Perfect autumnal days out in London

They’ve got a tree or two down at Kew Gardens – actually, around 14,000 of them – so if you want to see autumnal colours across the skyline, it’s the place to be. Climb the 118 steps up to the Treetop Walkway to watch nature’s greatest art show. 

Get the full autumn effect
Dig out the wellies and go on a rainy day for that primo autumn smell.

More than 600 deer call Richmond Park home, and come autumn they’re feeling amorous. Keep an eye out amid the rust-coloured leaves and long grass, and you might witness stags bark and roar as they clash antlers to impress the ladies. Bit like a night out in Clapham. 

Get the full autumn effect
Hire a bike from Roehampton Gate and pedal off into the wilds. 

Do you have ambitions to cover your mantelpiece in ornate gourds, Martha Stewart style? Or are you just planning an epic pumpkin risotto? Either way, Sainsburys' selection just won't cut it: you've got to go right to the source. Take a day trip to Stanhill farm in Kent or Garson Farm in Surrey and you'll find pumpkins galore that are ready for picking in your very own harvest festival.

Get the full autumn effect

Why stop at pumpkins? Find a nearby hedgerow and go foraging for sloe berries and elderberries for use in homemade gin concotions.

The towpath of the Regent’s Canal is perfect for an autumnal stroll – or cycle, if you’re feeling energetic. The smell of wood-burner smoke from the picture-book narrowboats makes it extra special. Wind up in Little Venice and you can keep an eye on the scenery from inside the canalside Bridge House pub.

Get the full autumn effect
Don’t just look at the boats – wrap up warm, hop aboard and cruise from Little Venice to Camden and back with the London Waterbus Company.

Kick your way through the fallen leaves from the many horse chestnut trees in Greenwich Park. And once you’ve stocked up on conkers, check out the dreamy views across the river Thames and the amazingly autumnal red deer in the Deer Park. 

Get the full autumn effect
Grab a freshly baked treat from the White House Café – time it right and it’ll still be warm.

What could be more appropriate on a chilly evening than a wee dram of whisky? Milroy’s is a slice of old Soho and its whisky selection is, frankly, mindblowing. If you’re not into the amber stuff, check out the bookcase at the back – it’s the entrance to the cosiest speakeasy in London, with a bespoke cocktail menu and resident pooch.

Get the full autumn effect
Do one of Milroy’s regular masterclasses so you can dazzle everyone with your whisky nous all winter long.

Huge areas of Nunhead Cemetery have been almost completely overtaken by nature. But as the leaves drop away, you’ll see some of the most ostentatious monuments the Victorians made for their dead. The vista across London is pretty Insta-worthy too, particularly on a misty autumn day. 

Get the full autumn effect
Go on a Saturday and swing by Brockley Market, where you can stock up on all the ingredients for a perfect roast. 

Once a slightly scary highwayman’s hangout, The Spaniards Inn in Hampstead is now a welcome sight for weary walkers who’ve spent the afternoon on the Heath: all wood paneling and comfy leather seats. Order one of London’s best roasts and snuggle up to wait for it near the pub’s open fires.

Get the full autumn effect
Ask about the pub’s three resident ghosts – then maybe go to the toilet in twos.