It doesn’t feel like that long ago that we were planning our summer holidays but believe it or not, autumn is coming and October is just around the corner!

Autumn is one of the most spectacular times to visit the New Forest with the vibrant and rich colours of the leaves turning into the familiar golds, oranges and reds and falling to the forest floor.

This blog takes a look at some of the fantastic things you can be doing here this October…

The New Forest Walking and Cycling Festival returns
A popular annual event, the New Forest Walking and Cycling Festival begins on 16 October and runs into November. The festival features lots of fantastic, family-friendly guided walks and bike rides in beautiful locations around the New Forest. Themed activities are set to include birdwatching, fungi spotting, hidden histories, dog walks and wild play events for children. The full programme of events is set to be announced soon, so keep an eye online for further updates and make sure you book your places early to avoid disappointment!

Discover our wildlife
The autumn months are a great time to do a bit of pig spotting, as pigs owned by New Forest Commoners are released into the forest to feast on the fallen acorns. This tradition, known as pannage, dates back several centuries.

Embark on some of our walking routes to see if you can spot New Forest ponies, deer and fungi. We’ve over forty routes you can pick from, catering for all walking abilities. 

Top off your wildlife adventures by stopping by at the New Forest Centre in Lyndhurst to see the Wildlife Wanderings - photography exhibition by David Bailey, running from Saturday 23 October.

Take in those autumn colours!
Travelling through the New Forest, you will be mesmerised by the autumn colours. Do look out for some of our guided walks which can take you to places you haven’t heard of and show you some of our hidden gems.

You will also find some fantastic autumn colours at our gardens. Both Exbury Gardens and Furzey Gardens come to life with their autumn displays. Any children you are travelling with will enjoy the miniature railway (at Exbury) and finding hidden fairy doors (at Furzey) too.

Enjoy family adventures at half term
Of course, half term falls into October, along with Halloween. You’ll find there’s loads to do if you are travelling here with a family. New Forest Activities are holding Spooky Halloween River ToursCanoe Halloween Candy Hunts and Halloween Pumpkin Shooting events, or pick your own pumpkins to carve and eat at Sunnyfields Farm’s Pumpkin Time Event or at Bickton Manor Farm, where they also have a Halloween Maize Maze! Be sure to check out our Halloween and Half Term event webpages, featuring some of the highlights you can enjoy.

Book your last-minute break
It’s not too late to book your last-minute getaway to the New Forest. Although our accommodation is pretty busy, you can still find some late availability on offer here. Pop your dates and what you are looking for into our accommodation search box and find your perfect stay.

And lastly before we go…
Don’t forget to bring your camera, you’ll regret it if you don’t! We’d love to see your New Forest pictures too, share them with us at @TheNewForestUK on FacebookInstagram and Twitter.