Forget chasing summer sunshine overseas. This year, Britain’s travellers are swapping airports for arboretums, beaches for beech trees, and city breaks for some of the country’s most spectacular autumn landscapes.
New research commissioned by Travelodge suggests the American pastime of “leaf peeping”, travelling specifically to admire autumn colours, has well and truly crossed the Atlantic. Nearly three-quarters of Britons are planning an autumn getaway this year, while more than half say they’d rather experience the season in the UK than head abroad.
It seems autumn has undergone something of a rebrand. Once regarded as the season that sits awkwardly between summer holidays and Christmas festivities, it has now emerged as Britain’s favourite time for a staycation. Cooler temperatures, quieter attractions and landscapes painted in shades of amber, copper and gold are proving increasingly hard to resist.
Leading the nation’s list of favourite autumn beauty spots is Bolderwood in the New Forest, where ancient oak and beech woodland provide a dazzling display each year. The destination topped a nationwide poll, beating some of the UK’s most celebrated scenic locations.
Scotland performed particularly strongly, with Loch an Eilein and Glen Affric both making the top ten thanks to their dramatic mix of forests, mountains and reflective lochs. Elsewhere, nature lovers highlighted the riverside woodlands of Allen Banks in Northumberland, the mountain forests of Coed y Brenin in Eryri (Snowdonia), and the seasonal spectacle of Sheffield Park & Garden in East Sussex.
Perhaps most telling is the growing appetite for lesser-known destinations. More than four in ten travellers said they would rather discover somewhere new than visit an established tourist hotspot, highlighting a shift towards slower, more local exploration.
The appeal is easy to understand. According to those surveyed, the perfect autumn day starts with a woodland walk, includes a cosy pub lunch, and finishes with a scenic drive through colourful countryside. Add fewer crowds and often lower accommodation prices than peak summer, and autumn suddenly looks like the smartest season to travel.
For business travellers extending work trips into weekend breaks, or anyone seeking inspiration closer to home, Britain’s autumn landscapes are making a compelling case for staying local. As the leaves begin their annual performance, it seems the UK’s most fashionable travel trend may simply be looking up and appreciating the trees.
