In autumn green tiger beetles and black darter dragonflies may still be around too, and the heather is in bloom, bilberries are ready to pluck and birds such as stonechats, woodlarks and Dartford warblers decorate the breeze with their song. Here, you can see live adders, sand lizards and smooth snakes – Britain’s rarest reptiles, which, unusually, give birth to young in September. Beginning in Haslemere, it winds through the South Downs national park and finishes in Petersfield, with sculptures dotted along the way. The 65-mile Serpent Trail, snaking through heathland in Surrey and Hampshire, was created in 2005 but has been altered this year to follow a more picturesque route. Hiking is particularly pleasant in the mild temperatures of a classic autumn, and rural routes are buzzing with wildlife and alive with colour. Nature-spotting multi-day trek in the South Downs Nearby Tenbury Wells hosts an Applefest on 2 October, while the National Trust’s Croome estate (£12/£6) provides more lovely autumn walks. Or camp at Eastnor Castle, which is most beautiful in autumn, and which was used as a set for the TV drama Succession – the deer park and arboretum are beautiful in autumn ( pitches until 30 September £12 a night, entry to castle and grounds £12.50 adult, £7.50 child). For a treat, stay at the gorgeous Cottage in the Wood boutique hotel (doubles £199 B&B), whose fine restaurant has woodland views. Held in the Three Counties Showground at the foot of the Malvern Hills near Ledbury, it features artisan food and drink stalls and talks by gardening gurus. Nothing says autumn like a giant vegetable competition, and the Malvern Autumn Show (24-26 September, £18, under-16s free but tickets required) claims its contest is one of the biggest of the bunch.
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