Autumn Colours

This autumn take the time to appreciate the picturesque scenery and the breathtakingly dramatic landscapes, when the woodland glows red, copper and yellow.

Rendlesham Forest, Suffolk

Also known as Alien Forest is a deep coniferous forest surrounded by heathland. In December 1980 US soldiers at a local airbase reported seeing flashing lights and a spaceship in the forest. Since then the forest has been a draw for UFO enthusiasts around the world and a UFO trail was established in 2005. Aside from the reported extra-terrestrial activities, the forest is beautiful and a great place for families. The Rendlesham Forest Centre has a large picnic area, adventure playground and giant nightjar play sculpture. There are also walking and cycling trails suitable for all ages. 

Whipsnade Tree Cathedral, Bedfordshire

Surrounded by grassland and wild flowers, this incredible place was created after the First World War in a spirit of 'faith, hope and reconciliation'. Take your time wandering the grass avenues between the trees and hedges that form the chancel, nave, transepts, chapels and cloisters. Covering an area of 3.82 hectares (9.5 acres), the Tree Cathedral is not consecrated ground but welcomes everyone to discover its special sense of peace.

Wistman's Wood, Devon

Reputedly the oldest woodland in Devon Wistmans Wood nestles beside the West Dart River, the reserve in Dartmoor National Park consists of 170 hectares. The wood once covered the whole of the West Dart Valley, right from the Ice Age to the settlement of prehistoric man. Much of the wood was then cleared for agriculture. The nearest you can drive is about two miles away, along an open moor road, and the rest of the journey you have to undertake by foot, crossing moor, stiles and streams.
It has taken hundreds of years for the twisted, moss-covered trees which make up Wistmans Wood to acquire their eerie, ancient, look. Don’t be fooled by the size of the trees, although they are peculiarly small, they are, in fact, ancient oak trees.

Quarry Wood, Berkshire

Quarry Wood, part of the Bisham Woods complex near Maidenhead, is a dense ancient woodland a broadleaf-conifer mix dominated by beech. Sitting along the scarp slope rising from the River Thames’ flood plain, this diverse series of woods dominate the local skyline. It’s supposedly the wood that inspired Kenneth Grahame to write The Wind in the Willows. 
  

Brede High Woods, East Sussex

At 648 acres Brede High Woods is currently the second biggest Woodland Trust site in England. It lies within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in East Sussex. The site is a complex of ancient woodland, with extensive areas of hornbeam, sweet chestnut coppice and conifers. In the past the woods were used for the excavation of iron ore that underpinned the historic Wealden iron industry and evidence of this can be seen in the extensive earthworks, such as sunken lanes, iron-ore extraction pits and saw pits.
The woods contain a great variety of habitats including open heathland, overstood and in-rotation coppice, ghyll woodland, wet woodland, sphagnum beds, small ponds, springs, streams and acid grassland. 55 Important ancient woodland plants and trees species can be found here, as well as a number of important animal species.

Queen's Wood, London

Queen's Wood is an area of ancient woodland and nature reserve situated in Muswell Hill. It dates from at least 1600, possibly from pre-historic times and are thought to be the direct descendants of the original ‘wildwood’, which covered most of Britain about five thousand years ago. The wood is an ancient oak-hornbeam woodland with English oak, beech, hornbeam, midland hawthorn, hazel, mountain ash, field maple, cherry, holly and both species of lowland birch. Also, the scarce wild service tree is scattered throughout the wood. Despite fairly high levels of disturbance, the bird life is diverse and includes all three species of woodpecker. Over one hundred species of spiders have been spotted and a nationally rare jewel beetle is widespread.

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

YSP is an extraordinary place that sets out to challenge, inspire, inform and delight, set in 500 acres of 18th century parkland in West Bretton, Wakefield. In addition to the open-air sculpture, YSP has four indoor galleries. Access Sculpture Trail is a sensory landscape area of YSP, designed particularly to be accessible to everyone - including pram and wheelchair users. Planting here focuses on scent, touch, sound and texture, and the paths around the site have varied surfaces.
The stunning landscape was designed over 200 years ago as a private pleasure ground. Much thought was given to the planting of thousands of imported exotic trees, to the modelling of hills and valleys, and the use of water and architectural features. Beyond the gardens and Underground Gallery are rolling fields, lakes and broad countryside.

Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire

The Westonbirt, is one of the most spectacular tree gardens in the world. An historic collection of over 3000 different trees and shrub species many of which are rare or endangered in their native lands. Covering 600 acres, the arboretum is an inspiring place to relax, get back to nature and indulge your senses. You will want to return to explore time and time again.  Autumn starts with a bang with one of the best natural fireworks displays in England as the maples in particular are ablaze in reds, oranges and yellows.