If you know my love for getting outdoors and visiting new places then this post won’t come as a surprise to you. I love a good walk, a nice hike and exploring the outdoors. Usually on foot, let’s be honest. I’m not much of a cyclist or a canoeist but I will walk for miles! Today I’ve got some information from the Woodland Trust all about some amazing UK woodlands to explore and get stuck into this autumn and they’re pretty breathtaking.

With summer holidays now a distant memory, it’s time to start planning your next big adventure. Whether it’s a tour across the British Isles or an easy weekend getaway that’s a bit closer to home, the Woodland Trust has picked out some of the best UK woods for you to explore.

1. Glen Finglas 

Set in Stirling – Scotland, Glen Finglas is home to breath-taking views, iconic Scottish wildlife and historic interest. Spanning an impressive 4095 hectares, Glen Finglas is certainly one to add to the bucket list.

The woodland is suitable for both the serious walker as well as well as the less seasoned adventurer, as several paths circle the estate, each offering their own varying route of discovery through ancient oak woodlands and vast open lands. 

Take the opportunity to marvel at weird and wonderful fungi and colourful wildflower displays. You may also be lucky enough to spot some red squirrels, otters, ospreys, deer, golden eagles and black grouse.

2. Skipton Castle Woods

Tucked away in the market town of Skipton, just to the south edge of the Yorkshire Dales, Skipton Castle Woods will make you feel as though you are stepping back in time. As you enter the woods, the hustle and bustle of the High Street is left behind, leaving you to you explore the abundance of wildlife. Keep your eyes peeled for woodpeckers, butterflies, kingfishers and herons, as well as a family of roe deer. 

If you decide to save this visit for the spring time, you will also be able to enjoy the picturesque display of bluebells and the scent of wild garlic as you explore your surroundings. 

3. Coed Felenrhyd & Llennyrch

This stunning area of Welsh woodland will set you up for a real journey back in time, as it is thought that the steep banks of the Afon Prysor gorge have been wooded for thousands of years – possibly since trees first re-colonised Wales after the last Ice Age.

The beautiful scenery is the perfect place to immerse for the day and take in all that the remote and historic site has to offer. Explore its atmospheric pools and the dramatic views of Snowdon as well and the rugged uplands of the Rhinog Mountains. 

4. Drumnaph Wood

Drumnaph occupies a ridge above the meandering Grillagh River, which allows you to enjoy the views west to Carntogher Mountain and the beautiful Sperrin Hills.

With over 30,000 trees planted in recent years, you’d be forgiven for thinking this was relatively young woodland, but actually, around 50% of the site is ancient woodland, making it a rare remnant of the great forest that once covered much of mid-Ulster.

If you decide to make it a winter visit, you will have a good chance to spot Irish hare as they are often seen around the edges of the woodland and in the surrounding fields in the colder months of the year.

5. Fingle Wood

And last but not least, Fingle Wood, which lies in the northern fringes of Dartmoor in Devon where Castle Drogo and Steps Bridge border the site. Extensive work is being done here to replace the swathes of conifer to help the site return to a natural broadleaf woodland.

Fingle is a fine example of a past ancient woodland haven. In recent years, over 45km of new footpaths have been laid to help visitors of all ages, discover every corner of this incredible place.

Explore the sun-dappled glades, spot wildlife and uncover intricate woodland archaeology. See if you can spot kingfishers darting along the River Fingle which sparkles on its route through the woods. Look out too for woodpeckers and otters, and the ever-changing wildflowers.

Woodlands offer year-round beauty, so whenever and wherever you’re planning your next big adventure, there’ll be a wood worth visiting. And if these 5 woods don’t fall on your route, search here for an extensive list of woods which are free to visit. 

Picture: Michael Cooper