September has arrived and pretty soon south east London will be full of Autumn colours to explore.
With Autumn fast approaching, marked by the Autumnal Equinox which this year falls on September 22, it will soon be time to see the trees turn from green to shades of amber, yellow and red.
South east London has some gems when it comes to seeing the changing colours of Autumn and we’ve rounded up some of our favourites for your next Autumn walk.
Here are our top picks:
Greenwich
Whether it’s a chilly walk through lines of maple trees or exploring lines of Georgian houses in Crooms Hill accented with Autumnal foliage, Greenwich always serves up some of the best spots when it comes to Autumn colours.
You can also take a walk through some of its old cobbled streets like St Alfege's Passage by the church, where you’ll find a small garden away from the hustle and bustle of Greenwich Park.
Then of course there’s Greenwich Park itself, which is always awash with Autumnal colours, with some of its trees dating back over 400 years.
A short walk from Greenwich Park you’ll find The Creaky Shed, a popular grocery shop in Greenwich that always has Autumnal produce displayed outside the shop.
Oxleas Woods, Shooters Hill
Nothing says Autumnal like walking through an ancient woodland which has its very own castle in the middle of it.
The woodlands date back over 8,000 years and span over 77 hectares, with a host of trees to spot like oak, hazel, silver birch and hornbeam, offering thick canopies of Autumn colour to walk through
The woodlands are also home to Severndroog Castle – an 18th century castle which you can go in and explore, have a tea in its on-site tea room, and on Sundays you can even climb up to the viewing platform to see the south east London skyline in full Autumn colours.
Nunhead Cemetery
One thing that is sure to bring the Autumnal vibes is a walk through a Victorian cemetery.
Nunhead Cemetery was first built in 1840 as one of the “Magnificent Seven” cemeteries, and features some striking examples of 19th-century Gothic architecture, housing graves of notable people such as actor George John Bennett.
You can walk around the cemetery yourself or take one of their free guided tours, with the next running on September 29.
During the Autumn months, the trees lining the walkway turn shades of yellow and orange, making for a dramatic photo opportunity.
Woodlands Farm Trust, Shooters Hill
If you’re looking for a walk with farm animals, skyline views and plenty of woodland areas, Woodlands Farm Trust on Shooters Hill is well worth a visit.
This working city farm has acres of woodland and a host of farm animals to see from chickens to ponies.
During the Autumn the woodland trails are full of rich red and yellow Autumnal colours, and the farm also has its annual Apple Day this year on September 13, with live music and cider pressing to celebrate the beginning of the harvest season.
Eltham Palace and Gardens
Finally on our list, Eltham Palace and Gardens is a must-visit if you want a mix of woodland trails and walled landscaped gardens.
Parts of the palace date back to the 14th century and you can still see traces of the walled garden built by King Richard II in the 1380s.
There’s always plenty of Autumn colour to see, from Manchurian Cherry which turns a bright shade of orange to Sargent's Cherry in shades of deep red.
You can also see other Autumnal sights like ornamental hawthorn with its crimson leaves, and Liquidambar styraciflua is the star with its deep scarlet leaves.
If you walk to the moat you can see the stunning 15th century bridge leading to the palace that was overseen by Chaucer and is a sight to see when it's surrounded by full Autumn colour.
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