I always think arboretums and woods are the place to be at this time of year, so with a crisp, bright autumn day to play with we headed to the beautiful RHS Harlow Carr Gardens in Harrogate to catch their wonderful array of trees in full colour.

And weren’t we spoilt. As we wandered through the towering trees, the low autumn sun lit the canopy above us, illuminating the colours of the leaves; resplendent in red, amber and yellow.

I love the way the gardens here are always well tended with plenty of easy-to-navigate, winding footpaths and tucked away corners to discover. The wood itself is also home to many different new and old trees, again with several secluded walkways.

Our visits to Harlow Carr are never complete without a takeaway hot drink and a seasonal treat from the famous Betty’s cafe on site. Their windows are always a delight to behold and our kids especially loved the Halloween-themed goodies on display right now.

There’s also plenty of other things to keep kids occupied; wooden adventure playgrounds, nature trails and, of course, good old fashioned puddle-jumping. See how many different varieties of leaves you can gather and don’t forget your camera – the colours are breathtaking!

Images by Kathryn Sharman