Top Places To See The Autumn Colours In Kent & Sussex
As the days grow shorter and the temperature drops, we see the beauty of autumn creep in, here’s where to find it...
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Leybourne Lakes Country Park, Aylesford
Leybourne Lakes Country Park was created in 2004 and now is a much-visited location for family days out, walking and cycling, as well as those who fancy taking to the water. And a visit there this autumn will allow you to enjoy the rich colours as you take one of the walking routes or guided trails. After you have explored the area, why not follow this up by heading to the Refuel Café?
Visit https://www.tmactive.co.uk/centres/leybourne-lakes/
Ebernoe Common Nature Reserve, Petworth
Owned by Sussex Wildlife Trust, this reserve is composed of varied ancient wood pasture with ponds, streams, meadows and reclaimed arable land under conversion back to woodland. It is a National Nature Reserve, a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation. As well as the a autumn colours, there is something else to look out for when you explore the area. Sussex Wildlife Trust say: “In Autumn Ebernoe is alive with the fruiting bodies of fungus: look out for grassland specialists such as waxcaps or in the main woods, species like Magpie Inkcap and Garlic Parachute – the smell of garlic should guide you to them.”
• Visit https://sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/visit/ebernoe-common
Reuthe's – The Lost Gardens of Sevenoaks
This magical 11-acre site offers a unique and beautiful landscape that is made up of rare species woodland and garden that hosts one of the country’s best selection of specialist rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and conifers. Enjoy a walk through The Lost Gardens of Sevenoaks, then stop off for some revitalising refreshments in the café and if you want to take a little bit of the beauty home with you, then you can shop in the nursery. Plus for you dog owners out there, they would love to welcome your four-legged friends too. The gardens themselves are on a steep slope in places with natural paths, so are not fully accessible for buggies and those with limited mobility.
• Visit https://reuthes.com
Bewl Water, Lamberhurst
Get your little ones out and about and enjoy the autumn colours on one of Bewl Water’s new self-guided walking trails. The family-sized strolls lead you through wildlife-rich woodlands and meadows and stop at play areas along the way to keep your little ones entertained whilst enjoying some healthy, outdoor fun. Each route has been designed to help families navigate their way through the reservoir's extensive landscape, soaking up the picturesque views at their own pace with a Green Route 30-minute walk suitable for buggy and toddler, a Blue Route one-hour walk suitable for buggy and toddler and a Red Route two-and-a-half-hour walk suitable for buggies. Want to explore Bewl on two wheels instead? Then this November and December, families can enjoy 50% off cycle hire at Bewl Water. Mountain bikes fit for adults and children are available at the bike shop in front of the Waterfront Café where you can finish up and enjoy a spot of lunch and a hot cup of cocoa.
• Visit https://www.bewlwater.co.uk
Goodnestone Park Gardens, Canterbury
A lovely place to enjoy the autumn colours in Kent is Goodnestone Park Gardens in Canterbury. The 15 acres of estate are home to a large variety of trees, plants and shrubs where you can enjoy the seasonal colours and scents, and if you fall in love with their beauty, many of the plants are available to buy in the Nursery to take home with you. Head to the Arboretum and Gravel Garden which "provide a beautiful display as their leaves take on their autumnal colours". There are also various public footpaths that lead into the wider estate including the famous Serpentine Walk.
• Visit https://goodnestonepark.co.uk/gardens/
Herstmonceux Castle Estate, Hailsham
With 300 acres of themed gardens and managed woodland there’s lots to explore at Herstmonceux Castle Estate in Hailsham, Sussex this autumn. Here you will find formal gardens to the rear of the castle, as well as wild meadows and carefully managed woodland that changes throughout the seasons. A must this autumn is to head to the Magic Garden, where you enter through a willow arch into an enchanting haven where the Japanese maple trees provide some stunning colour. The largest and most prestigious of the gardens is the Elizabethan Garden set within Grade II listed walls with impressive lawns and deep borders and the Sundial & Rose Garden is also well worth a visit.
• Visit https://herstmonceux-castle.com
Petworth House & Park, Petworth
Located in a 700-acre deer park, Petworth House is a stunning venue to visit not only to see the autumn colours in West Sussex, but also to spot the elegant deer that make it their home. Designed by ‘Capability’ Brown the garden at Petworth includes serpentine paths and informal planting. See the trees transform as red maple trees turn a vivid scarlet, while the tulip specimens change to a calming yellow, plus head to the woodland walk which will be full of copper tones. And don't forget to head to The Ionic Rotunda for panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.
• Visit https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/petworth-house-and-park
Bore Place, Chiddingstone
With woodlands full of beauty and autumn colour at this time of year, Bore Place is an ideal location to explore this season. In an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, you can take in the panoramic views while on the walks that “weave their way through the fields and woodlands of the 500-acre organic dairy farm”. Trails start and finish at the Bore Place car park and are signed, plus there are different lengths of route to choose from: Red trail 4.6km (allow 2 hours); Blue trail 2km (allow 40mins); Green trail 2.2km (allow 45mins). They also have other walks that invite you to explore a little further into the beautiful Kent, with even more autumn colour to explore.
• Visit https://www.boreplace.org/what-we-offer/walks
Wakehurst, Haywards Heath
Located in the heart of Sussex, Wakehurst is a wild botanic garden, home to more than 500 acres of the world’s plants as well as the Millennium Seed Bank. The beautiful gardens offer lots to discover and enjoy throughout autumn, where “the fiery autumnal colours of our vast collection of deciduous trees, their leaves turning eye-catching shades of yellow, orange, gold and red". While you are there keep an eye out for all the different berries, leaves, bark, nuts, fungi and flowers and they especially recommend checking out the katsura tree growing near the Mansion Pond as this special tree – also known as the candyfloss tree – has a sweet sugary smell from its leaves during autumn.
• Visit https://www.kew.org/wakehurst
Mote Park, Maidstone
Spanning more than 450 acres, award-winning Mote Park comes alive with autumnal colours at this time of year. Free to enter, there is grassland, woodland, rivers and a 30-acre lake to explore. Its vast numbers of mature trees create a blanket of glorious colour to wander through, or why not take part in some outdoor adventure at this park which came third in the 2015 People's Choice for their favourite green flag park?
• Visit https://www.visitmaidstone.com/things-to-do/mote-park
Mariners Hill, Chartwell
Mariners Hill is a great place to go to enjoy a tranquil walk or wonder at the beauty of the surrounding countryside, especially at this time of year with its golds and reds. Enjoying panoramic views across the Weald, there are several paths which form small circular walks or there is the long-distance Greensand Way, which runs along the northern boundary. Why not try the The Mariners Loop which crosses through National Trust and Squerryes Court land and takes about 45 minutes?
• Visit https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/chartwell/features/things-to-see-and-do-at-mariners-hill-near-chartwell
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Hole Park Gardens, Rolvenden
A great spot to see the spectacular autumn colours in Kent is at Hole Park Gardens which are renowned for their beauty all year round. In addition to being open on Wednesdays and Thursdays, they will be opening to include Autumn Sundays in October from 11am to dusk. The stunning exotic border is full of vibrant colours for this month including cannas and dahlias. The magnificent mature trees and Japanese Maples provide striking autumn colour at this time of year around the 16-acre gardens and 10-acre woodland.
• Visit www.holepark.com
Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens, Horsham
“The finest woodland gardens in England”, Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens provide a beautiful setting to see the season’s autumnal colours come to life. This magnificent Grade I listed garden reopened in 2019 after being closed for 10 years. Hundreds of varieties of trees can be found throughout Leonardslee and the autumn and winter displays of colour in the gardens are a major attraction for visitors, with the trees ablaze with pinks, yellows, reds, and many shades of bronze. While you’re there also check out Anton’s Sculptures in an exhibition entitled ‘The Walk of Life’.
• Visit https://www.leonardsleegardens.co.uk/experience-autumn
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Hever Castle, Edenbridge
Hever Castle is “arguably at its romantic best in the autumn when the Boston Ivy adorning the front of the Castle turns a vivid shade of red”. Head there for glorious displays of autumn colour with the rich yellow, red and orange leaves of beech mingling with liquidambars, tulip trees and Japanese maples, all contributing to an explosion of colour. On 6th, 13th & 20th October you can enjoy free guided tours of the gardens by Head Gardener Neil and his team. Alternatively enjoy a self-guided quiet tour and indulge in the Japanese art of forest bathing. Walk through the colourful fallen leaves from the oak trees on Anne Boleyn’s Walk, look up at the evergreen Scots Pines and delicate buttery yellows of the larch trees on Lake Walk.
• Visit https://www.hevercastle.co.uk
Penshurst Place, Penshurst
With 48 acres of grounds, including the 11-acre formal Grade I listed gardens, there’s plenty of space here to explore on your search for autumn colours in Kent this season. The ancient historic parkland provides scenic walks with two walking trails across the estate – the Parkland and the Riverside Walks, both taking you across some of the most beautiful scenery. With the gardens and grounds likely to close on 31st October, make the most of the days of this colourful season that are left. The parkland, however, is open all year round and offers views of the area.
• Visit https://www.penshurstplace.com
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Sheffield Park & Garden, Uckfield
Autumn is a busy time of year at Sheffield Park, well known for it’s autumn colours. The change can start mid-September and last until mid-November and with its huge variety of native and non-native tree species reaching their peak at different times. However, the National Trust suggest the second half of October is often a peak time, "this is the season the garden was planted for and it glows with brilliant displays of reds, oranges, purples and greens".
• Visit https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sheffield-park-and-garden/features/making-the-most-of-your-autumn-visit-at-sheffield-park-and-garden
Emmetts Garden, Sevenoaks
Enjoy a dazzling display of autumn colour at Emmetts Garden as you wander through a landscape's oranges and reds. The National Trust recommend you look out for the Katsura tree (aka the burnt toffee tree) which in autumn the foliage begins to give off a tempting aroma that smells just like burnt sugar, or candyfloss; as well as the winged spindle tree which “arguably looks its best during the autumn months, when the leaves turn a fiery red”. Also keep an eye out for the Jolly Japanese Maples. And don’t forget to head for a walk in the woods too!
• Visit https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/emmetts-garden/lists/autumn-colour-at-emmetts-garden
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Brede High Woods, near Battle
Set in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Brede High Woods is “a nature lover's paradise”. Covering 647 acres, there’s a lot to explore at one of the Woodland Trust’s biggest woods. They say you can follow the Brede High Woods Walk and experience the wood in its entirety, taking in the beauty of its eclectic mix of habitats on a 5-mile or 7.5-mile ramble, or if you’d prefer a shorter route, there is a short loop from the eastern car park of less than a mile which takes 30 minutes or the slightly longer 1.5 mile walk. Keep an eye out also for colourful fungi this autumn.
• Visit https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/woods/brede-high-woods/
Ditchling Beacon, near Brighton
The highest point in East Sussex, you can survey the season’s changing colours for miles around at Ditchling Beacon. If you head there early in the morning they say you can also enjoy the beauty of the mist rising from below. The site is also of archaeological interest, with remains of an Iron Age hillfort. Neighbouring Ditchling Down lies to the west of Ditchling Beacon, and is a prime example of chalk downland, so there is plenty to see alongside the autumnal colours in Sussex.
• Visit https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ditchling-beacon
Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest, Goudhurst
Looking for a great place to spot the autumn colours on the Kent/Sussex Border, well Forestry England say: "The sights, smells and sounds of autumn flood our forests, providing the best places to see autumn colour near you." So they recommend you visit Bedgebury where "the fiery leaves and brilliant berries are in sharp contrast to the background of rich evergreen conifers. Particularly striking are the golden larch which turn a deep golden colour, the dawn redwood and swamp cypress with shades of red, chestnut, ochre and copper." A top tip from them is to turn left after crossing the bridge at Marshall's Lake and hidden away on the left you’ll find a bench where you can take a moment to sit and enjoy the stunning views across the lake.
• Visit https://www.forestryengland.uk/bedgebury
Explore the countryside and find autumnal colour along the way…
Eden Valley Way, Edenbridge
Take a stroll and see what beautiful seasonal colours you can find on a walk through Kent. While you could complete the Eden Valley walk in a single day, why not take it in stages, and explore the area properly? The 15-mile route follows the banks of the Rivers Eden and Medway and through the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Starting just outside Edenbridge you will pass through parkland, woodland, open fields and villages – and keep an eye out for the historic landmarks of Hever Castle, Chiddingstone Castle, Penshurst Place and Tonbridge Castle.
• Visit https://explorekent.org/activities/eden-valley-walk/
Scotney Parkland Trail, Lamberhurst
Find out about the history of the wooded estate surrounding Scotney Castle on this trail through historic parkland. After leaving the car park you will pass Salvin Gate and carriageway designed by the man behind the New House at Scotney. Along your walk you will see the stream that feeds the moat surrounding the castle, cross a bridge over the River Bewl, walk over fields, view woodland pastures, as well as see bomb craters. Scotney Castle itself combines romantic ruins with gorgeously landscaped gardens and more and is full of autumn colour.
• Visit https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/kent/scotney-castle/scotney-parkland-trail
Wealdway, Tonbridge to Withyham
This long distance footpath makes its way through three Areas on Outstanding Natural Beauty, connecting the Thames Estuary with the English Channel. Why not choose somewhere to join it along the stretch between Tonbridge and Withyham? There you will wind through Bidborough, Speldhurst, Fordcombe and Stone Cross, passing Groombridge and onto Withyham.
• Visit https://www.walkingenglishman.com/ldp/wealdway.html
Combe Valley Way Country Walk, Bexhill
The Combe Valley Countryside Park covers about 1,480 acres and provides an area of countryside between Hastings and Bexhill for public enjoyment and recreation. The area has two Sites of Special Scientific Interest and while you explore it keep an eye out for the large variety of wildlife – it has 2,456 recorded species including several rarities. There are a network of paths to explore and the park also includes a two-mile stretch of coastline at Bulverhythe running from Galley Hill at Bexhill towards St Leonards.
• Visit http://www.combevalleycountrysidepark.com/index.php
Friston Forest, South Downs
Friston Forest is within the South Downs National Park between Lulington Heath National Nature Reserve and Seven Sisters Country Park and is looked after by Forestry England. It is ideal for those who love nature and walking and it is the largest area of recently established forest in South East England making a great day out for all the family and the chance to explore the countryside. There are also cycling trails. There are great views of the Cuckmere and the sweeping South Downs along the way.
• Visit https://www.forestryengland.uk/friston-forest
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