This ‘peaceful’ location holds the key to the UK’s most colourful autumn walk

We’re now firmly into September, which can only mean one thing: it’s goodbye summer, and hello autumn.

If you’re looking to seek out the crisp, golden leaves that are synonymous with this time of year, the UK’s top location for the most colourful autumn walk has been revealed – and it’s the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire.

Hailed as ‘peaceful’ and ‘beautiful’ by Redditors charmed by visits to the site, the Forest of Dean was famously used as a royal hunting ground during the medieval period.

In 1938, it was named the first National Forest Park, and is known for its diverse wildlife, stunning woodland and, at this time of year, its radiant autumnal leaves.

The new study, by travel experts at Hot Tub Hideaways, used a combination of digital colour analysis and Google Satellite images to determine the autumn walks with the most unique shades of orange, yellow, and red.

Amazingly, the Forest of Dean had a whopping 378,241 unique autumn colours, which will no doubt be music to the ears of autumn lovers. Is it too early for a pumpkin spiced latte?

Depending on where you’re based though, you don’t necessarily need to go out to the West Country to appreciate some seasonal colour, as Richmond Park in London came in second place with an impressive 322,874 unique shades.

Originally created as a deer park by Charles I in the 17^th century, the herds famously roam its land to this day. It’s also home to 144 species of birds, as well as 29 species of butterflies.

In third place ranked Delamere Forest in Cheshire with 218,789 vibrant autumnal shades. The largest woodland in the county, historically the ancient forests of Mara and Mondrem, it was once used by the Normal Earls of Chester as a hunting ground.

Things to do near the Forest of Dean

The Forest of Dean isn’t just known for its impeccable autumnal vibes: there’s also plenty to see and do across its 26,000 acres, including horse riding, mountain biking, and fishing.

Never like to miss a Saturday jog? The forest even has its own lakeside Parkrun at Mallards Pike, and as always, it’s completely free to join. You’ll just need to set your alarm for the 9am start.

For a spot of culture, there’s even a sculpture trail. Built in 1986 as a collaboration between Forestry England and the Forest of Dean Sculpture Trust, the artworks are designed to evolve with the changing forest.

They’re arranged along two routes, too – one measuring 2.2 miles, and the other 3 miles, so you can pick and choose your activity level.

And, if you’re a literary fan, you might want to bring your copies of The Lord of the Rings with you. J.R.R. Tolkien was thought to have been heavily inspired by the area when creating Middle-earth, particularly an ancient Roman archaeological site at Lydney Park Estate, which he worked on in 1929.

How to get to the Forest of Dean

Thinking of travelling by train? The closest station to the Forest of Dean is Lydney, which is connected to the likes of Birmingham, Nottingham and Cheltenham.

If you’re looking to travel from London, you can take the Great Western Railway service from Paddington to Gloucester and change for a direct CrossCountry train – which will take around 2 hours and 15 minutes.

By car, it’s around three hours from the Big Smoke – or 34 minutes from Gloucester, which is also connected by National Express services.

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