The Best Autumn Staycations in the UK

September through November is arguably the best time to book a UK break. The summer crowds thin out, accommodation prices soften, and the countryside turns amber, copper and gold. Woodlands put on their best display, rivers run clearer after the first rains, and log fires and hearty pub food feel earned rather than indulgent. Here are some of the best places in Britain to see autumn at its most dramatic.

Lake District

The Lake District is one of the most reliable spots in England for autumn colour, thanks to its mix of native oak and birch woodland climbing the fellsides above the lakes. Grizedale Forest and the shores of Derwentwater are particularly good for a slow walk through turning leaves, and the lower light of an autumn afternoon on Ullswater or Buttermere is a photographer's favourite. Misty mornings are common, so pack layers and expect the fells to disappear and reappear through the cloud.

Peak District

The Peak District combines gritstone moorland with wooded dales, and autumn is when the two contrast most strikingly. Padley Gorge and the woods around Dovedale turn a deep russet, while the heather on the higher moors fades from purple to brown, giving the landscape a layered, textured look. It is also deer rutting season in Bakewell's surrounding parkland, and stag calls carrying across the valleys are one of the more atmospheric sounds of an autumn visit.

New Forest

Ancient and ornamental woodland makes the New Forest one of the best places in southern England for autumn colour, with vast stands of beech and oak turning gold across its open heathland and enclosures. This is also when the forest's ponies and deer are at their most visible, foraging among the fallen leaves and acorns, and the quieter trails around Rhinefield and Bolderwood are ideal for an unhurried walk without summer's holiday traffic.

Cotswolds

Honey-coloured stone villages take on an extra warmth against autumn foliage, and the Cotswolds are full of beech woodland and hedgerows that turn in sequence through October. Market towns such as Stow-on-the-Wold and Chipping Campden are well placed for exploring the wooded escarpments nearby, and the shorter days suit the region's slower pace of country pubs, log fires and Sunday roasts.

Yorkshire Dales

Drystone walls, hay meadows and wooded gills define the Yorkshire Dales, and autumn brings a striking change as the bracken on the fellsides turns rust-orange against the pale limestone. Wensleydale and Swaledale are particularly good for spotting the seasonal shift, and the waterfalls around Aysgarth run fuller after autumn rain, making for a dramatic contrast with the surrounding colour.

Wye Valley

Straddling the border between England and Wales, the Wye Valley is one of the most densely wooded landscapes in Britain, and its steep limestone gorge means the autumn canopy is seen from above as often as from below. The view from Symonds Yat Rock over the river bend, framed by turning woodland, is one of the most photographed autumn scenes in the country, and the ruins of Tintern Abbey look especially atmospheric surrounded by falling leaves.

Making the most of an autumn break

• Book accommodation with a wood-burning stove or open fire where possible — many cottages and inns in these areas are set up for it.
• Aim for late October for peak leaf colour in most of these locations, though this varies by a week or two depending on that year's weather.
• Pack for changeable conditions: autumn days can swing from bright and mild to wet and windy within a few hours, particularly in upland areas like the Lake District and Peak District.
• Shorter daylight hours mean it is worth starting walks earlier in the day, especially in wooded valleys where the light fades faster than on open ground.

Whether it is the reflected colour on a Lake District tarn, the rutting call of a Peak District stag, or the wooded gorge at Symonds Yat, autumn gives these destinations a completely different character to their summer selves, and often a much quieter one.