Ten walks for autumn

Pick your route

We’ve chosen ten walking routes to help you discover the great outdoors this autumn in our woodlands and National Nature Reserves.

Enjoy views full of autumn hues and dramatic waterfalls on our waymarked walking trails across Wales. 

Head for a woodland if you fancy spotting some spectacular members of the fungi kingdom.

Venture out on a boardwalk over a raised bog to admire an array of brown, gold and maroon colours.

Wander through a forest garden where the leaves turn at different times during the autumn.

To help you pick a route near you, we’ve listed walks in north Wales first, then mid Wales and then south Wales.

Llyn Elsi Trail, Gwydir Forest Park, North West Wales

Leave the bustle of Betws-y-coed to discover a tranquil and scenic lake surrounded by trees rich with autumn colours. Follow the path around the lake as it cuts in and out from the water’s edge and goes past a monument with a bench from which you can enjoy the view. The trail rejoins the main path and you re-trace your steps back to Betws-y-coed.

• Length: 4 miles/6.2 kilometres
• Terrain: A strenuous walk with a climb of 300 metres as the trail rises and descends steeply from the town and follows a combination of forest roads and narrower footpaths, less than 100cm wide in some places, on an unmade and uneven surface, where you can expect mud, rocks and tree roots
• Start and finish: behind St. Mary’s Church (next to Cotswolds Outdoor Shop), Betws-y-Coed

Find out more

• How to get here, other walking routes and facilities at Gwydir Forest Park
• Download a map

Forest Garden Discovery Trail, Coed y Brenin Forest Park, North West Wales

Where better to take the family to see the rich reds and glorious copper hues of autumn than on a discovery trail through a forest garden? A whole host of trees from around the world line the path through this pretty woodland. They change colour at different times during the autumn and so you should have a colourful welcome whenever you visit. Many of the trees have name tags and there are posts along the way with pull-out signs with fascinating facts. Spotting the labels and reading the tree facts can be a great game for younger walkers and you can continue the woodland fun at home by collecting fallen leaves to use in art work. 

• Length: ½ mile/0.6 kilometres
• Terrain: The forest garden is criss-crossed with a series of formal and informal tracks, some steep and uneven, but there are no steps or stiles
• Start and finish: Forest Garden car park, Coed y Brenin Forest Park, near Dolgellau

Find out more

• How to get here, other walking routes and facilities at Coed y Brenin Forest Park
• Download a map

Cwm Cadian and Animal Puzzle Trail, Tan y Coed, Mid Wales

Get set to enjoy spectacular seasonal colours on this short walk through tall beech trees in a peaceful woodland. Beech trees put on a long display during autumn as their leaves gradually turn from pale yellow through to deep orange. The dead leaves often remain on the trees well into winter but, when they do fall, they cover the woodland floor with a deep, crackly carpet which is great fun to walk through. The path goes alongside the River Cadian which is the perfect place to spot the aptly named dippers that bob up and down searching for food in the rushing water. At the car park, pick up a leaflet for the Animal Puzzle Trail (which follows the same route as the Cwm Cadian Trail) and challenge the kids to spot the animals along the way. Bring a packed lunch to enjoy at one of the picnic tables on the grassy slopes around the car park.

• Length: 1¼ mile/2 kilometres
• Terrain: The trail follows forest roads and narrow rough paths with some rocks, roots and mud and there are some climbs and descents along the way. It is not suitable for pushchairs
• Start and finish: Tan y Coed car park, near Machynlleth

Find out more

• How to get here, other walking routes and facilities at Tan y Coed
• Download a map

Panorama Trail, The Arch, Mid Wales

Set off from the old masonry arch which once marked the entrance to the nearby Hafod Estate. After a short but steep climb through colourful heather and bilberry, you’ll reach the viewpoint with bench and panoramic views over the surrounding hills as far as Snowdonia National Park. The trail returns to the car park through huge beech trees, planted on the estate over 200 years ago. Enjoy the vibrant auburn shades displayed by these majestic trees from the wooden bench in the glade.

• Length: 1⅓ miles/2.1 kilometres
• Terrain: This moderate walk has a long climb and a steep descent, part of which is on steps. The surface is rough and can be wet in places
• Start and finish: The Arch car park, near Devil’s Bridge

Find out more

• How to get here, other walking routes and facilities at The Arch
• Download a map

Cors Caron Walk, Cors Caron National Nature Reserve, Mid Wales

Venture out on the boardwalk at Cors Caron National Nature Reserve to admire an array of brown, gold and maroon colours within a stunning landscape. This vast area of wetland is a dramatic sight at any time of year but its colours really come into their own in the autumn. The rusty colours of the raised bog, reedbed and grassland provide a contrast to the green of the surrounding hills and, in early autumn, the common heather is still in flower. It is a fantastic place for wildlife, too, and on warmer days you may see dragonflies and damselflies darting over the water or even a lizard or an adder basking on the boardwalk in the last of the year’s sunshine.

• Length: 1½ miles/2.6 kilometres
• Terrain: The accessible boardwalk is a circular route over the south-east bog. It passes by a large hide where you can enjoy peaceful views of the landscape and wildlife. There are benches and passing places along the way
• Start and finish: Cors Caron National Nature Reserve car park, near Tregaron

Find out more

• How to get here, other walking routes and facilities at Cors Caron National Nature Reserve
• Download a map

Ridgetop Trail, Bwlch Nant yr Arian Visitor Centre, Mid Wales

The spectacular scenery full of autumn colours makes the steep climb on the Ridgeway Trail well worth the effort. The trail passes through different landscapes ranging from the rugged ridgeway on the open hillside to the forest, with its rich colours overhead and at the side of the path. Along the way there is a stone viewpoint where you can enjoy stunning views over Cardigan Bay and the Cambrian Mountains. The autumn is a great time to watch the red kites arrive at the lake to be fed every afternoon. Their numbers tend to increase slightly as the weather cools and their natural food sources declines. If it’s wet, the visitor centre café is a sheltered place to watch this wonderful scene, and to enjoy tea and homemade cakes.

• Length: 3 miles/5 kilometres
• Terrain: The Ridgetop Trail is waymarked from the Visitor Centre car park and follows well-defined paths. There are some long and steep climbs and descents. The surfaces are generally in good condition but may be rough and wet in places and parts of the trails are very exposed
• Start and finish: Bwlch Nant yr Arian Visitor Centre, near Aberystwyth

Find out more

• How to get here, other walking routes and facilities at Bwlch Nant yr Arian Visitor Centre
• Download a map

Water-Break-its-Neck Trail, Radnor Forest, Mid Wales

Waterfalls are even more dramatic after wet autumn weather so it’s a great time of year to visit one that’s been famous since Victorian times. The vividly-named Water-Break-its-Neck waterfall is situated in the part of Radnor Forest known as Warren Wood. This area was moorland full of vast rabbit warrens before the Victorian estate owners planted fashionable picturesque woodland for the benefit of tourists visiting the waterfall. The river tumbles down a gorge into the spectacular waterfall and the micro-climate is home to ferns, mosses and lichens. This circular walk leads you through the woodland and above Water-Break-its-Neck and you should hear the thundering of the falls as you get closer to them.

• Length:  ¾ mile/1 kilometre
• Terrain: This is a circular route through the woodland to the top of the waterfall.  There is also a shorter, mainly level walk from the car park that goes straight to the foot of the waterfall and then returns along the same path
• Start and finish: Warren Wood car park, near Llandrindod Wells

Find out more

• How to get here, other walking routes and facilities at Warren Wood
• Download a map

Pont Annell Walk, Caio Forest, South West Wales

Follow in the footsteps of a historic Welsh prince on a walk in a woodland with royal connections. Caio Forest is a conifer woodland named after the village which was the birthplace of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, the last prince of an independent Wales. In the autumn, the needles on the deciduous larch trees turn gold and contrast with the lofty evergreen Douglas Fir and Norway Spruce trees. The path goes through the forest and crosses a bridge over the stream where there is a picnic table in the clearing. After your walk, seek out the spectacular stainless steel statue of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd in the grounds of the castle ruins in Llandovery.

• Length: 1 mile/1.6 kilometres
• Terrain:  This waymarked walk is a relatively easy stroll through the forest which is suitable for families
• Start and finish: Caio Forest car park, near Llandovery

Find out more

• How to get here, other walking routes and facilities at Caio Forest
• Download a map

Minwear Walk, Minwear Forest, South West Wales

Minwear Forest is the place to go this autumn if you fancy spotting some spectacular members of the fungi kingdom. This is the best time of year to hunt for strange-shaped fungi which, along with the colours of the burnished leaves on the trees, make a fantastic feast for the eyes. The forest is situated in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park near the head of the tidal section of the Eastern Cleddau River. The combination of sea water and fresh water provides a varied habitat for wildlife - look out for waterside birds like herons and kingfishers from the picnic area and viewpoint over the estuary.

• Length: 1½ miles/2.5 kilometres
• Terrain: This waymarked walk is suitable for families
• Start and finish: Minwear Forest car park, near Haverfordwest

Find out more

• How to get here, other walking routes and facilities at Minwear Forest
• Download a map

Wonders of Whitestone, Wye Valley, South East Wales

The Wye Valley is known as the birthplace of British tourism and it has been attracting visitors since the 18th century. Autumn is a great time to visit the woodlands here which are amongst the most beautiful in Britain. The mixture of trees from stately oak and beech trees to ash, cherry and small-leaved lime display a rich palette of autumn colours. Enjoy views over the dramatic Wye gorge and river through the colourful trees from the three historic viewpoints on this trail.

• Length: 1½ miles/2.3 kilometres
• Terrain: This easy circular walk is mainly level with one stony section
• Start and finish: Whitestone Wood car park, near Tintern

Find out more

• How to get here, other walking routes and facilities at Whitestone
• Download a map

Plan ahead and enjoy your trip!

Go to the Traveline Cymru website for information about travel by bus, coach and train in Wales.

See the Countryside Code for advice about preparing for your trip, keeping yourself and others safe and how you can help ensure that the countryside remains a beautiful place that everyone can enjoy.

Looking for somewhere else to visit? Go to our Places to Visit section.

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