As the halcyon days of summer fade into the golden hues of autumn, there is perhaps no better time to experience the turning of the season than on a hiking adventure with Wilderness England and Wilderness Scotland, award-winning leaders in sustainable adventure travel. From the Lake District to the Scottish Highlands, wildlife abounds in stunning landscapes ablaze with autumnal colors, and there are fewer tourists out and about now that summer’s peak has passed, meaning travelers have even more room to wander.
Below are a few autumn-focused adventures in Scotland and England, including a brand-new offering in the Lake District.
Autumn Lake District – Join Wilderness England on this brand-new, fully guided, five-day/four-night walking holiday in the famed Lake District National Park. One of the country’s crown jewels, this beautiful region in Northwest England encompasses a diverse landscape of peaceful valleys, rushing rivers, deep lakes, and charming, traditional villages. It is a place where the wild and pastoral meet during the autumn months, and the woodlands and steep-sided fells glow deep red, fiery orange, and golden yellow.
Accompanied by one of the company’s knowledgeable guides, the trip starts in the pretty Lake District village of Glenridding, tucked at the foot of Kirkstone Pass at the southern end of Ullswater. From there, the itinerary includes a boat trip out onto the shimmering surface of Derwentwater, disembarking on the far shore for a stunning hike along the water’s edge. Travelers will also explore Whinlatter Forest, England’s only mountain woodland, coupled with a visit to the Lakes Distillery for a guided tour and tasting. Next it is on to the picturesque Borrowdale Valley and quiet hamlet of Watendlath, followed by a visit to the Castlerigg Standing Stones (thought to be around 5,000 years old, it is Britain’s most dramatically situated stone circle), and finally to the charming village of Askham to enjoy a hike that explores the ruins of Lowther Castle.
Autumn Highlands – On this five-day/four-night walking holiday, travelers will explore some of the stunning glens and valleys of the Central Highlands, including Glen Affric and the Great Glen, at their most glorious time of year. This small group guided tour invites guests to fully enjoy dramatic Highland sights each day and enjoy a cozy fire and wonderful meals every night. During the month of October, the mixed woodlands that fringe the glens turn bold shades of amber and gold, offering superb autumnal vistas to walk through and photograph.
Starting off in Inverness, the group enjoys a walk on the north side of Loch Ness through a community-owned forest. This is followed by a point-to-point walk along the remote eastern shores of Loch Oich, the second of the three main lochs in the Great Glen. It is then on to Glen Tarff and General Wade’s Military Road, constructed during the middle part of the 18th century as part of an attempt by the British Government to bring order to a region that was part of the Jacobite rebellion of 1715. Hikers will explore the ancient woodlands and solitude of the glorious Glen Affric, where there are several options for stunning walks. The final day is spent in Glen Moriston and the Dundreggan Estate, exploring the forest and lower hills while learning more about the native forest restoration works being undertaken by Trees for Life, one of Wilderness’ charity partners.
Autumn in Perthshire – Known for its forests, lochs, rushing rivers, and soaring Highland mountains, Perthshire is also affectionately nicknamed “Big Tree Country.” At the arrival of autumn, the bewitching glens here begin to blaze with color as the cathedral-like branches of the beech trees turn a copper hue, the woods awash with the sights and sounds of the turning of the season, the evening glimmers with golden light, and sky is filled with the noisy symphony of returning geese. On this five-day/four-night deluxe walking trip, guests enjoy the region in its full glory, complete with crisp mornings and evenings made for roaring fires.
Starting in the pretty village of Pitlochry, with a walk through a leafy woodland, it is then on to Aberfeldy, home to Burn’s Seat, said to be where Robert Burns penned his poem ‘Birks of Aberfeldy.’ This is followed by a visit to the Crannog Centre, an engaging museum that tells the story of those who lived on the Highland lochs some 2,500 years ago, and then on to the Linn of Tummel, a 19-hectare woodland property where the rivers Garry and Tummel meet. There’s a visit to a local Highland Chocolatier and his world-class artisanal chocolate shop, as well as a stop at Dun Coillich Estate to join a local ranger and learn more about the Mountain Woodland Project, spending some time volunteering (either tree planting or another task, depending on what the rangers require help with that day). It’s then on to Glen Lyon, romantically described by the playwright and poet Sir Walter Scot as the longest, loneliest, and loveliest glen in Scotland.
Autumn Wildlife Islay – On this five-day/four-night journey, guests explore the beautiful Hebridean island of Islay, “Queen of the Hebrides,” and one of the most wildlife-rich locations on the west coast of Scotland. Home to some of the most incredible spectacles, including Barnacle Geese, which flock to the island in the thousands every year, it is also a beautiful place of white sand beaches, coastal trails, and endless expanses of grassland found in the famous coastal ‘machairs.’
The group meets up in Oban and heads directly to Knapdale, where beavers were introduced to Scotland in 2009 after a 400-year absence, for a fascinating tour with the knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff. Next, guests will take a ferry to the island of Islay, first exploring the Oa Peninsula in the far south of the island, and hiking through the Oa Nature Reserve. Home to dramatic sea cliffs, a freshwater loch, and wide-open moor and grasslands, visitors here should keep their eyes to the skies in search of twite, hen harriers, and the majestic golden eagles. Next, the group heads north to the sweeping white sands of Loch Gruinart and Loch Gorm, where every October around 20,000 geese arrive from Greenland for the winter. There’s also a coastal walk along an easily accessible pathway that links the famed distilleries of Laphroaig, Lagavulin, and Ardbeg – where travelers will stop for an intimate tour and dram before continuing to Claggain Bay and Ardtalla Beach, home to a native seal colony.
