Autumn is one of my favourite times of year, when the weather is cooler but not too cold, I get to dig out my cosy jumpers again, and the country is filled with beautiful hues of golden reds and browns. I love a hot, sunshine filled walk as much as the next person, but there’s something about a cooler walk in a woolly jumper and my chunky boots that just hits different.
I don’t know about you, but I often think about planning a walk for the weekend and never know what direction to drive in. There’s so many great places that it can be tricky to decide on one, so if you’re as indecisive as me, here are my top five Autumn walks in the North of England.
Grasmere, Lake District
Grasmere is a small village in the Lake District full of beautiful walks, it’s such a scenic Autumn walk, whether you choose to hiking up the rolling hills, or around the most tranquil lake. Grasmere Lake is a 3 mile long walk, and you’ll find it a picture of rich autumnal colours, all reflected in the lake itself in the Autumn months, it’s stunning. If you take a hike up to Rydal Cave, you’ll get the panoramic views of the surrounding lakes. It really does have breathtaking views.
If you do decide to go hiking in the Lake District, don’t forget your boots. Adidas do a brilliant range of womens walking boots, as well as mens walking boots.
York City Centre
As someone who lived in York for four years, I feel like I have probably talked about how beautiful it is there many times. However, in Autumn, York really is one of the most picturesque cities to take a walk around. It’s on the smaller side for a city so I feel like that makes it more perfect for the Autumnal months, as it’s lovely and cosy with it’s cobbled streets and quaint little coffee shops around every corner. The walk around the walls is lovely, taking in all of York itself, as well as walking through the City itself with plenty of little shops to take a browse in along your way. There’s always a decent coffee in arms reach too, which always improves a walk!
Dean’s Park and Rowntree Park both make lovely places to walk too, full to the brim of golden and red trees. As York is quite small, it’s always nice to take a walk around the parks and then venture into the centre afterwards when you start feeling thirsty and peckish.
Dalby Forest, North Yorkshire Moors National Park
Dalby Forest can be found in the heart of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park, and is home to over 8,500 acres of endless walking and adventures. I’ve been here more times than I can count, and every time the walk I take is different and new. There’s running and cycle trails, as well as paths and paths of gorgeous walks. In the Autumn, in the depth of the forest, you’re just surrounded by golden tones and reds and oranges, and it really is beautiful. There’s plenty of activities and parks for the children to stop them getting bored along the way, so it’s a great day out if you have a family.
Aysgarth Falls, Yorkshire Dales National Park
This one tends to be a bit on the muddier side in the Autumn, but with a pair of good walking boots or wellies, you’ll be grand. Aysgarth Falls is such a scenic place to take a walk, especially if you’re into beautiful waterfalls. The three stepped waterfalls have been a tourist attraction for the last 200 years, surrounded by woods with easy winding paths taking you through. It has a National Park Centre, cafe and car park, so it’s a great afternoon out for family or friends. The waterfalls tend to be really dramatic after heavy rainfall, so Autumn can be a great time to go if you want to see that for yourself!
Do you enjoy Autumn walks? Have you been to any of these places?
