At this time of year, there’s a palette of colours waiting to be discovered across breath-taking Suffolk landscapes looked after by the National Trust. Discover woodlands of golden leaves and wildlife along the way.
With hundreds of walking trails to choose from, whether you’re looking for a bracing coastal hike or a gentle woodland stroll, there are plenty of opportunities to get outdoors and connect
with nature. From the beautiful browns and blazing reds to vibrant oranges and golden yellows, autumn is a time of year when you can witness nature’s colour palette in its full glory. As well as trees putting on their annual display of autumn colour, there’s
weird and wonderful fungi to spot, fruit laden hedgerows and long lingering light that makes this one of the most stunning seasons of the year.
To celebrate the season and inspire days out this autumn, the National Trust has pulled together a list of the best places in Suffolk for an autumnal stroll.
Dunwich Heath and Beach
Tucked away on the Suffolk coast, Dunwich Heath and Beach offers peace, quiet and a true sense of being at one with nature.
Explore the vast open space of the heathland on the pink trail, a two-mile route which offers plenty of opportunities to see stonechats, skylarks and Dartford warblers. See the trees change colour and shape and keep an eye out for colourful fungi, as well as conkers and acorns hidden amongst the woodland floor.
Extended opening on Thursdays means that lucky visitors might even see the starlings in flight over the cliffs or a colourful sunset light up the sky. The beach is also full of interest at this time of year, so keep a look out for interesting finds on the shore, migrating birds and even a seal or porpoise amongst the waves.
Sutton Hoo
Collect a trail map and head out on one of Sutton Hoo’s many walking routes, which meander through woodland and past the Royal Burial Ground. Admire the historic burial mounds from the 17m viewing tower and look out over the treetops as the view changes with the shifting seasons.
See which of the wading birds you can spot on River View Walk, a short circular trail which offers views over the River Deben and find mythical beasts on the Design and Sculpture trail, which will lead you through the woodland, teeming with fungi. There will be conkers to collect, leaves to spot and a host of resident wildlife to share the space with.
Flatford
The walks from Flatford open up vistas of reds and golds, as the trees start to change colour ahead of winter. The inspiration for some of John Constable's most famous landscape paintings, the purple trail is recommended in the autumn, where you can take in the changing colours of Orvis Wood.
Ickworth Estate
Ickworth is an Italianate Palace in the heart of an ancient park. Formal gardens, pleasure grounds, rolling Suffolk landscape and woodlands invite gentle strolls or long walks, runs and bike rides.
For the best of the autumn colour, head for the Albana Walk where the maples, chestnut, beech and oak trees range from bright yellow to deep red at this time of year. The River Linnet
Walk, a 5km route around the estate, takes in spectacular views of the changing season, with a kaleidoscope of autumn colour to spot as your walk through the valley and a view of the ‘Tea Party Oak’, one of the oldest oaks on the Estate, as it dons its autumn foliage.
The autumn deer rut will also have started, so if you’re lucky, you might hear fallow deer bellowing to attract females, as well as warn off other males.
Lavenham
Discover the medieval history of Lavenham on an engaging guided walk of the village with a knowledgeable volunteer guide. The guided walks take between 1.5 to 2 hours and cover approximately a one-mile route around the village. You can pick up your tickets at visitor reception.
For more walks with the National Trust, visit https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/suffolk/dunwich-heath-and-beach