Five National Trust locations in Kent for the perfect autumn walk, including Scotney Castle and Chartwell

The weather is getting cooler and the leaves are crisping up, and that can only mean one thing - autumn is coming.

With the new season just around the corner, we’ve got five of the most beautiful National Trust properties in Kent to visit for a charming autumn walk.

Chartwell, Westerham

If you head for an autumnal walk at Chartwell, you can find a Winston Churchill apple tree at his former home. Although the tree is too young to produce fruit, the orchard is full of other varieties of cooking and dessert apples including Bramley, Pippin and Sunset – and you’ll find a walnut tree in the centre of the orchard. This isn’t the only fruit you’ll find at Chartwell in the autumn, as there will also be pumpkins dotted throughout the grounds in October. The parkland offers a great place to play in the crisp fallen leaves, and the enchanting walled garden is a tranquil spot to take a break and relax.

Chartwell can be found at Mapleton Road, Westerham, TN16 1PS and is open daily from 10am to 4.30pm. Find out more here.

Emmetts Garden, Sevenoaks

With views across Ide Hill and the Kent Weald, Emmetts Garden is glorious in autumn. In the gardens, keep your eyes peeled for the liquidambar acalycina (or burgundy flush) or the fiery red winged spindle tree. Or enjoy a walk in the woods, with crunching golden leaves underfoot perfect for leaf swishing, shiny conkers and fresh air. The changing of colours in the trees is not to be missed and, in particular, it’s worth visiting the burnt toffee tree to breathe in its sugary smell, similar to that of candyfloss.

Emmetts Garden can be found at Ide Hill, Sevenoaks TN14 6BA and is open daily from 10am to 4.30pm. Find out more here.

Ightham Mote, Sevenoaks

From medieval knights to American businessmen, Ightham Mote has had numerous owners and the manor house has been sympathetically added to and extended over its history. In the grounds, you can find the sweet-smelling katsura tree, beeches and field maples which take on an autumn glow, and an abundance of blackberries, crab apples, hawthorn cherries, blackthorn and fungi. It’s also a great time to birdwatch as the leaves begin to fall from the trees and provide opportunities to spot goldfinches, great spotted woodpeckers, nuthatches, blue tits, great tits, blackbirds and thrushes. There is also a play area for children to let off steam while you take in the beautiful views.

Ightham Mote can be found at Mote Road, Ivy Hatch, Sevenoaks, TN15 0NT and is open daily from 10am to 5pm. Find out more here.

Scotney Castle, Tunbridge Wells

Enjoy the stunning colours as you walk down to the romantic ruins of Scotney Castle. Wander into the quarry, where you can see the exposed sandstone with the fiery shades of oranges, yellows and reds from the ghent azaleas and large Japanese acers, or perhaps stop at the moat to admire the vibrant colours reflected in the water. With the golden yellow of the tulip trees, the copper of the swamp cypress and the scarlet berries of the season, Scotney Castle has a feast for the eyes. You can also fully feel the autumn spirit with pumpkins scattered throughout the estate during October and plenty of leaf piles to stomp through at the ancient beech avenue.

Scotney Castle can be found at Lamberhurst, Tunbridge Wells, TN3 8JN and is open daily from 10am to 5pm. Find out more here.

Sissinghurst Castle Garden, Cranbrook

There is plenty to enjoy at Sissinghurst Castle Garden in autumn. Snap a selfie in Delos, the Mediterranean inspired garden, and pretend you’re in Greece, or visit the art exhibition by Charlotte Smithson in the Oast House for a beautiful floral background, which is open until the end of October. As you walk through the gardens, you will find a vibrant purple border, a panoramic picnic spot at the Vegetable Garden and a canopy of yellows, browns and reds in the woodland. This beautiful garden also welcomes dogs, so you can bring your four-legged friend along with you for a walk among the autumn trees.

Sissinghurst Castle Garden can be found at Biddenden Road, Cranbrook, TN17 2AB and is open daily from 10am to 5.30pm.