Autumn: Experience the Rich Colours

The season of autumn sets the forest aglow, vibrant colours cover the land, it's a wonderful time for a woodland walk and you'll find the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley is one of the best places in the UK to see the rich autumn colours. 

Leaf Peeping is a term growing in popularity here in the UK. It has come from North America where people enjoy travelling to view and photograph the changing season, as the foliage turns from summer greens to the yellows, reds and golds of autumn.

With over 20 million trees in the Forest of Dean alone, the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley covers around 600 square miles and is a heaven for leaf peepers. Home to a wide variety of majestic oak, ash, birch, beech, larch, sweet chestnut and many more, the foliage lights up as the days start to draw in, creating an indulgent visual feast.

We created the first ever Guide to Leaf Peeping and introduced the idea to the UK. You can download our Leaf Peeping Guide here or use our interactive map to follow our special Leaf Peeping Drive through sweeping countryside with river views across ancient woodland before delving deeper into 10 hotspots en route to enjoy breathtaking views, riverside walks, lakes and arboretums drenched in autumnal colour. It’s doable in a day at 50 miles or stay over for a Leaf Peeping escape this autumn. Or, simply choose shorter sections to combine with other activities.