Autumn colour in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley

Chief Leaf Peeper, Ed Drewitt, on why the record summer has left the forest greener for longer, and the fortnight he'd pick to visit.

Peak autumn colour in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley is forecast for the last weekend of October to the first week of November 2026, about a week later than recent years.

Autumn 2026 at a glance

• Peak colours: 31 October to 8 November, weather permitting.
• Turning now: beech, birch and hazel. Next: sweet chestnut, oak and larch.
• This week’s recommended viewing spot: Soudley Ponds, Cannop Ponds, Steam Mills Lake.
• At peak: New Fancy View and Symonds Yat Rock.
• Leaf Peeping Hotline: 01594 837135, 10am to 3pm, Monday to Saturday.

We asked Ed Drewitt, the naturalist and Chief Leaf Peeper, when the colour will peak this year. The answer is later than you might expect. Here's his forecast, in his words, along with where he'd send you this week and where he'd send you when it all turns.

When the colour will peak

 "At the moment, in late October, we're heading towards the period when most trees are changing colour," Ed says. "The ideal window this year is likely to be the last weekend of October through to the first week of November. It'll happen over the next few weeks rather than on a specific weekend."

That puts the peak about a week later than the last couple of autumns. By the middle of November, he expects every tree in the forest to have turned, if the storms hold off.

What the record summer did to the trees

Summer 2026 was the UK's warmest since records began in 1884, according to the Met Office's provisional figures, and England had its driest July on record. The expectation around the country was a "false autumn", with stressed trees dropping leaves in August and little colour to come.

Ed watched it happen, and then watched it reverse.

The result surprised him. "I've been surprised by how green the forest still is compared with 2024 and 2025. As the temperatures drop further and the nights draw in, autumn will catch up and the forest will turn from a palette of greens to a complete covering of orange and brown."

So the drought wasn't the disaster for colour that the headlines suggested. Some trees in exposed spots dropped early. The ones in the sheltered river valleys and the damper parts of the forest, with their roots deep, have adapted well. Ed's view is that autumn is set to be a good one, just a week or so late.

Which trees to watch, and when

Beech, birch and hazel are leading. "With the shortening days and the start of cooler nights, they're changing from green to yellow or orange," Ed says. "Beech trees are looking particularly golden in autumn sunshine, and some are already losing their leaves."

Sweet chestnut, oak and larch come next, as we head into November. Larch is worth the wait. It's a conifer that drops its needles, and they turn orange first, which is what Mallards Pike reflects on a clear day.

Where to go this week

Ed's picks for this week are the ponds, in the afternoon.

"Soudley Ponds and Cannop Ponds give some lovely reflections, particularly in afternoon sunshine. The mosaic of trees means you get a range of colours from the oaks, alder, birch, beech and larch."

Soudley Ponds sit opposite the Dean Heritage Centre, with a surfaced path around the water that suits wheelchair users. Cannop Ponds is on the Speech House Road, across from Beechenhurst, with a catering van most weekends and school holidays and no toilets, so plan accordingly.

His third pick is Steam Mills Lake, near Cinderford, "especially on a sunny morning, with reflections and colour."

Where to go at peak

"New Fancy View looks right out across towards Cinderford," Ed says. "You get the contrast of the changing sweet chestnut and birch against the dark greens of conifers like Douglas fir and Norway spruce, which stay green all year. Any time of day."

New Fancy is a former colliery spoil heap with a raised viewing area and a Forestry England car park, and footpaths run on to Mallards Pike. Symonds Yat Rock, above the River Wye, is Ed's other peak-colour choice.

Both are on our 50-mile Leaf Peeping Drive, which links ten viewpoints and woodland stops across the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley.

The mistake most people make

Waiting. "Don't leave it too late," Ed says. "If you wait till late November, you may find many trees have lost their leaves. Once every single tree has changed colour, a single November storm or windy night can bring all the leaves down overnight. Visiting in early November guarantees a mix of greens, yellows, oranges and browns together."

Two more from him. Don't expect the whole forest to turn at once, because colour depends on the species and where the tree stands: sheltered river valleys like the Wye hold their leaves longer than the higher, exposed ground around the forest. And get out of the car. "Just staying in the car or sticking to main roads can mean you miss the best views. By getting out you're more likely to see the sunlight filtering through the leaves, and to reach the viewpoints."

Look down as well as up

"If you only look up, you miss everything else," Ed says. "Swish the fallen leaves with your feet, smell the woodland and the damp soil and fungi, touch the wet mossy roots."

This is a mast year for beech. "Last year the oak trees had the best crop of acorns in 25 years. This year it's the turn of the beech, and the beech mast is feeding grey squirrels, jays, chaffinches and hundreds of woodpigeons." Listen for the clatter of woodpigeons lifting off the forest floor as you walk.

The September rain has brought the fungi out in numbers. Where the woodland floor has been turned over, wild boar have been rooting for nuts, seeds, fungi and grubs. And the roar you can hear is a fallow buck. It's the rut.

What you won't see

Ed asked us to be straight about one thing. "Promising the deep reds you see in autumn photos from North America is misleading. British broadleaf woodland, especially the native species here, beech, oak, birch and hazel, turns yellow, orange and brown. The reds are usually non-native plantings like Japanese maples, or specific shrubs."

If reds are what you're after, the Cyril Hart Arboretum next to the The Speech House Hotel has them among its 200-plus species. The forest itself will give you gold. 

Plan your visit

Call the Leaf Peeping Hotline on 01594 837135, 10am to 3pm, Monday to Saturday, for the latest on where the colour is peaking. Follow the 50-mile circular Leaf Peeping Drive, or pick one of our three short autumn walks at Speculation, Nagshead and Welsh Bicknor.

Our full leaf peeping guide and Top 10 spots cover the rest of the viewpoints, and our accessible leaf peeping guide covers the level routes. Don't forget The Kymin for stunning vistas, and  peaceful lakeside strolls at Mallards Pike or the mystical woodland of Puzzlewood. You won't want to miss one of the most scenic drives you’ll take all year.

Pack boots, layers, and a flask to be prepared. The light is best early morning and late afternoon. And if you're coming from any distance, book a bed and make it two days, because the colour changes between one afternoon and the next.