Perfect autumnal days out in London

They’ve got a tree or two down at Kew Gardens – actually, around 11,000 of them – so if you want to see autumnal colours across the skyline, it’s the place to be. Climb the 118 steps up to the Treetop Walkway to watch nature’s greatest art show. If the autumn breeze gets a bit chilly, you can always head to the indoor spaces like the Palm House and Temperate House to continue your day out without feeling the nip.

Get the full autumn effect
Dig out the wellies and go on a rainy day for that primo autumn smell.

More than 600 wild red and fallow deer call Richmond Park home, and come autumn, they’re feeling amorous. Keep an eye out amid the rust-coloured leaves and long grass, and you might witness stags bark and roar as they clash antlers to impress the ladies. Bit like a Saturday night out in Clapham. 

Get the full autumn effect
Hire a bike from Roehampton Gate and pedal off into the wilds. 

Do you have ambitions to cover your mantelpiece in ornate gourds, Martha Stewart style? Or are you just planning an epic pumpkin risotto? Either way, Sainsburys' selection just won't cut it: you've got to go right to the source. Take a day trip to Stanhill Farm in Kent or Garson Farm in Surrey, and you'll find pumpkins galore that are ready for picking for your very own harvest festival. That’s the easy bit out of the way – then, you’ve got to figure out how to bring your artistic and/or culinary vision to life.

Get the full autumn effect

Why stop at pumpkins? Find a nearby hedgerow and go foraging for sloe berries and elderberries for use in homemade gin concoctions. Just make sure you look up exactly what you're picking first. 

The towpath of the Regent’s Canal is perfect for an autumnal stroll – or cycle, if you’re feeling energetic. The smell of wood-burner smoke from the picture-book narrowboats makes it extra special. Wind up in Little Venice and you can keep an eye on the scenery from inside the canalside Bridge House pub – cosy and with the perfect autumnal view. 

Get the full autumn effect
Don’t just look at the boats – wrap up warm, hop aboard and cruise from Little Venice to Camden and back with the London Waterbus Company.

Kick your way through the fallen leaves from the many horse chestnut trees in Greenwich Park. If crunching your way over a leafy carpet and stocking up on conkers isn’t satisfying enough, there’s plenty to do here. Check out dreamy views across the Thames and the amazingly autumnal red deer in Deer Park, pay a visit to the Royal Observatory or Maritime Museum, or take the kids to the excellent playground, which boasts a ‘pirate mini adventure’.

Get the full autumn effect
Grab a freshly baked treat from the White House Café – time it right, and it’ll still be warm from the oven.

What could be more appropriate on a chilly evening than a wee dram of whisky? Milroy’s is a slice of old Soho and its whisky selection is, frankly, mindblowing. If you’re not into the amber stuff, check out the bookcase at the back – it’s the entrance to the cosiest speakeasy in London, with a bespoke cocktail menu and resident pooch.

Get the full autumn effect
Do one of Milroy’s regular masterclasses so you can dazzle everyone with your whisky nous all winter long.

Huge areas of Nunhead Cemetery – one of London's 'Magnificent Seven cemeteries' – have been almost completely overtaken by nature. But as the leaves drop away, you’ll see some of the most ostentatious monuments the Victorians made for their dead. The vista across London is pretty Insta-worthy, too, particularly on a misty autumn day. 

Get the full autumn effect
Go on a Saturday and swing by Brockley Market, where you can stock up on all the ingredients for a perfect roast. 

Once a slightly scary highwayman’s hangout, The Spaniards Inn in Hampstead is now a welcome sight for weary walkers who’ve spent the afternoon on the Heath: all wood panelling and comfy leather seats. Order one of London’s best roasts and snuggle up to wait for it near the pub’s open fires for that ultimate toasty autumn feeling. 

Get the full autumn effect
Ask about the pub’s three resident ghosts – then maybe go to the toilet in twos.