Autumn colours in the White Peak

Ilam Park in the autumn

Discover the wondrous changes across Ilam Park, Dovedale and the White Peak as autumnal colour flows across the landscape. Take in the sights, sounds and smells of crisp autumn adventures and admire the wonderful wildlife that can be seen this time of year.

Nature's autumnal highlights

As we transition from summer to autumn, nature displays a beautiful and rich array of auburn hues and presents new opportunities to see wildlife. When you join us for a crisp and refreshing autumnal adventure at Ilam Park, Dovedale and the White Peak you are sure to discover wondrous wildlife moments and colours that inspire and astound. Find moments to pause and be still and admire the wide variety of fungi on the ground or spot wildlife preparing for the winter months.

When walking from Ilam Park to Dovedale, discover which fossils you can spot in the limestone rock or be a nature detective and see if you can spot dippers and herons on the River Dove and the wide variety of birds in the woodlands such as robins, chaffinches and wrens.

Spot dippers on the river
Dipper bird on the water
Spot dippers on the river

 

Woodland walks

Walking through woodlands rich in colour and wildlife, feeling the crisp autumn air agianst your face and the crunch of leaves underfoot - are just some of the things to be found in your autumn adventures in the White Peak that are good for soul. Our downloadable walks found below, will help you discover the autumnal transition across the landscape and allow our visitors to get the most out of their visits and feel closer to nature. If exploring with your four legged companion please remember to keep them on a lead to keep wildlife, livestock and other visitors safe from disturbance.

After discovering the autumnal splendour across Ilam Park, head to our Manifold Tea-room for a warming drink and a sweet or savoury treat, open Monday - Sunday 10am - 4pm. Every time you enjoy a cuppa and a piece of cake, you are directly supporting our Peak District Appeal, that allows us to carry out vital conservation work across the Peak District and securing woods for the future.

 

Autumn colours wash over Ilam Park
Views across Ilam Park to Thorpe Cloud
Autumn colours wash over Ilam Park

 

Photographer's canvas

As you can see in this article, with the stunning photography from our Volunteer Photographer Kev Dunnington, autumn is also a photographer's haven with a mulitude of divine colours cascading over the land and the changing behaviours of wildlife, presents unique opportunities to capture the seasonal change of nature. Why not bring your camera and see what photos you can capture and then share your findings with us over our social media channels @PeakDistrictNT Take only photographs, leave only footprints.

Every walk in nature helps people to feel better connected to beautiful areas like Ilam Park and when being blown away by the stunning colours of autumn we hope that our visitors will feel energised to help us look after these special places for years to come.

Moments of calm on an autumnal stroll by the River Manifold
Autumn colours seen along the River Manifold
Moments of calm on an autumnal stroll by the River Manifold