Escape into autumn with the National Trust

Promotional blog provided by the National Trust

Autumn is one of the most colourful times of year to visit Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, Ripon as the trees look their best dressed in reds, yellows, and golds. Take a walk from the ancient abbey ruins towards the Georgian water garden to see their colourful show. Pause at the Half Moon Pond behind Tent Hill and look for the Temple of Fame standing proud amongst the coloured trees, from dark green Scots Pine to yellow hornbeams. Wander along the High Ride Path to the Surprise View for breath-taking autumnal views and take in the Temple of Piety as it becomes surrounded by auburn beech trees and golden horse chestnuts. Continue to the deer park to see and hear one of nature’s autumn spectacles, as the stags in the deer park compete for status in the deer rut, roaring and clashing antlers.

When the low autumn sun shines, the garden at Beningbrough Hall just north of York, takes on orange hues, from the giant pumpkins to the frosted seed heads in the borders and the trees beyond. The large beech trees change to bronze and the lime tree avenue turns golden. For a sensory highlight, sniff out the katsura tree – as the heart-shaped leaves drop, the scent of candyfloss lingers in the air.

There's an abundance of colour in the gardens at Nunnington Hall near Helmsley in autumn. The vines on the wall start turning from green to orange and all shades between. The Black Walnut and the Liquidambar by the footbridge welcome visitors with their bright colours of yellow and bright red as they shed their leaves and create a carpet of autumn colour on the lawn by the river. The orchard trees are laden with fruit ready to be used by the tearoom and some left for the for the wildlife.

October is all about harvest at Beningbrough Hall, celebrated especially between 11 - 15 October for all things apple - tasting, displays, talks and getting the most from your edible plot. See the fruit in the walled garden bursting to life, with over 40 varieties of apples and pears. The range of colours in the different fruits runs from green and golden to russet and red, while deep crimson ornamental vines cover the walls.

Discover the Nunnington Hall autumn festival over the weekend 21 – 22 October. Join the garden team for a garden tour and apple juicing demonstrations. See the hall decorated and enjoy autumn themed crafts and delicious autumnal treats from the tea-room.

Grab your '50 things to do before you're 11 ¾' check list from the admissions team at Fountains Abbey and explore the estate. Find out more about the trees on the Tree Trunk Trail, try den building, and enjoy stargazing at Fountains by Floodlight.

Explore Beningbrough with the free family trail; ‘Match, Measure, Match’. Make your way through the garden to Match - the colours on the colour wheel with what you find in nature around you. Measure - what's the biggest - or smallest - leaf you can find. Make - an origami autumn colour 'fortune teller'.

At Nunnington, see the hall decorated for a seasonal celebration of light and shadow. Create shadow puppets at the shadow station and enjoy a range of activities in the outdoors. Test your wits against a riddle trail to uncover the hidden creatures that make Nunnington their autumn home.

Discover ‘Inspired by Italy’ at Beningbrough Hall until 17 March 2024. This new exhibition brings together the work of Kate Somervell, a black and white landscape photographer based in Yorkshire, and Giovanni Battista Piranesi, an eighteenth-century Italian artist. Both artists take inspiration from architecture, highlighting the romance and reality of Italy and the Italian influence on one of Yorkshire's great houses. Stunning views of Venice contrast with newly commissioned images of Beningbrough, alongside classical Rome.

Also, discover the 'Fields, Folds and Farming Life' exhibition at Nunnington Hall, open until 17 December. The work of Yorkshire photographer Valerie Mather and specially produced films reveal the hard work and determination of the people at the heart of the farming community on the doorstep of Nunnington; as they continue to navigate the ever-changing agricultural world to achieve a better farming future for people, the environment, and the local wildlife.

For more information and to plan your autumn days out visit Yorkshire | England | National Trust

Normal admission applies, entry is free for National Trust members and under-fives.