For hundreds of years, the autumn months have been a period associated with food, festivities and grand feasts. As trees begin to shed their leaves and valleys shimmer in a spectrum of warming colours, the landscapes of the UK and Ireland are a joy to discover on long hikes. This is also the harvest season, when orchards are laden with juicy apples and dining tables are piled high with home-grown produce.
So, rather than lament the end of summer, celebrate crisper air and cooling temperatures by rejoicing in the knowledge autumn is on its way. Try one of these weekends away to celebrate the season.
The Fife Arms, Scotland
Moorlands glow in the deepest of purple hues as the cooler weather sets in. Hike through some of Scotland’s prettiest patches in the Cairngorms National Park, using the cosy Fife Arms hotel as a base. Located in the village of Braemar, the art-filled, historic property is surrounded by a landscape of forests, farms, crofts, wetlands and rivers.
Simply stepping foot outside is a boost for body and soul, an experience enhanced by a new Wild Wellness package designed to help guests connect with nature. Go for a guided wild swim and warm up in a wood-fired sauna made from a converted horse box clad in Scottish larch, where water is poured on rocks of local pink river granite. Return to a log fire in the hotel’s Drawing Room and sample a choice of 365 whiskies in Bertie’s bar.
How: From £434 per night including breakfast. Visit thefifearms.com.
The Quiet Site, Lake District
If a drop in temperature sparks a desire to hibernate, head underground for a subterranean stay in a Glamping Burrow (from £110 per night). The playful accommodation is part of five-star sustainably-minded eco-resort The Quiet Site, which overlooks Ullswater in the heart of the Lake District National Park.
Fortunately, unlike a rabbit warren, the burrows do have light-filled views of the surrounding fells. But for something more upmarket, try a Glamping Cabin (from £120 per night) or embrace outdoor living with a timber-built Glamping Pod (from £50 per night). Nearby hikes include the Ullswater Way, a 20-mile lake circuit, the Aira Force waterfalls and Helvellyn mountain.
How: Visit thequietsite.co.uk.
Folkestone, Kent
Britain’s seaside towns have been undergoing a revival in recent years. Once favoured by Victorians for a summer break, stretches along the southeast coast in Kent are now appealing year-round.
Folkestone is the latest destination to undergo a revamp, with significant investment in the harbour area. Play games like SHUFL board and darts in The Board Room, watch a film in the free cinema, and dine out at a cluster of new bars and restaurants.
Housed in a shipping container, Little Rock serves seasonal seafood fished by local trawlers in the Hythe Bay area. A short walk away, get the full seafarer’s experience by staying at the boutique Rocksalt Rooms overlooking the working fishing harbour. Next year, Grade-II listed Leas Lift – a funicular railway which carried passengers between the seafront and the promenade – will reopen following a refurbishment.
How: Doubles from £103 per night, including breakfast. Visit rocksaltfolkestone.co.uk.
Snowdonia National Park, Wales
Too many of us are fair-weather runners, eagerly packing away our running shoes as soon as skies turn grey. Summon up the stamina to embark on multi-season runs with a running-themed holiday in Wales, staying in a 300-year-old cottage in Snowdonia National Park.
Under the guidance of qualified UKA Fell and Trail Coach, Tim Higginbottom, learn how to improve your technique for enhanced performance and get tips on creating your own personal training plan for the season ahead. As part of the itinerary, yoga flow sessions are designed to help runners increase flexibility and improve breathing – all necessary for avoiding injury and fulfilling trail running goals.
How: A four-day break costs from £495pp, including full-board accommodation, training and technique sessions, three trail runs with a professional coach, yoga workshop, voluntary trail clean. Departs September 20. Visit responsibletravel.com.
Congham Hall, Norfolk
We may not be blessed with Amalfi’s lemons or Spain’s oranges, but the UK’s variety of homegrown apples is equally impressive. In September and October, orchard boughs will be laden with the crisp fruits, ripe for harvest.
Soak up one of the autumn seasons’ sweetest scents by staying in an orchard cabin at Congham Hall and Spa. Named after different apple varieties grown on the grounds of the 31-bedroom Georgian manor house, the luxury cabins all have hot tubs and feature an interior design inspired by Norfolk scenes of lavender fields, beaches and bluebell woods.
Dine in the hotel’s AA-rosette restaurant and spend days exploring nature trails along the nearby coastline.
How: Cabins from £419 per night (sleeps two). Visit conghamhallhotel.co.uk.
Falmouth, Cornwall
Few foods evoke the magic of the sea quite like an oyster. Heralding the start of oyster dredging season, Falmouth celebrates the prized shellfish with a four-day festival of talks, cooking demonstrations with local chefs and live bands.
A highlight of the Falmouth Oyster Festival, held from October 10-13, is a chance to learn about the traditional method for harvesting oysters using sail and oar.
Stay at nearby Hotel Meudon, bathed in colour throughout the year thanks to an impressive collection of hydrangeas in the surrounding gardens. Valleys of deciduous trees turn gold and crimson as cooler days set in.
How: Doubles at Hotel Meudon from £129 per night, including breakfast. Visit meudon.co.uk
