Events - Autumn leaves

Make the most of the seasonal spectacular of autumn colours this year, whether you are heading to a National Park, ancient woodland or a stately home. Enjoy England has rustled up some great autumnal treats for leaf-peepers, including forest walks at Calke Abbey in Derby, exploring rare trees at Bolton Abbey (www.boltonabbey.com/) in Yorkshire and absorbing the spectacular views at Box Hill, Surrey.

Leaf peeping

The National Arboretum (www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt) at Westonbirt in the Cotswolds is ablaze with colour from late September to November. The Japanese maples grab the headlines, with their multicoloured patchwork of colour on Leyshon Avenue. Alternatively, explore Kew Gardens (www.rbgkew.org.uk/), one of London's most famous and inspiring gardens, where you can see autumn-flowering crocuses, colchicums and hardy cyclamen and some of the world's rarest plants, many of which are in danger of extinction. Or, get active and climb Box Hill in Surrey for some inspiring views as the beeches and oaks show off their superb autumnal colour.

Forest walks

With displays of vivid reds and gold in October there is no better time to enjoy forest walks. Explore Calke Abbey in Derby, where the rolling parkland paints a perfect picture. Delve into The Outwoods and Beacon Hill in Leicestershire where you can witness some of the best displays of autumn colours, criss-crossed with footpaths and cycleways to explore. Enjoy a day in The National Forest (www.nationalforest.org/) in the Heart of England or follow one of the autumnal walks at Lyford Gorge in Devon, where you can discover the famous gorge and dramatic White Lady waterfall.

Historic houses

Discover Chatsworth House (www.chatsworth.org/), located eight miles north of Matlock in Derbyshire’s Peak District National Park. In addition to the spectacular house, Chatsworth estate has large areas of parkland and miles of popular footpaths, which have evolved over hundreds of years. Visit Bolton Abbey, near Skipton – the gorgeous Strid Wood on the Bolton Abbey Estate is a site of special scientific interest because it is the largest remnant of acidic woodland in Yorkshire. The Bolton Abbey woods are never lovelier than in autumn and a delightful walk along its historic paths leaves visitors in awe at its splendour.

Autumnal events

There are many events to enjoy this season, from harvest events such as children’s autumn-themed trails at Lytes Cary Manor in Somerset to the ‘Festival of autumn colours’ show at the Exbury Gardens (www.enjoyengland.com/Attraction/Exbury/Garden/169611/Exbury-Gardens-and-Steam-Railway.htm) with its magnificent fiery maples and dogwoods. Why not bring your camera to ‘Photography: a picture of autumn’ and join expert National Trust photographer Paul Watson on a search through Stowe Landscape Gardens in Buckinghamshire? Or visit Hever Castle (www.hever-castle.co.uk/) in Kent, the former home of Anne Boleyn, for an autumn colour week where the castle’s gardeners will take visitors on a tour of the garden to showcase it in all its autumn glory.