The seasons might have changed, but being outside can be just as much fun in the autumn season as it is in the lighter months. As the days get shorter, it’s tempting to stay inside but nature is always out there, waiting for us to explore. The autumn months are the perfect time to enjoy the great outdoors as it settles down for the winter. With falling leaves and fewer people, in autumn it’s possible to have more intimate encounters with wildlife. From autumn leaves to jumping fish and moorland walks, we have five train days out to help you enjoy nature this autumn season.
1. Salmon leaping the Pitlochry fish ladder – from Pitlochry station
Image credit: Andrew Briggs | Getty Images
Interesting fact – returning salmon can go for six months without food
Wild salmon are superheroes in the fish world. They swim in the sea for much of the year but return miles up-river to freshwater pools and streams to spawn. This return doesn’t just involve swimming against the current, the salmon must also negotiate natural and manmade obstacles like waterfalls and dams. They do this by leaping.
The best times to spot Scotland’s salmon leaping are late summer and early autumn and a great place to do this is at Pitlochry Dam on the River Tummel. The dam is part of an impressive hydroelectric scheme and would present a huge obstacle for migrating salmon if it didn’t have its famous fish ladder, which allows over 5,000 salmon safe passage every year.
Walk across the top of the dam wall and you’ll get the opportunity to see the fish ladder and perhaps some leaping salmon. The Pitlochry Dam Visitor Centre is free to visit and has information about the hydro power scheme as well as the fish ladder.
Train station – Pitlochry
Walk from the station – 12 minutes to the dam
Refreshments – Pitlochry Dam Visitor Centre, Pitlochry town
Toilets – Pitlochry station (during ticket office hours), Pitlochry Dam Visitor Centre
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2. Abundant wildlife on Marsden Moor – from Marsden station
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Interesting fact – Marsden Moor stores at least one million tons of carbon.
Yorkshire’s Marsden Moor has been ranked by the RSPCA as one of the top spots in the UK to see wildlife. Managed by the National Trust, Marsden Moor offers walking routes for all abilities. The Marsden Moor NT Facebook page also has information about guided conservation and wildlife walks.
In this moorland landscape, sticking to footpaths and following way markers is a good idea, unless you are a competent navigator or enjoy getting your feet wet. Please also keep your dog on a lead around livestock and wildlife.
One of the more unusual birds that call Marsden Moor home is the twite or Pennine finch. This threatened species has found a haven on the moor. Twites are small brown and buff finches with pointed beaks that turn from grey in summer to yellow in winter. They migrate to coastal marshes for the winter months so visit in early autumn if you want to spot them.
Marsden Moor is also home to plenty of mammals. As you walk, keep your eyes open for smaller ones like shrews and voles as well as larger species such as foxes, weasels and stoats. One very special resident on this moor is the mountain hare; brown in the summer but turning white for the winter, these beautiful creatures can sometimes be seen running across the landscape.
Train station - Marsden
Walk from the station – two minutes to the National Trust office
Refreshments – plenty of options in Marsden
Toilets – there are no toilets at Marden station
3. Immersive sea life experiences – from Plymouth station
Image credit: mkos83 | Getty Images
Interesting fact - The National Marine Aquarium was once home to Mad Jack, a 100-year-old lobster.
Sitting on the border between Devon and Cornwall, Plymouth is a city surrounded by the water, and Plymouth Sound has been designated as the UK’s first National Marine Park. But if the autumn weather isn’t behaving, you don’t need to visit Plymouth’s seafront or go on a boat ride to view wonderful sea life.
The National Marine Aquarium offers a range of exciting and educational events as well as unique access to the underwater realm. Your admission ticket will give you the opportunity to wander around the seas of the world, finding out more about marine life in faraway oceans as well as locally in Plymouth Sound. We recommend catching an early train and allowing a whole day for your exploration.
And if you really want to dive into the world of marine creatures, why not book on a Behind-the-Scenes tour to find out what a shark has for breakfast, spend the night sleeping with the sharks, or even help feed the turtles. These events and others cost extra but the good news is once you’ve bought your general admission ticket, you can return to the National Marine Aquarium free for the next 12 months (don’t forget to book entry during busy times).
Train station – Plymouth
Walk from the station – 27 minutes (7 minutes by taxi)
Refreshments – the NMA’s Wave Cafe has great views over the Barbican harbour
Toilets – Plymouth train station and The National Marine Aquarium
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4. Meet the wildlife locals – from Ashurst station
Image credit: Aerial Essex | Getty Images Signature
Interesting fact – some of the trees in the New Forest are over 1,000 years old.
No list of autumn days out would be complete without a trip to into the woods to admire the colour as the trees drop their leaves for winter. If you do this in the New Forest, you may well spot ponies as well.
From Ashurst New Forest station you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to autumn walks. Or if you fancy a closer look at the wildlife, it’s a 55-minute walk from the station to the New Forest Wildlife Park (the number 6 bus on the A35 will get you closer) where you can meet the residents including polecats, otters and owls as well as take part in fun nature activities like their ‘Spooky Species’ adventure (just in time for Halloween!)
Train station – Ashurst New Forest in Hampshire (not Ashurst station in Kent)
Walk from station – ten minutes will get you into the forest
Refreshments – cafes and pubs in Ashurst
Toilets – There are no toilets at Ashurst New Forest station
5. Paddle with nature – from Totnes station
Image credit: James Dale | Getty Images
Interesting fact – The River Dart got its name from an old word for oak.
The River Dart rises at two points high on Dartmoor. From there its waters are fresh until it reaches Totnes where saltwater comes up from Dartmouth with the rising tide. This salt and freshwater combination and the Dart’s ever-changing tidal riverbanks support rich populations of specialised species.
There are some lovely walking routes between Totnes and Dartmouth, such as the Dart Valley Trail but by far the best way to engage with the tidal river wildlife is to take a canoe trip downriver from Totnes. This is a fluctuating landscape so be prepared for the unexpected. As you paddle, keep your eyes open for grey seals, otters, cormorants and even the occasional deer or dolphin.
The tidal flows and wind can be surprisingly strong at Totnes, so your best chance of a successful paddle is at the slack tides around high and low tide (low tide offers the best opportunities for wildlife spotting). There is a public slip at the end of Steamer Quay if you want to launch your own boat but unless you are an experienced paddler, my recommendation for both safety and enjoyment would be to book a canoe tour with Dewerstone Adventures. Suitable for all levels of experience, these tours with qualified guides take care of all the equipment, local knowledge and risk assessment, leaving you free to enjoy your time on the water.
Station – Totnes
Walk from the station – 25 minutes (to Longmarsh car park at Steamer Quay)
Refreshments – cafe at Totnes station, cafes and pubs in Totnes, cafe on Steamer Quay
Toilets – Totnes station and Steamer Quay car park
Top tips for wildlife and nature spotting this autumn
Image credit: Kim_white | Getty Images
Close encounters with nature can be special but they don’t always come when you’re expecting them. Set off on a walk expecting to see ponies and you might well come back excited to have spotted your first eagle. Sit on a cliff top watching for dolphins and you might become fascinated with the behaviour of the local rabbits.
Wildlife is unpredictable, but you can do a few things to help you spot beautiful creatures and enjoy the natural encounters you’re hoping for.
Here are our top tips for wildlife watching.
Leave no trace. This one’s important and will help you look after the wildlife you’re seeking. When you’re out in nature, your aim should be to observe but not impact. That means leaving things exactly as you found them. Sure, in autumn you’re going to leave footprints, but litter, broken tree branches and fire remains? No thank you.
Do some research before you set off. Which animals and birds live in the habitat you’re visiting? What are their key features? Which seasons will they be around? You might also like to check you have permission to walk where you’re planning to. Our article on planning a train walk has a section called ‘Where am I allowed to walk?’
Leave your pets at home. This sounds unfair and of course your dog won’t interrupt your plant-finding or autumn leaf collecting activities, but wild animals are naturally wary of dogs, even when they are on the lead so leaving them at home might be your best option if you really want animal or bird encounters.
Don’t use food to attract animals. Giving animals food risks harming them but it also makes them unnaturally interested in humans, and more likely to stray onto roads. Unless a wildlife park has given you specific food to give out, it’s best not to feed wild or farmed animals.
Think camouflage. Wild creatures are wary of anything out of the ordinary so try to be as hidden as possible. Don’t wear strong perfume and chose clothes that blend in with the environment you’re visiting. If you fancy a bit of fun, why not get hold of some camouflage make-up and see if that helps.
Keep quiet. This can be a challenge for most of us but keeping quiet really does increase your chances of spotting beautiful creatures. Why not turn the quietness into a game and practise walking between sticks and tiptoeing from bush to bush.
Hang out in hides. Hides are structures that have been built specifically to help us watch nature. When you’re in a hide, you can see the wildlife, but it can’t see you. Many nature reserves have hides as do RSPB sites. For example, RSPB Bempton Cliffs Reserve is just a 30-minute walk from Bempton train station.
Bring your binoculars. Binoculars can help you spot animals and birds, but they’re even better at giving you a close-up view of the action once you’ve spotted something. Practise using your binoculars before you set off, they can take a bit of getting used to.
Be ready to take photos. Pictures aren’t just a lovely memory of an encounter with nature, they can help you identify birds, animals and plants and learn more about them. Once you’re back home, you might even want to use your photos to create a nature journal of all the fantastic things you’ve found.
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You might be surprised to hear that your nature experiences can start as soon as your train leaves the station. Spotting wildlife from the train is more common than you think and is a great way to keep the family amused. You could even set up a few homemade bingo sheets with the names of things you’re likely to see on the way.
If you’re concerned about the cost of train tickets, why not give the journey planner app TrainSplit a try. Simple to use, it does all the hard work of finding cheaper fares for you by splitting your journey into the cheapest collection of travel legs it can find. The app gives you all the information you need to choose the fare and journey that will work best for you, then presents you with e-tickets and train times to ensure your journey runs smoothly.
What are you waiting for?
Book your tickets today and enjoy nature by train this autumn.
Take a look at this article for more ideas for autumn half term train adventures
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