Woodsmoke curling from thatched cottages, mist drifting through wooded valleys, deserted beaches stretching towards the Atlantic – Devon is at its most enchanting in autumn.
The timeless landscapes seem made for the big screen, so it’s little wonder filmmakers chose the county as the backdrop for the latest adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, starring Daisy Edgar-Jones.
After almost three decades writing about Devon, I’ve come to love these quieter months, when ancient woodlands blaze with copper and gold, the coast takes on a wilder beauty and, with the summer crowds gone, it feels like you have the place to yourself.
From film locations to riverside saunas, strutting stags and spectacular gardens, here are my reasons to visit out of season.
AUSTEN ADVENTURE
Take inspiration from Sense and Sensibility and trace the filming locations frequented by the fictional Dashwood sisters
Mothecombe Beach, for instance, is one of the film’s Devon locations
Fans of Sense and Sensibility can follow in the footsteps of the Dashwood sisters at beautiful Mothecombe Beach, one of the film’s Devon locations, about ten miles south-east of Plymouth on the south coast. Inland, the granite outcrops and brooding moorland around Gutter Tor on Dartmoor also provided a dramatic backdrop.
MY TIP: Stop for lunch at Schoolhouse, a former village school-turned-restaurant, a short stroll from Mothecombe Beach (schoolhouse-devon.com).
BOOK IT: The Rose and Crown in Yealmpton is a characterful village inn with doubles from £80 B&B (theroseandcrown.co.uk).
GEORGIAN GRANDEUR
If you preferred the 1995 film version, drop into Saltram, which featured in the older movie
This isn’t Devon’s first starring role in Sense and Sensibility. Saltram (nationaltrust.org.uk), the magnificent Georgian mansion near Plymouth, doubled as Norland Park in the 1995 film starring Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet. Come autumn, the estate’s lime avenue turns a glorious golden yellow.
MY TIP: Don’t miss the house’s exquisite interiors, particularly Robert Adam’s magnificent neoclassical Saloon.
BOOK IT: St Elizabeth’s House, a boutique country-house hotel in nearby Plympton, has doubles from £95 B&B (stelizabeths.co.uk).
MIGRATION MAGIC
Puffins on Lundy island might be gone by autumn, but there are plenty of other birds to see
Lundy’s famous puffins depart by August, but autumn brings thousands of other migrant birds stopping to refuel. Gusty weather can blow rarities off course, including yellow-browed warblers, Lapland buntings and red-breasted flycatchers. From the cliffs above the Bristol Channel, look for Manx and sooty shearwaters, grey seals, common dolphins and even minke whales.
MY TIP: Check recent sightings with Lundy Bird Observatory (lundybirdobs.org.uk). In late autumn and winter, helicopter services operate from Hartland Point (from £184).
BOOK IT: Self-catering four-night stays in a Landmark Trust cottage or lighthouse are from £372 (landmarktrust.org.uk).
STEAM DREAMS
Take a ride on the South Devon Railway for a nostalgic treat
There are few more nostalgic ways to admire Devon’s autumn colours than from a steam train. The South Devon Railway chugs for seven miles between Buckfastleigh and Totnes, following the River Dart through wooded valleys and farmland.
MY TIP: The family-orientated Enchanted Pumpkin Express service (October 24-31) includes entry to Totnes Rare Breeds Farm and a visit to its pumpkin patch (southdevonrailway.co.uk).
BOOK IT: The Bull Inn, an award-winning organic pub with nine individually designed bedrooms in the heart of Totnes, has doubles from £95 B&B (bullinntotnes.co.uk).
RUSTIC RAMBLE
Take a woodland stroll before enjoying a riverside sauna treat
Forget New England. Come October, the Teign Gorge on Dartmoor puts on an autumn display to rival anything across the Atlantic. Oaks, beeches and birches blaze in shades of amber, russet and bronze, their colours reflected in the clean, peaty river. Follow the woodland path from Mill End, near Chagford, to Fingle Bridge Inn, with the option of an uphill detour to Castle Drogo for spectacular views.
MY TIP: Soothe aching muscles after your walk at Wilder Sauna, a wood-fired riverside sauna in the grounds of Mill End Hotel (wildersauna.com).
BOOK IT: Mill End Hotel sits beside the river and walking trail, with doubles from £185 B&B (millendhotel.com).
ARTISAN ENCOUNTERS
Dartmoor is stunning – but there’s more to do beyond the outdoors
With autumn weather notoriously fickle, swap sightseeing for a glimpse behind the workshop doors of Dartmoor’s artisans. The not-for-profit Dartmoor Artisan Trail, which I founded in 2017, allows visitors to try their hand at turning a wooden bowl on a pole lathe, throwing a pot or working beside a blacksmith at a traditional forge.
MY TIP: Book workshops directly with the makers (dartmoor-artisan-trail.co.uk).
BOOK IT: The historic, thatched Ring of Bells inn is in North Bovey, one of the prettiest villages on the trail. Doubles from £105 B&B (ringofbells.uk).
GLORIOUS GARDENS
The Garden House is at its best during the autumn season
On Dartmoor’s western fringes the Garden House (thegardenhouse.org.uk) saves its most spectacular display for autumn, with its Japanese maple glade turning vivid shades of crimson, orange and gold from mid-October into November. There’s also a charming walled garden, historic ruins and 12 acres to explore.
MY TIP: Combine it with nearby Wildside, Keith Wiley’s extraordinary naturalistic garden, but check ahead for opening times (wileyatwildside.com).
BOOK IT: The Horn of Plenty near Tavistock, a country-house hotel with gorgeous views over the Tamar Valley, has doubles from £150 B&B (thehornofplenty.co.uk).
UNDERGROUND ADVENTURES
Exeter’s underground tunnels provide refuge from a rainy day
When the heavens open, head below Exeter’s streets, where medieval tunnels offer an escape from the rain. Built to carry fresh water into the city, these passages are the only ones of their kind open to the public in Britain. Some are snug, so give them a miss if you’re claustrophobic. Back above ground, Exeter Cathedral and Gandy Street’s shops are worth exploring.
MY TIP: Book your guided tour in advance, particularly during school holidays (exetercornexchange.co.uk).
BOOK IT: The Mill on the Exe, a stylish riverside pub with characterful bedrooms overlooking the River Exe, a short walk from the city centre, has doubles from £100 B&B (millontheexe.co.uk).
FUNGI FORAY
Devon’s woodlands are like something out of a storybook in autumn
Come autumn, Devon’s woodlands take on a fairy-tale quality, their floors dotted with fungi. At Arlington Court, near Barnstaple, join a guided walk through the wooded estate to discover the extraordinary variety growing beneath the trees and learn how to identify them.
MY TIP: Free 90-minute fungi walks run on November 3, 7 and 15. Booking is essential and bring sturdy footwear (nationaltrust.org.uk).
BOOK IT: Kentisbury Grange, an elegant Victorian country-house hotel with a restaurant and landscaped gardens, has doubles from £265 B&B (kentisburygrange.com).
PUMPKIN PICKING
For festive pumpkins, head to National Trust property Knightshayes
Knightshayes, an extraordinary Gothic Revival mansion just north of Tiverton, is worth visiting for its gloriously eccentric interiors, but in autumn pumpkins of every shape and size grow in its historic walled kitchen garden – the only National Trust property in the South-West where you can pick your own. Nearby, a katsura tree gives off the curious scent of burnt sugar.
MY TIP: Visit until November 2 to pick your own pumpkin, then investigate the house’s eccentric interiors (nationaltrust.org.uk).
BOOK IT: Hartnoll Hotel, a country house hotel near Tiverton, has doubles from £140 B&B (hartnollhotel.uk).
WILD ENCOUNTERS
Red deer stags on Exmoor appear each autumn while competing for femails
One of Britain’s most thrilling wildlife spectacles takes place on Exmoor each autumn when red deer stags compete for females in the annual rut. Their deep, guttural roars echo across the moorland as rival males strut, posture and clash antlers in dramatic contests of strength.
MY TIP: Join Red Stag Safari’s 2.5-hour guided deer-rutting safari (redstagsafari.co.uk). Don’t forget your walking boots.
BOOK IT: The Exmoor Forest Inn, a stylishly restored country inn with a Michelin Green Star restaurant, has doubles from £146 B&B (exmoorforestinn.com).
BOTANICAL BLAZE
The stunning scenery at RHS Rosemoor is a colourful explosion during autumn
Roses get all the attention at RHS Rosemoor, two miles south of Great Torrington (rhs.org.uk), but autumn is when this North Devon garden really lets its hair down.
Japanese maples blaze crimson and gold, ornamental grasses catch the low autumn sunlight and late-flowering perennials bring a final burst of colour to the borders.
MY TIP: Visit in October for the richest colours, then warm up with a bowl of fresh soup in the garden restaurant.
BOOK IT: The Mole Resort near Chittlehamholt has woodland lodges, self-catering and hotel accommodation from £120 B&B (themoleresort.co.uk).
SEASIDE SOLITUDE
Woolacombe Beach is far less crowded during the cooler months
With the Atlantic still holding some of summer’s warmth, the magnificent three-mile beach at Woolacombe in North Devon is blissfully uncrowded and autumn swells bring surfers out in force. Come November, the sea is chillier, but the deserted sands, golden afternoon light and dramatic skies make coastal walks exhilarating.
MY TIP: Book a surf lesson when conditions allow, or walk towards Morte Point, where grey seals can sometimes be spotted.
BOOK IT: Watersmeet Hotel, spectacularly perched on the cliffs overlooking the Atlantic, has doubles from £290 B&B (watersmeethotel.co.uk).
HARBOUR HERITAGE
In Clovelly, November marks the traditional Herring Festival
Clovelly’s whitewashed cottages tumble down a steep cobbled street towards a tiny harbour, looking much as they have for centuries. With cars banned from the North Devon village, it feels wonderfully untouched by modern life. In summer it’s so busy the village can feel like a theme park, but autumn brings a quieter, more authentic atmosphere. November sees the traditional Herring Festival, celebrating the ‘silver darlings’ that once sustained its fishing community.
MY TIP: The festival falls on November 15 (clovelly.co.uk).
BOOK IT: The Red Lion Hotel, right on Clovelly’s harbour, has doubles from £225 B&B (redlion-clovelly.co.uk).
COASTAL DRAMA
Ocean views over the cliffs at Hartland Quay are impressive
There’s no better place to appreciate the raw power of the Atlantic than at Hartland Quay, 15 miles to the west of Bideford. In the autumn, huge swells roll in from the open ocean, sending waves crashing against the spectacularly contorted cliffs and exploding into clouds of white spray. It’s nature at its most dramatic, best admired from the safety of the coast path.
MY TIP: Visit at low tide to appreciate the extraordinary rock formations, but keep well clear of the sea in rough weather.
BOOK IT: Hartland Quay Hotel is perched dramatically above the crashing Atlantic waves, with doubles from £135 B&B (hartlandquayhotel.co.uk).
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