October is the perfect time to step off the busy paths. Discover quiet walking destinations around the UK that offer space, scenery, and solitude as autumn takes hold.
October is the turning point. The trails start to empty out, the trees shift from green to gold, and the air feels just sharp enough to remind you that winter’s not far off. It’s a brilliant time to be outside, especially if you’re someone who prefers a little solitude with your scenery.
With summer behind and winter ahead, this shoulder month is ideal for exploring quieter corners of the UK. Whether it’s a lesser-known fell, an off-peak national park, or a coastal route that most people overlook, there are plenty of places where you can walk all day and barely see another person.
Here are some of the best spots to escape the crowds this October.
Wedged between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales, the Howgills are often missed by walkers heading to bigger-name ranges. But their smooth, grassy domes and broad ridgelines offer some of the best hillwalking in England, especially in autumn, when the hills glow in golden light. Start from Sedbergh or Ravenstonedale for a range of circuits that stay high and quiet.
The most sparsely populated of all the UK’s national parks, Northumberland remains quiet even in peak season and in October, it feels positively remote. The Cheviots offer big-sky walking across rolling hills, with long views and not much else. If you prefer valley routes, head for the College Valley or Breamish Valley and enjoy riverside tracks and broad open space.
Often overlooked in favour of Snowdonia, the Berwyns sit just to the east and offer a different kind of walking softer ridgelines, huge views, and a real sense of isolation. Walks to Cadair Berwyn and Moel Sych give you a mountain day out with barely a soul on the path. Autumn here is especially beautiful, with rusting bracken and a hush in the valleys.
Tucked away on the edge of Exmoor, the Quantocks mix woodland, moorland, and coast in one compact range. They’re perfect for shorter days, with a network of paths that can be pieced together into full or half-day loops. October brings brilliant colours to the oak woods, and the hilltops give out to wide views over the Bristol Channel and Exmoor’s eastern edge.
While the Cairngorms and Glen Coe draw much of the foot traffic, Glen Lyon keeps things quiet. This long, winding glen is home to peaceful lochs, shapely Munros like Meall nan Tarmachan, and excellent low- and mid-level options if the forecast doesn’t suit the tops. It’s ideal for walkers looking to combine scenery with stillness, especially in autumn light.
Close to the capital but rarely crowded beyond the first few kilometres, the Pentlands offer solid hill days that feel far removed from city life. Come October, the paths quieten down and the colours deepen across the heather and grass. Scald Law, Carnethy Hill and the loop around Glencorse Reservoir all make satisfying half-day outings.
This huge tract of upland and forest is ideal for those who like their walks remote and off-grid. The Awful Hand ridge gives you a proper hill day, but there are also plenty of sheltered forest trails and loch circuits lower down. As a Dark Sky Park, Galloway’s skies are worth watching too, especially if you’re staying overnight.
If your idea of a good day out includes big views and barely another bootprint, October’s the time to get moving. The hills are quieter, the light is better, and the sense of space is back. You don’t have to go far, just go somewhere slightly overlooked, and you’ll likely have it to yourself.
Let the crowds head for the usual spots. You’ve got better places to be.
Photo by Jonny Gios on Unsplash
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