Outdoors Fun in Scotland This Autumn

Scotland in autumn is arguably one of the most stunning times to be out of doors. While temperatures may be cooler, this season frequently offers crisp and dry days, as well as bright blue skies. As the trees turn a glorious spectrum of reds, oranges, yellows and golds so the Scottish landscape comes to life as though a vivid oil painting.

This autumn why not head outdoors to enjoy one of these five Scottish highlights?

The Hunt For Red October: Wherever you are in Scotland, you'll find a wealth of amazing autumn tree and woodland scenes. One of the best regions for gorgeously scenic tress is in Perthshire, otherwise known as Big Tree Country. The top spots include the eastern end of Loch Tummel, the beech woods around Dunkeld & Birnam and the hillsides above Aberfeldy.

Head for the hills: The purples and pinks of Scotland's famous heather brings warmth to vast areas of hills and mountains at this time of year. An Groban, a fine hill just above Gairloch, is to be recommended. You'll need to be prepared for a decent walk to the summit and remember that even on sunny days in autumn it will be cold at the top of the hill. The views from the peak will, however, be well worth the effort of the climb.

A fabulous alternative is the Munro called Mayer in Angus. While the summit is 928m, this is one of the easiest Munros to summit. (Munros are the 283 mountains in Scotland with peaks of more than 914.4m/3000ft.) It's a long trek to the top but the ascent is an easy-going angle and the stunning views, especially in autumn, keep your mind off the hard work.

Go wild for food: With the right knowledge, there is so much wild food ripe for picking during late summer and autumn in Scotland. Blackberries can still be on offer, although the best of the wild crops at this time of year is mushrooms. Make sure you take a mushroom foraging expert with you or carefully refer to a good identification book (for example, Peter Jordan's Field Guide to Edible Mushrooms ).

There are several easy-to-identify wild-growing mushrooms in Scotland, including Brown Birch Boletus, Orange Birch Boletus, and Orange Peel Fungus. The taste of lightly fried mushrooms on toast after an autumnal walk has to be experienced to be believed.

Wild swimming: Believe it or not, the sea and most of the rivers in Scotland are at their warmest in autumn. Having had all summer to warm up, this is the season to take a plunge in a loch or river or even at the coast. For the bravest, only a swimming costume and a few brave steps are required. For others, pull on a wetsuit before going for your swim. A great beach for swimming is Big Sand Beach, near Gairloch. Do take care of tides and currents at this time of year, however, and always swim with another person.

Kite flying: Embrace those windier days in Scotland and head to a park or beach for a few hours of kite flying. These days there is a range of kites to suit all ages and aspirations from child-friendly single liners to stunt kites to adrenaline boosting kite-based pursuits such as kite buggying or surfing. St Andrews Bay beach in Fife is a great destination whether you want to simply spectate as others fly their kites or to enjoy your own kite flying adventure. Another less populated location is the many large, flat beaches of East Lothian.

Where will you choose for your autumnal adventure in Scotland?

By : Fiona_Russell