Five Top Hills for Autumn

21st September, 2015

This has been read 4,394 times

A season of mellow light and dawn mist, russet leaves and purple heather, autumn is a bracing time on the hills. As a bonus the crisp air should be knocking back the midges. Dwidling daylight hours might nudge you towards shorter routes, so with this in mind here are five great half days with the classic autumnal mix of woodland and upland.

1. Catbells and Derwent Water

Skiddaw from Catbells, autumn colours

Bracken a rusty orange, broadleaves yellowing towards the fall, and long shadows on Skiddaw and Blencathra - the view from Catbells takes some beating at any time of year, but autumn might be best of all. Combined with a leg stretch along the shore of Derwentwater, thick with some of the most idyllic woods in England, this waterside mini mountain could have been purpose-built for a seasonal quickie. And summer's high season crowds should by now be a distant memory, too.

For details see this UKH Route Card

2. Schiehallion

Schiehallion from an autumnal Queen's View, Loch Tummel

Standing alone in the heart of the highlands, the huge mass of Schiehallion has a gravitational attraction by dint of its sheer scale, its elegant simplicity of form, and the wide-ranging views that its height and position afford. From the forested shores of Lochs Rannoch and Tummel - something to write home about in the tones of autumn - Schiehallion masquerades as a striking cone, Perthshire's Mount Fuji. Broadside-on it's more bulky, like the hull of an upturned boat. Despite the mountain's 1000 metre-plus height, the standard route from Braes of Foss is a casual half-day up-and-back affair; a longer and more rewarding circuit takes in the west ridge too for a full traverse. Either way Schiehallion has all the classic seasonal ingredients: autumnal woodland, heather in bloom and, quite possibly, a dusting of early snow.

Here's a Route Card

3. Lingmoor Fell

Elter Water and the eastern fells from Lingmoor Fell

From the pretty woods of Langdale to the gold-brown bracken and flowering heather of its knobbly spine, little Lingmoor Fell is a perfect autumn outing. With the familiar skyline of the higher fells encircling you, and a patchwork of valley pastures, trees and lakes below, the setting could not be more Lakeland. A quick bracing up-and-back and you can be down warming your cockles in a country pub for lunch.

For more see this Route Card

4. Ben Venue and Loch Katrine

ben venue

Rising over the forested shore of Loch Katrine in the ever-popular Trossachs, Ben Venue combines easy access with a pleasing ruggedness, and expansive views spanning from the lowland Central Belt to the zigzag silhouette of the southern Highlands. The oak woods are a real treat at this time of year, while up above the trees you might be lucky enough to hear the grunting roar of rutting stags, a classic soundtrack to autumn walks in the Highlands.

See this Route Card

5. Yr Aran from Nantgwynant

At the end of the day, a rainbow lifts the spirits after frequent squally showers dampen ambition. Nant Gwynant.

A satellite of the Snowdon range, Yr Aran is more than just a minor add-on. This fine conical peak is a superb half-day destination in its own right, and has a close-up view of Snowdon - with luck dusted with early snow. But perhaps it is the valley at its foot that really steals the show. A collage of lakes, fields and trees, Nantgwynant is one of the most picturesque spots in Snowdonia, and looks stunning in seasonal colours. From Pont Bethania follow Snowdon's Watkin Path through mature oak woodland into Cwm Llan, then climb Yr Aran via the east ridge. To make a circuit head down to the woods of the Gwynant valley at Craflwyn Hall, before returning by a trail along the southern shore of Llyn Dinas.

UKH Articles and Gear Reviews by Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com