Seasonal guide
The North York Moors in Autumn
Ask people who know the North York Moors when it's at its best and a surprising number will say autumn. As summer's heather fades, the bracken sets the moor ablaze in golds, russets and deep reds, the woodlands turn, the crowds thin, and the long, dark evenings bring the stars back. Here's what changes through the season, where to see the colour, and how to make the most of it.
When to come, and what changes
Early September still carries the last of the purple heather, especially up on the high moor. Through late September and October the real transformation is the bracken and the trees, rolling moorland turning gold and copper, and the deciduous woodlands reaching their peak colour from mid-October into November. The air sharpens, the light turns low and warm, and mornings often start misty in the valleys.
Where to see the best colour
Dalby Forest is the obvious first stop, its evergreens set off the flaming golds, oranges and browns of the deciduous trees, with miles of trails and a café for a warming drink afterwards. Sutton Bank, with what James Herriot called “the finest view in England,” is spectacular as the vale below turns golden. For something different, ride the steam railway through Newtondale, the great wooded gorge, or explore the dales. Farndale and Rosedale, as their valley sides colour up. Falling Foss, a pretty waterfall with an 18th-century tea garden nearby, is lovely under autumn leaves. Just beyond the park, the Yorkshire Arboretum puts on one of the region's finest displays.
Two walks that show the season off well are the Hole of Horcum, where the bracken-clad bowl glows copper, and the Bridestones, with their moorland and woodland mix.
The dark skies return
Autumn is when the Moors' status as an International Dark Sky Reserve really comes into its own, the nights draw in early, and the skies here are among the darkest in the country. Dalby Observatory, Sutton Bank and Danby are all Milky Way–class Dark Sky Discovery Sites, and on a clear autumn evening the Milky Way itself streams overhead. The National Park's Dark Skies Fringe Festival runs in the autumn with stargazing events and walks, check current dates on the National Park website. Wrap up warm, let your eyes adjust for twenty minutes, and look up.
Autumn wildlife
It's the deer rut, you may hear roe deer in the woodlands. And a wonderful time for woodland fungi, which appear in all shapes and colours across the forest floor (look and photograph, but never pick or eat anything unless you really know your fungi). Dalby Forest is also one of the best places in the region to spot red squirrels.
The cosy, harvest season
Autumn is harvest time, and the Moors do it well: farm shops piled with produce, game and root vegetables on pub menus, apple crumble, and a Yorkshire ale by a fire in a village inn. Ampleforth Abbey, with some of the largest traditional orchards in the North, presses its celebrated cider in autumn. Outside October half-term the Moors are noticeably quieter than in summer, one of the season's quiet pleasures.
Planning an autumn visit
Take layers and proper footwear, it's exposed up top and the woodland paths get muddy , and make the most of the shorter days by starting early. Reassuringly, the North York Moors enjoys one of the driest climates of any British upland. See plan your visit for the practicalities, and where to stay for a base. Opening times and festival dates vary from year to year, check the National Park or venue website before you set off.