we also think they would be a good choice for this time of year:
Other autumn walks in Hampshire:
Crabtree Planation near Basingstoke, Ashford Hangers near Petersfield, Blackwood Forest near Winchester, Bramdean near Alresford, Buriton near Petersfield, Clanfield near Waterlooville, Queen Elizabeth Country Park near Petersfield, Curbridge Nature Reserve near Whiteley, River Hamble Country Park near Southampton, Holly Hill Woodland Park near Fareham, Netley Abbey, near Southampton, Rowhill Nature Reserve near Aldershot/Farnham, Upperford Copse, near Wickham
Other autumn walks in Surrey:
Chantries near Guildford, Chiddingfold, Chilworth Gunpowder Mills near Guildford, Dunsfold near Godalming, Virginia Water near Windsor
Other autumn walks in West Sussex:
Elsted near Midhurst, Slindon near Arundel, Swanbourne Lake Arundel, West Stoke near Chichester, Wildham Wood near Chichester