After quarantine measures were imposed during August for returnees from several European countries including France and Spain, many will be looking to stay closer to home for their autumn breaks.
While the UK doesn’t offer the 30 degree October sunshine that you can find in the Algarve or Costa Blanca, there are plenty of stunning locations from which you can make the most of the crisp autumn weather and red and gold landscapes.
Here are some destinations that we recommend:
The Jurassic Coast, Dorset
Running from Swanage to Lyme Regis, the Jurassic Coast features some of England’s most stunning coastal landscape.
The eastern part of the coast encompasses the dramatic cliffs and headlands of the Isle of Purbeck. It is incredibly thrilling to watch the large autumn swells crash against the cliffs below.
To the west, you can find Lyme Regis, a beautiful town that is prone to overcrowding during the peak summer months. By visiting in autumn you can experience the ‘Pearl of Dorset’ without having to navigate the busy summer crowds. While the weather might be too chilly for a swim, the beaches surrounding Lyme Regis are teaming with fossils. You can spot all sorts of prehistoric wonders by just looking carefully at the area’s dark grey cliffs.
The Antrim Coast, Northern Ireland
Just an hour’s drive from Belfast, this beautiful coastline is home to many outstanding natural features, including the world famous Giant’s Causeway. On a clear day, you can look over the Irish Sea and see the Scottish hills.
Those of you who have a head for heights can brave the hair-raising Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge that wobbles nearly 30m above the raging Atlantic below.
The area also features the ‘Dark Hedges’, a road lined with intricate trees which has gained popularity as a tourist destination after featuring in the TV series Game of Thrones. Expect warm hospitality and unreliable weather on this part of the Northern Irish coast in autumn.
South Cornwall
While North Cornwall might be the destination of choice for hardy surfers who want to brave the heavy autumn swells, South Cornwall perhaps offers something of a more leisurely holiday at this time of year.
Here, bad weather doesn’t mean you can’t marvel at nature’s triumphs; the area is home to the famous Eden Project. Two large climate controlled biodomes host the world’s largest indoor rainforest and a Mediterranean paradise.
If you prefer your nature outdoors, you can venture further west to Trelissick Gardens, a beautiful country estate with parklands that fall down to the estuary. In the autumn, the estate’s trees turn a wondrous array of colours, with red and gold contrasting the green blue water of the Carrick Road estuary.
Autumn visitors will find South Cornwall’s stunning villages and coves remarkably quiet and peaceful in the absence of the summer crowds.