The days are growing shorter, the weather is getting worse, summer holidays are a distant memory and Christmas is still ages away. There is no denying that October can be a depressing time of year in the UK – and then the clocks go back, and November is even more dark and dismal. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Here are 20 reasons to be cheerful this autumn.
2025 is a spectacular year for autumn colour. Thanks to the long, hot summer, with below-average rainfall in many areas, Forestry England has said: “Signs point to a particularly vivid display of reds, oranges and golds in the nation’s forests, lasting well into November, especially in northern regions.” It clarifies that this is partly down to changing weather patterns due to the climate crisis, which is obviously no cause for celebration, but that is not to say we can’t enjoy “one of the most flamboyant autumn displays in recent years”. Hotspots to visit include Westonbirt, the national arboretum, in Gloucestershire; Bedgebury Pinetum in Kent; Grizedale Forest in Cumbria; and Kielder Forest in Northumberland. In the Wye Valley and the Forest of Dean, there is a leaf-peeping drive with 10 scenic viewpoints. Failing that, just head to your nearest park.
It’s also a “mast year”. According to the Woodland Trust, there is a bumper crop of acorns and beech nuts (collectively known as mast) this autumn. The phenomenon happens every few years, usually after a warm, dry spring. It is good news for the jays, mice, squirrels and badgers that feast on the bounty, but also, as there is such a surplus, it means new trees will grow next year. Win-win.
Wildlife goes really wild. Some of the best autumn spectacles in the UK are seal pups being born, starling murmurations, salmon runs, deer rutting, bird migrations and red squirrels foraging before winter sets in. BBC Countryfile has a guide to the best times and places to witness these natural wonders.
You can take fantastic photographs. Landscape photographers love autumn for its vibrant colours, soft golden light, atmospheric weather – and the longer lie-in before sunrise. There are lots of workshops at this time of year, or simply grab your phone and go for a walk.
It’s the best time to take up running. According to research by St Mary’s University, Twickenham, running in cooler temperatures places less stress on the body in terms of heart rate and sweat loss. No one wants to start a running regime in the depths of winter, but autumn’s milder days are more appealing. If you stick with it through the winter, there are lots of races to enter in spring, from 5ks to marathons.
Star-gazing is sensational. The upside of the long, dark nights are all the celestial events. The Orionid meteor shower lights up the sky from now until 7 November, peaking on 22 October; the constellation of Orion is fully visible in November; Jupiter and Saturn are easier to spot; and supermoons will appear on 7 October, 5 November and 4 December. There are lots of star-gazing nights at observatories such as Jodrell Bank in Cheshire, and several dark skies festivals across England and Wales and in Scotland.
But if the dark gets you down, there are lots of light festivals. Leicester’s Diwali celebrations are thought to be the biggest outside India (Diwali is on 20 October, but festivities start on 6 October and continue until 30 November). Secular autumn light festivals are also an emerging trend: this year, there are new ones in Worcester (29 and 30 October) and Rotherham (November to January), alongside established ones in cities including Liverpool, Leeds, Blackpool, Sheffield and Middlesbrough.
Not to mention Halloween … No, it’s not an American import – Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. Don’t be a spoilsport: carve a pumpkin, watch the new Frankenstein film (in UK cinemas from 17 October; on Netflix from 7 November), or go to a spooky event at an English Heritage site or National Trust property.
Bonfire Night is back with a bang. Some firework displays are returning for the first time since the pandemic, including the much-missed one in Blackheath, south-east London (1 November). Others continue centuries-old traditions, such as the flaming tar barrels of Ottery St Mary, Devon, and the fiery processions through Lewes, East Sussex (both on 5 November).
Speaking of fire … You may have retired the barbecue for another year, but a chiminea is perfect on autumn evenings. If you don’t have a garden, ‘tis the season of scented candles (confession: I bought an “oak and fallen acorn” one the other day) and woodland walks to cosy pubs with roaring fires.
Comfort food is back on the menu. Summer salads are all very well, but autumn’s soups, stews and puddings are much more satisfying. This has been a great year for apples and pumpkins – a good excuse to make a pumpkin soup and a toffee apple pudding cake. Celebrate on apple day (officially 21 October, but events take place nationwide all month) or at a harvest festival (5 October, but again, events vary).
It’s mushroom season. If foraging for them, it’s always best to go with an expert – the Wild Food UK site lists courses. There is a weekend mushroom festival in Wareham, Dorset, for committed mycophiles (24-26 October). Failing that, pick up some ’shrooms at a farmers’ market or supermarket – many of them sell lion’s mane, hen of the woods and king oysters these days.
Rosé is out, red wine is in. Spritz season is over, and white wine and rosé just aren’t right on a cold night (having said that, M&S has just launched a rosé mulled wine). But that makes room for red wine! The Guardian’s wine writer Hannah Crosbie recommends easy-drinking, affordable Portuguese blends for autumn. Cider and perry, sloe gin and espresso martinis also suit the season. Alternatives to the ubiquitous pumpkin spice latte include the maple hazel latte (at Costa) and the salted caramel latte (Pret, Greggs).
Colour is back in fashion. According to the Guardian’s Jess Cartner-Morley, stylish people have been wearing boring beige for the past couple of years. But this autumn, “rich, saturated shades” have made a welcome return. “Sunset and berry shades mixed together look delicious,” she says – and wearing them is bound to brighten up your day.
You can still find cheer in the garden. You don’t have to “put your garden to bed” for the winter, leaving little to look at until the first snowdrops appear. Instead, opt for a blaze of colour. The RHS suggests eight tough, striking plants for autumn cheer, including cyclamens and winter pansies.
It’s a great time for cinema. There are lots of big releases in November (this year’s include the Wicked and Knives Out sequels), plus events including the BFI London film festival (8-19 October). November tends to have the highest cinema admission figures outside school holidays (13.2m last year, behind August on 13.8m and December on 15.7m). Perhaps it’s partly because there is no shame in sitting in a dark room when it’s dark outside anyway.
And for art … The Frieze sculpture exhibition in Regent’s Park, London, is an annual art highlight – and it’s free (until 2 November). Blockbuster exhibitions this year include the Turner prize in Bradford (until 22 February), Made in Ancient Egypt in Cambridge (until 12 April) and Kerry James Marshall in London (until 18 January).
And for TV. Celebrity Traitors, the return of Alan Partridge, the end of Stranger Things … sitting on the sofa under a blanket has never been so tempting.
You can soak in a nice hot bath. If, like me, you haven’t got one, Britain’s last remaining Victorian Turkish baths are great value and need support – find them in Newcastle, Harrogate, Northampton, Edinburgh and London. Alternatively, saunas have sprung up all over the country, from free and discounted community saunas in London to “wild” saunas in remote locations.
But if you really hate autumn at home, at least holidays are a lot cheaper at this time of year. According to All Clear, a travel insurance company, flights and hotels are 20-40% cheaper in autumn and spring than in July and August, and car hire can be up to half price. The UK’s warmest destination, the Isles of Scilly, has an Autumn Tide festival this month (8-14 October). For affordable autumn sunshine in wider Europe, the Post Office suggests the Canary Islands or Cyprus in October, and Malaga, Spain, or the Algarve, Portugal, in November.