Autumn officially arrives at Stowe

Pull on your walking boots and get outdoors for an autumn ramble as bright displays of amber, red and burnt orange appear on the trees in the gardens at Stowe.

Until 5 November, discover a variety of leaf-crunching walks and use your imagination to view the landscapes and visualise where some of the ‘Missing Monuments’ once stood in the magnificent gardens at Stowe. Find the lost Village of Lamport and ponder some of the famous literary links with past writers and poets that once visited. Choose from a variety of routes starting at New Inn visitor welcome centre when you visit or download one from our website before you leave home.

'Misty mornings followed by bright sunshine glittering through the trees as they develop rich autumn hues are one of my favourite things to see throughout the seasons.' says Patrick Green – Assistant Head Gardener

'You can’t beat that refreshing feeling of a morning walk followed by a scrummy hot chocolate and piece of cake. I’d recommend heading along The Path of Liberty to see bright colourful displays in the Grecian Valley.'

At weekends families can borrow a free explorer guide to spot autumn leaves and have a go at the some of the ‘50 Things to do before you’re 11 ¾’. Here are some of the top activities to do this autumn at Stowe:

• No.1 Go bird watching – spot Swans, Robins, Lapwings, Mallard ducks, Greylag geese and Blue tits sweeping across the lakes
• No.2 Catch a falling leaf – with thousands of trees, you're spoilt for choice. Just pick a day with a little breeze, wait patiently and watch the leaves tumble. Pegg's Terrace is a great place to try
• No.3 Pick blackberries growing in the wild – Turn right at Bell Gate and follow the Ha-ha walls along the outside perimeter of the gardens to find brambles and blackberries
• No.4 Play conkers – Head down Bell Gate Drive or to Hawkwell Mead next to the Temple of Friendship where you'll find the best haul of fallen conkers to set up a game
• No.5 Eat an apple straight from a tree - Head into the parkland, turning right at Bell Gate to find the old Sheep’s nose apple tree behind the Temple of Friendship

The gardens and New Inn visitor welcome centre at National Trust Stowe are open 7 days a week, 10am-5pm for you to make the most of these moments of autumn sun before winter descends. Don’t forget to share your favourite pictures and #autumncolour hotspots at Stowe with us via Twitter and Facebook - just search for National Trust Stowe.

Normal admission applies. For more information about Stowe visit nationaltrust.org.uk/stowe