The end of summer doesn’t mean the end of the driving season. Those in the know will hang on just a little longer before putting their cars away into secure car storage, in the hope of getting in one or two drives as autumn turns – combining the stunning seasonal colours with the cooler air that always makes a car feel just a little more alive.
We’ve selected five places across the UK for the perfect autumnal drive that you might want to pencil in your diary for a quick getaway. Here the scenery is just as important as the roads, but driving thrills are never far away either, and for each location we’ve suggested another few things you might like to put on the itinerary too.
[Featured image credit: Ben Crowther Photography. Shot: Cheltenham]
Grizedale Forest, Cumbria
Cast your mind back to around the 1990s and the name Grizedale will be familiar to anyone who ever followed the old RAC Rally, and indeed the Cumbrian forest still hosts rallying today. You don’t need to set tyres on gravel though to enjoy the hues that emerge in the autumn, since there are several paved roads that wind their way through the area too.
You’ll find Grizedale to the west of Lake Windermere, England’s largest lake, and to the east of Coniston Water. That’s a name any petrolhead will recognise too, since it was the venue for several water speed records from Sir Malcolm Campbell and his son Donald. You can find memorabilia relating to the Campbells, including Bluebird K7, in the Ruskin Museum in Coniston itself. The main forest drive is about 8 miles (13 km) long, accessed from either the Hawkshead or Satterthwaite side of the forest.
Grizedale’s lanes are narrow and undulating, better for hot hatches and small sports cars than big GTs. Once you’ve had your fill of both the roads and the leaves, then to the northwest of Coniston, where the trees clear, you can also tackle the steep and winding Hardknott and Wrynose passes – again, best suited to cars on the smaller side.
Here’s the route to plug into your map [map link here]
New Forest, Hampshire & Wiltshire
Some of our autumnal locations are great spots for exploring what your car can do, as well as the colours and attractions each region has to offer. That’s less the case with the New Forest, since a blanket 40mph speed limit and the ever present horses, cyclists, hikers and others enjoying the area means a much gentler pace is required.
That just means more excuses to stop and take in the scenery, and if you dabble in photography, plenty of quiet spots to set your car against an explosion of reds, yellows and browns. It’s ideal if you have a drop-top too, since the speeds don’t matter quite so much then, and it’s all the better to hear the rustle of leaves – both Ornamental Drive near Brockenhurst, lined with beech trees and redwoods, and Blackwater Arboretum being two of the best spots to appreciate the colourful foliage.
To cap it all, if you car is safely stored at Windrush Car Storage in London, then the New Forest is within very easy reach, and the area is peppered with inns, hotels, camp sites and more, so you’ve got the choice of either a day trip, or to stay for longer and explore more of the area’s roads. A popular route starts in Lyndhurst, heading through Brockenhurst, Beaulieu – where it’s worth rolling in a visit to the National Motor Museum – then Lymington, Burley, and back to Lyndhurst, for around 30-35 miles of driving.
Here’s the route [map link here]
Kielder Forest, Northumberland
Much like Grizedale further up, Kielder holds a special place for fans of rallying, but there is far more to it than the sounds of flat-four Imprezas thundering through its forestry tracks. The main road that sweeps through the forest and around Kielder Water though feels purpose-made not for rally cars, but for grand tourers and sports cars.
While the forest is known for its conifers, many of the roads are bordered by more seasonal trees such as oak, larch, and particularly beech in the Sidwood Trail – the latter of which become so vibrant that they recently featured on stamps to celebrate Forestry England’s centenary. For somewhere to stay, we’d recommend Falstone just to the southeast of the forest (and another place steeped in rallying heritage), but there’s no need to stop once you reach the Scottish border at the northwestern edge – keep going to Saughtree, hang a right onto the B6357, another left at the A6088, and enjoy the fantastic roads all the way to Hawick.
One of Kielder’s best activities though can be enjoyed at night, when you can’t even see what colour the trees are turning: the area has some of the UK’s darkest skies, and the Kielder Observatory offers some incredible views of the cosmos.
Here’s the route [map link here]
Loch Lomond, Scotland
You’re spoiled for choice with great routes in Scotland, and even if the weather isn’t playing ball, you’re guaranteed some spectacular scenery wherever you go – take more inspiration in our blog on Scotland’s North Coast N500. But, for autumn colour, we’d head up towards Loch Lomond, since the only thing better than the golden hues of the season is seeing it doubled, reflected along the water’s edge.
One of those waterside routes is the A82, which runs for around 24 miles along the western shore of Loch Lomond – to get there, head north out of Glasgow and follow signs towards Fort William. If you have more time, you can continue north on the A82 into Glencoe (around 90 minutes from Lomond) for even more dramatic Highland scenery, the low shrubs browning by this time of the year. Ben Nevis is only another 30 minutes from there – October is still inside the recommended climbing window, if you’re feeling adventurous, though be prepared for all kinds of weather.
As an alternative to the A82, consider the nearly hidden A821, the “Duke’s Pass”, to the east. This passes by Loch Achray and the larger Loch Venachar, but the 13-mile run is surrounded by deciduous forests that punctuate Scotland’s fir trees with bursts of colour in the autumn, with several hiking routes, and you can take your pick of accommodation along this fantastic driving road, from camp sites to imposing stone hotels.
Here’s the A82 route [map link here]
Here’s the A821 ‘Duke’s Pass’ route [map link here]
Snowdonia, Wales
As a driving destination, most enthusiasts will be aware that Wales is difficult to beat. Snowdonia especially, which offers up some of the best scenery in the country, with roads that cut dramatically through the mountains, with the 3,560-foot Snowdon, or Yr Wyddfa, never far from view – and during our favoured season, often already capped with snow.
Closer to sea level the landscape will be bathed in colour during the autumn months, as roads not bordered with slate are lined with yellowing trees. There are several potential loops that take in most of the region, but as most of us will be approaching from the east, your first port of call should be Betws-y-Coed and west along the A5.
Then you have a choice: stay on the sweeping A5 towards Bangor, or take a left at Capel Curig towards Pen-y-Pass, and veer northwest towards the Llanberis Pass. Snowdon will be on your left, and dry stone walls and browning shrubbery lining either side of the road almost the whole way to Caernarfon, while Llanberis itself can offer a viewpoint from the local quarry, the ruins of Dolbadarn castle, and if you’re prepared to trade tarmac for tracks, the Snowdon mountain railway (before the end of October) for a more relaxed view of the autumn countryside.
Betws-y-Coed to Caernarfon route [map link here]
Betws-y-Coed to Bangor route [map link here]
Is your car ready for autumn?
Autumn can be an awesome time for a road trip but it’s also very weather dependent. At Windrush Car Storage, we make sure all the cars we look after are on the button and ready to go, so you can enjoy your car the minute the sun makes an appearance. Just contact our team at Windrush Car Storage London or the Cotswolds and we’ll take care of the rest.
