With the days shortening and the first hints of autumn hues on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to plan a visit to the colourful Cotswolds. Full to bursting with arboreta, gardens and a whole host of other colourful ideas, a weekend soaking up our natural beauty must be top your bucket list.
Home to not one but two beautiful arboreta, the Cotswolds are the perfect place to get some exercise, soak up the views and top up your vitamin D in the late summer sunshine. Meander through the stunning tree collection at Batsford Arboretum near Moreton in Marsh
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... or head south to Westonbirt Arboretum where you’ll find 15,000 trees, many bursting with colour at this time of year.
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As the season changes and shades of orange, yellow and red colour the countryside, is the perfect opportunity to enjoy the beautiful gardens of Sudeley Castle. British wildlife will feature in a new trail around the castle gardens this autumn, giving kids the chance to follow a route around the grounds finding out about some of the creatures that call our countryside home. The new wildlife trail has been developed in partnership with Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and is free with admission!
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During September and October the gardens at the Cotswold Wildlife Park - a RHS Partner Garden - are looking stunning in their late summer peak. From the cacti next to the Meerkats, a feel of the rainforest in the Tropical House, through to the bananas and exotic planting in the walled gardens, it’s a garden-lovers' haven. You’ll also find graceful grasses around the Rhino paddock along with the beautiful borders around the Manor House and the stunning autumn hues of the trees in the Park. A glorious garden for all ages to enjoy.
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Discover the wonderful wildlife of Blenheim Palace as you enjoy one of the many parkland walks on offer. With seasonal flora and fauna including a cornucopia of colours from the surrounding ancient oak trees and wildlife including resident Greylag geese roaming around the UNESCO World Heritage Site, there is plenty for all the family to spot. Make sure to explore the vivid, russet coloured estate in full autumnal splendour.
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If you thought autumn colour was only for the outdoors then think again! The award-winning Corinium Museum is home to the Seasons Mosaic dating from the second century AD and featuring Pomona – or Autumn – wearing a leopard-skin tunic, with grapes and vine leaves in her headdress and a pruning knife across her right shoulder!
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Enjoy an autumn escape to the Cotswolds and discover some of the most stunning displays of colour you could hope to find. Whatley Manor has twelve acres of gardens that are beautiful throughout the seasons but with September sunshine comes vivid reds, gold and shiny browns. Why not indulge in a special autumn break where entrance to Westonbirt Arboretum, just three miles down the road, is included in two nights’ accommodation, full English breakfast each morning, use of the Aquarias Spa and dinner on one of the evenings.
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If you fancy something a little more intimate, book an autumn break at Pinkney Court Lodge in the west wing of a 16th Century country manor house, complete with breath-taking Cotswold countryside views and walks on the doorstep. There’s plenty to do in the area including wonderful shopping in nearby Tetbury.
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Autumn is a magical season in The Prince of Wales’s gardens at Highgrove, with morning mists, dazzling displays of colour and seasonal sunshine. Offering the best of British food and a variety of special events and dining experiences at the Highgrove Estate near Tetbury, each event includes a garden tour where guests will be led through the enchanting stumpery, bountiful kitchen garden and wonderful arboretum with its canopy of trees and abundance of Japanese maples at their colourful best.
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For the best place to experience the wonderful colours of autumn, book a stay at Heath Farm. You’ll find 70 acres of carefully managed woodland and meadow to explore where you’ll see the best of the colours and enjoy the crisp sounds of autumn. Help yourself to hazelnuts, walnuts, pears, apples, raspberries and blackberries from the woods and garden and then curl up next to your open fireplace and enjoy your autumnal evening in luxurious surroundings.
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Autumn colour isn’t just about trees and gardens! Why not paint the hues of the season yourself at an Autumn Oils workshop at New Brewery Arts? Whether it’s exploring textures in nature, applying tints to achieve the textures of an autumn scene, recording silhouettes and shades using the techniques of mixed media printmaking, or documenting the vibrant colours in the autumn photography workshop, there’s something for everyone.
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Escape to your own private 130 acre arboretum and lake cabin this autumn with a stay at Log House Holidays. Anthony Edmondson bought the disused gravel pit in 1980 and has since carefully planted over 50,000 trees to create a magical hideaway for any occasion. Start each day with a cup of tea on the swing chair and watch as autumnal reflections are revealed through misty scenes across the lake. Enjoy the oranges and reds of autumn along the two mile lakeside walk, from a romantic rowing boat or while taking a moment to soak in your steaming wooden hot tub.
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The golden Cotswold stone of Cogges Manor Farm in Witney offers a gorgeous backdrop for the espaliered trees bursting with fruit, lining the walled kitchen garden. With an abundance of seasonal fruit and vegetables growing, the farm volunteers can be found each weekend cooking up delicious jams and chutneys on the Victoria range and are happy to share their culinary secrets. Don’t forget to take your family pooch along too – Cogges is a dog-friendly attraction with something for everyone.
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