Forest of Dean
Heard of leaf peeping? This is the act of soaking up the changing colours of autumn foliage, and the Forest of Dean is the perfect place to immerse yourself on an autumnal road trip. With over 20 million trees in the Forest of Dean alone, and a mix of oak, beech, birch, sweet chestnut, and larch, the natural spectacle of autumn is nothing short of beautiful here.
Start just outside of the forest at Tintern Abbey. Sitting beside the River Wye, this ruined abbey feels especially atmospheric during autumn and you can also opt to spend a bit longer here by doing the Wye Valley Walk. Then head towards the village of Clearwell and the ancient woodland of Puzzlewood. Finish the day in either Coleford or Parkend, with both places making a good base for your road trip.
The next morning, start at the Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail and spend a couple hours here before heading to Beechenhurst and Cannop Ponds for the best leaf peeping spots, then south towards Mallards Pike. For the third day, explore Symonds Yat Rock, King Arthur’s Cave, and Goodrich Castle.
