The English Lakes in autumn can be one of the most beautiful places on earth!

That is if you get the weather right and avoid a soaking!

This Felicity and I did in late October of this year. We had driven across from the east coast of northern England to the English Lakes in continuous hard rain. But as is so often the case, the next day was bright sunny and a total contrast!

The oak, beech and larch trees were glorious yellows, golds and browns but the bracken underneath upstaged all! It may be a smothering weed but bracken in the autumn can be stunning particularly with the sun out.

In fact it is the bright low sun at this time of year that can make all the difference.

I was particularly pleased with how some of my photos came out and captured the freshness of the English Lakes in Autumn after a jolly good soaking.

I know that our flat-coated retrievers enjoyed this more than being shut up in the car all day. ‘Merlin’s 5 month old pup ‘Islay’  could let off some steam in the woods and in the beautiful sleepy lanes.

We never really got to see the oh so beautiful English Lakes in Autumn on this trip but the woods made up for it.

If you like beautiful places in the countryside then you might find my blog on a visit to South Africa interesting. Read about the Desert blooms of Namakwaland here.

Or the South African Fynbos here