What if we told you that this year's drizzly and, quite frankly, underwhelming summer has at least one silver lining? One of the biggest joys of autumn is the burst of reds, ambers, russet browns and maroons that appear in our parks and woodlands, and thanks to the wet weather of the past few months, the colours could be even more spectacular this year.
Last year, drought and intense heat made the UK’s autumn colour palette duller than usual. But the National Trust has said that trees have not been under the same stress this year, meaning we could be in for a gorgeous treat.
Andy Jasper, the trust’s head of garden and parklands, told the Guardian: ‘This year’s summer weather has helped buck the trend of recent dry ones, so our plants and trees finally had a chance to hydrate and are now gearing up for a dazzling show.’
And the summer has been positive for wildlife across the board. Luke Barley, the National Trusts trees and woodland advisor said: ‘Throughout September and into this month we’ve been able to enjoy the sight of our hedgerows hanging heavy with fruits, such as hawthorn berries, sloes, elderberries and blackberries.’
He added: ‘This is great news for wildlife such as over-wintering birds – redwings, fieldfares and blackbirds – as well as for animals such as hedgehogs and badgers.’
Apparently, the ‘warm blanket’ of colour will begin in Scotland before spreading down to the north of England and Northern Ireland, followed by the rest of England, Wales and the south west.
So, get your wellies out and woollies on. To really immerse yourself in the vibrant autumn colours, head to one of our best places to see autumn leaves in the UK.
Did you see that Edinburgh is officially home to the most haunted place in the world?
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out UK newsletter for the latest UK news and the best stuff happening across the country.