How to Enjoy Autumn
We may have had some gorgeous weather in September and it’s true that, as October’s go, it’s not shaping up too bad either. However, summer is over and autumn is here. My husband and I are already in discussions over the thermostat and what level we can compromise at.
Bidding farewell to summer can be a depressing time. As we pack away our bikinis or trunks, and dig out our jumpers in readiness for winter it’s easy to begin pining for next summer. We long for blue skies and sunshine (in which case one suggestion is moving country because we aren’t guaranteed either of those things in the UK at any time of the year). However, mourning the end of summer can cause us to miss out on the beauty that is autumn. In fact, if you live in a town or city autumn can sometimes slip by mostly unnoticed which is a shame.
One way of staving off the winter blues is getting out and enjoying the autumnal scenery; go conker or blackberry picking, climb trees, jump into a pile of golden leaves and go wild.
Places to Visit in Autumn
You can see the top 10 places the Forestry Commission recommend visiting in autumn here. This site is really useful because it gives you walking routes and informs you of the length and difficulty of the walk, as well as what to look out for on route. I can vouch for the Forest of Dean at Symonds Yat. The views there are beautiful at any time of year. In autumn you can watch the forest changing colour and take in the spectacular views of the Wye valley.
Another idea is to check out your nearest National Trust property. National Trust properties come in different shapes and sizes but, with most of their houses, beautiful gardens are a given. I recently visited Calke Abbey in Derbyshire. I watched the deer in the fields and witnessed the first signs of autumn but would like to return when autumn arrives with full force. There is a page on the National Trust website that shows you the best places to visit at this time of year. You can find it here.
Things to Do in Autumn
If you are looking for activities to do, either with children or just for adults, there are plenty of things to keep you occupied during this season. There is, of course, conker picking (conker wars was a favourite playground game when I was at school). If you are into crafts there are plenty of natural resources to use in your crafts.
For some interesting and fun activity ideas try this website here.
Autumn Food
Autumn is the season for root vegetables and is a good time for making hearty soups or jars of jams. Blackberry picking season is nigh and trying to make my own jam is definitely on my bucket list this autumn.
For some autumn recipe inspiration try this website here. I’ve got my eye on a couple of the soup recipes and I also fancy cooking something with pumpkin in as I’ve never cooked with it before (only carved it into scary faces at Halloween!).
If there is anything you like to do or any places you like to visit please share. And have an awesome autumn.
Written by Helen Monger
