October is the month for walking in the woods and relishing the spectacular autumn colours as the leaves turn russet and gold. The steep wooded dales around Hebden Bridge are stunning at this time of year, particularly Hardcastle Crags and Crimsworth Dean, where many of these photos were taken.
Spectacular autumn colours in Crimsworth Dean
Walk from the door at Elmet Farmhouse holiday cottage in the village of Pecket Well, where the hills meet the heavens. The views from up here are intoxicating, with Stoodley Pike and Hetptonstall on the opposite hill and the wooded ravines of Pecket Well Clough and Hardcastle Crags in the valley below.
Another nearby valley with mellow autumn hues is Shibden Dale, near Shibden Hall, Halifax, home of the 19th century diarist Anne Lister (‘Gentleman Jack’). The National Trust estate of Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal near Ripon also has beautiful centuries-old trees, which are particularly colourful in the autumn. So, as well as the dales on the doorstep, there are many beauty spots in this corner of Yorkshire for inspiring autumn walks.
Photographs copyright Lesley Jackson
