Crunchy leaves, crisp air, warm oranges and reds filling the trees. What’s not to love about October? Autumn in one of the best times to visit places in the UK. For all you Halloween lovers we’ve rounded up the spookiest places to visit or if you’re more of a roaring fire, cosy jumper and mug of warm tea kind of person we’ve got you too with a variety of picturesque villages and cities. Read on to discover all of the best places to visit in October in the UK.
Located in the heart of Hampshire, the New Forest national park is the ideal spot for a autumnal October ramble.
Find the famous New Forest ponies roaming free, you may also spot pigs roaming the forest in Autumn. Starting mid to end of September farmers release 600 pigs and piglets to work their way through the forest eating nuts and acorns from the forest floor. It’s the only time of year the pigs are allowed free range of the forest.
October is a great time to visit the Brecon Beacons National Park, with stunning sights and plenty of autumnal adventures.
A variety of events run throughout October in the Brecon Beacons from a food festival, mycologist guided walks on world fungus day and a whole lot of spooky Halloween events.
One of the oldest cities in the UK, York is stuffed full of stunning gothic architecture. This one is for spooky lovers. The ancient city of York is known as being one of the most haunted cities in Europe. A gothic ghost filled city? Where else would you visit in October.
You’ve got to visit The York Ghost Merchants (to get your very own York Ghost!) located in one of York’s most famous landmarks – The Shambles. A historic street that I sone of the best-preserved medieval shopping streets in Europe. The York Ghost Merchants also have events running throughout the Autumn including The Little York Ghost Hunt.
Spooky history lovers rejoice – York also has its very own Dungeon full of horrific history. Get your York Dungeon tickets here.
From the 7th-8th York Unlocked allows you to see into 70 incredible spaces normally closed to the public. Discover all of the great events running in York this October.
Easily one of the best places to spend Autumn in the UK. From Loch Ness to Ben Nevis, the Scottish Highlands has all the dramatic scenes, fresh air and cosy pubs you could hope for.
October is the perfect time to visit, the weather is still mild and the landscape is vivid and autumnal.
If you’re after a bit of spook there are plenty of haunted castles and ghostly spots to keep you busy. From Glencoe to Culloden Battlefield to Eilean Donan Castle.
If you’re after a proper outdoorsy October full of crisp orange nature, fresh air and quaint villages look no further than the Peak District and Derbyshire. With more natural beauty and history than you can shake a stick at it’s a must visit.
Hope Valley offers stunning scenes throughout Autumn with villages like Bamford, Edale and Hathersage & of course Hope. This is the perfect spot for an October ramble, hike or even just exploring the villages which feature historic buildings & cosy pubs perfect for warming up from the crisp October air.
Another great spot for an October trip to the North of England. Crowds drop from their summer peak and the landscape is transformed into a tranquil sight of oranges and reds.
Coniston Water is about half a mile down from Coniston Village and a great spot to hire boats and bikes and explore local shops and pubs. Just 20 minutes away is Grizedale Forest which consists of 10 square miles of natural woodland. Famous for it’s many sculptures by famous artists which blend into the forest landscape. Discover the area with the extensive network of walk and cycling trails which offer a spectacular trip into the forest as it turns shades of red and gold in October.
Scotland’s stunning capital is a must-visit in the autumn months. With stunning architecture, winding streets and awe-inspiring castle looking over the city there’s nowhere else quite like it. In October numbers of tourists drops post summer and the historical buildings are surrounded by crisp orange leaves.
The Samhuinn Fire Festival in Holyrood Park is celebrated on Halloween in Edinburgh and it’s a must see, you won’t experience anything like it. You’ve also got events like Oktoberfest the 5-8th and Edinburgh Horror Festival on the 26-31st to look forward to if you make the trip over in October.
Right, a proper spooky one for you now. This is the place that novelist John Fowles wrote about feeling overcome with a ‘primal urge to flee’. This ancient forest of stunted oaks twisted and dripping with moss. The ground is made up of a sea of boulders carpeted with thick moss and lichen.
Some say this ancient forest is home to a ghostly huntsman and his dogs roaming the wood and surrounding moors.
This is an ideal October woodland walk; the cold weather just accentuates the strange ethereal energy of this area. A foggy day is even better for ultimate spooky vibes.
Home to one of the most iconic Pride and Prejudice (2005) locations of them all, Stourhead is a sprawling estate that looks even better with the autumn leaves. The rust-coloured leaves and North American maples that turn red during the early Autumn create a truly amazing landscape. October is the prime time to see the Autumn colours at Stourhead.
