Exploring the Cotswolds in autumn means a mix of enjoying the colours outdoors and cosying up inside, as the days get shorter, the leaves start to turn and the summer crowds head home. With events to celebrate harvest, Halloween and Bonfire Night, there’s lots going on at this time of year. So to help you plan the next few months, here are 25 of our top things to do in autumn 2025 in the Cotswolds, from woodland walks and foraging classes to festivals and ghost tours.
25 things to do in the Cotswolds in autumn
The great outdoors
1. Take a walk in the woods
Crisp sunny days and misty mornings make autumn a great time to head out for a walk in the Cotswold countryside. Choose a woodland path and admire the colourful trees, kick your way through piles of fallen leaves, collect conkers and pick ripe, juicy blackberries.
Some of our favourite Cotswold woodland walks include Lineover Woods, Castlett Wood near Guiting Power, Woodchester Park and Laurie Lee Wood. Or if you’d like to try a new route, there are guided walks at Stonehouse (5–14 September) and Dursley (1–4 October) Walking Festivals.
2. See autumn colours at an arboretum
For more beautiful Cotswold autumn colours, pay a visit to the arboretums at Westonbirt and Batsford. The best time to visit to see the colours at their peak depends on the weather (check their websites and social media channels for updates), but generally you can expect to see the tree canopy dazzle in shades of gold, orange and red from early October to mid-November.
3. Spot wild deer
A stag silhouetted in the mist at sunset is one of the classic images of the Cotswolds in autumn. If you want to photograph deer, there are a few places where you can see them. If you time it well you can catch the annual deer rut in October, when stags fight to impress female deer.
A herd of fallow deer has recently been reintroduced to National Trust site Dyrham Park. There are also deer parks at Lodge Park on the Sherborne Estate and Charlecote Park country house east of Stratford-upon-Avon – where legend has it a young William Shakespeare was once prosecuted for poaching. And you can meet the herd with a deer encounter at the Broadway Tower.
4. Go stargazing
The Cotswolds has some of the darkest skies in England, making it the perfect place to try stargazing. Astronomy experts Go Stargazing have chosen the Cotswolds’ best stargazing spots with low light pollution and easy access: The Rollright Stones, Aunt Phoebe’s Recreation Ground in Long Compton, Painswick Beacon and Culver Hill on Minchampton Common near Stroud.
Apps like Stellarium, Star Walk 2 and Star Tracker and are available to download which tell you what you’re looking at. Or if you want to learn from an expert you can take a two-hour stargazing tour where you can see star systems, planets and galaxies through a large telescope.
5. Pick your own pumpkin
Autumn means pumpkin season, and whether you’re planning on carving one for Halloween or cooking up a tasty pumpkin pie, you can choose a prize specimen at one of the Cotswolds’ pumpkin patches this October. Among the places where you can pick your own pumpkin are:
- Bibury Trout Farm (18–19 and 25–31 October)
- Cattle Country Farm Park in Berkeley (4–5, 11–12, 18–19 and 25–31 October)
- Cotswold Farm Park near Guiting Power (3–5, 10–12, 17–19 and 23–31 October)
- Jolly Nice Farm Shop near Stroud (4–5, 10–12, 17–19, 24–26 and 30–31 October)
- Over Farm Market just outside Gloucester (4–5, 11–12, 18–19 and 24–31 October)
- Primrose Vale Farm Shop near Cheltenham (4–5, 11–12, 18–19 and 25–26 October).
Get cosy
6. Have Sunday lunch by a log fire
What better way to spend an autumnal Sunday than tucking into a traditional roast dinner by a roaring fire in a country pub? And we’re spoilt for choice in the Cotswolds, with a whole host of cosy spots which serve up delicious roasts using locally sourced ingredients.
A few of our favourites are The Green Dragon at Cockleford, The Bell at Sapperton, The Horse and Groom in Bourton-on-the-Hill, The Killingworth Castle, The Five Alls at Filkins, The Potting Shed in Malmesbury, The Five Alls in Cheltenham and The King’s Head Inn in Bledington.
7. Watch a firework display
Wrap up warm (or stay close to the bonfire) and watch glittering fireworks fill the sky as the Cotswolds celebrates Bonfire Night in traditional style. There are firework displays at Stroud’s Five Valleys (27 October), Sudeley Castle and Bath (both 31 October), South Cerney (1 November), Guiting Power (2 November), Cheltenham, Miserden and Dursley (all 8 November).
8. Toast marshmallows over the fire
Sticky, caramelised marshmallows cooked on a stick over an open fire are a camping classic. But even if you’re not leaving home you can still stoke up a fire and sit outside on an autumn evening. toasting your way through a bag of marshmallows – whether you prefer them the traditional way, or sandwiched between graham crackers and chocolate for American-style s’mores.
Festivals and events
9. Moreton-in-Marsh show
The traditional Moreton-in-Marsh agricultural show takes place on 6 September this year at the town’s showground. Describing itself as a ‘day of farming, food and family fun’, it’s one of the UK’s biggest agricultural shows. There are displays of various livestock, horse shows, produce, crafts and baking in the Home and Garden marquee, along with lots of shopping opportunities.
10. Cornbury House Horse Trials
The Cornbury House Horse Trials are a modern take on traditional eventing, taking place in the Wychwood Forest near Charlbury in Oxfordshire from 10–14 September. As well as dressage, cross country and show jumping action, there’s locally sourced food ‘From the Farm’, family-friendly craft workshops like willow weaving and clay animal making, and evening entertainment.
11. Autumn Classic at Castle Combe
Go back in time to the Golden Age of motor racing with the Autumn Classic Historical Racing Festival at Castle Combe Circuit in Wiltshire on 20–21 September 2025. Races feature classic cars from the 1950s, 60s and 70s – with special events to mark the 75 years of Castle Combe Circuit. There are also car displays, parades, a classic car auction and live entertainment.
12. Tetbury Music Festival
Enjoy classical music in the Cotswolds’ beautiful churches this autumn. Tetbury Music Festival takes place from 27 September–5 October, with works by Purcell, Bach, Handel and Debussy being performed in St Mary’s Church. There are also guest lectures at the Tetbury Goods Shed Art Centre with Sir Nicholas Kenyon and an appearance by The London Tango Quintet.
13. Cheltenham Literature Festival
Cheltenham Literature Festival is one of the highlights of the year in the Festival Town, when over 500 big names from the worlds of fiction, poetry, film and TV, sport, food, travel and politics descend on Cheltenham. This year’s festival takes place from 10–19 October 2025.
As well as 400 different talks, debates, workshops and book signings, there’s also the Festival Village in Montpellier Gardens to explore. Enjoy food and drink stalls, the book tent, activities and story trails for kids. And don’t miss the late-night Lit Crawl which visits venues around town.
14. Burford Literary Festival
Cheltenham isn’t the only literature festival taking place in the Cotswolds this autumn, the Burford Literary Festival is also back from 26–28 September. This community festival uses small venues to give it an intimate feel, and is designed to be accessible with many tickets costing £15. As well as talks and book signings, there’s also a Secret Garden Party with cocktails and canapés.
15. Ghost Hunt at Woodchester Mansion
Spend the night at the spooky unfinished Victorian Gothic Woodchester Mansion – if you dare! Woodchester Mansion was abandoned partway through construction in 1868, when workers mysteriously downed tools and left, never to return. Since then there have been tales of strange happenings and ghostly sightings including a phantom horseman and floating head.
Ghost hunt evenings use specialist electromagnetic field detecting equipment and séances to communicate with the resident ghosts. They’re not for the fainthearted, but if you’re feeling brave you can join the hunt this autumn on 12 September, 27 September or 22 November.
16. Cotswold Wool Weekend
Celebrate the Cotswolds’ wool heritage – and see how wool is put to good use by local crafters and artisans – at the Cotswold Wool Weekend on 4–5 October. You can follow the journey from farm to fibre, with talks, demonstrations and over 60 arts and crafts stalls in Cirencester’s Corn Hall. Or sign up for a workshop and try out peg loom weaving or making your own buttons.
17. Stroud Arts Festival
Founded in 1946, the Stroud Arts Festival has a long history of bringing the best of music, poetry, drama, art and dance to Stroud and the Five Valleys. This charity event takes place from 22–26 October, with everything from the inclusive ‘Opera is for Everyone’ to the music of TV series Bridgerton by Candlelight, as well as music and drama performances designed for kids.
History and heritage
18. Go behind the scenes with Heritage Open Days
Each autumn, properties across England throw open their doors for Heritage Open Days, taking place on 12–21 September this year. This celebration of history is a chance to visit places which aren’t normally open to the public for guided tours, talks, walks and special events.
Among the Cotswold venues opening their doors for this year’s Heritage Open Days are Kelmscott Manor, Horton Court and Woodchester Mansion. There’s also free entry to National Trust sites Newark Park (13 September), Dyrham Park (19 and 20 September), Hidcote (20 September), Upton House and Gardens (20 and 21 September) and Chastleton House (21 September).
19. Visit Bath’s Jane Austen Festival
From 12–21 September, the city of Bath celebrates one of its most famous residents – Jane Austen. And with 2025 being the 250th anniversary of her birth, this year sees more Austen than ever.
Bath’s annual Jane Austen Festival includes talks, walks, performances, costumed balls and day trips to locations from her books. There’s also the chance to dress up in 18th-century style and join 500 other Austen fans in the Grand Regency Costumed Promenade on Saturday 13 September.
20. Discover Cirencester History Festival
After selling out in its first year, Cirencester History Festival is back from 24 October to 2 November 2025. The programme covers local, national and global history, with a mix of talks, guided walks, workshops, family activities and entertainment in venues across Cirencester. This Country star Charlie Cooper, John Suchet and Ben Miller are among the speakers announced so far.
21. Take a history and ghost walk
Discover the dark side of the Cotswolds with spooky guided tour of Bourton-on-the-Water or Broadway. Bloody Bourton Walking Tours (Friday and Saturday nights at 7pm) are led by costumed guide Edward Charnel, who reveals the town’s secrets and introduces its ghostly residents. Or find out about the history and hauntings of Broadway with a 90-minute History & Ghost Walk.
Food and drink
22. Forage for your food
Discover the bounty of the harvest with a foraging session led by Cotswold Forager Rob Gould, who runs ‘A Forage in The Cotswolds’ on 6 and 28 September, 18 October and 2 November. His 2.5-hour walks take you out into the Cotswold countryside to search for wild, seasonal produce. You’ll learn how to forage safely and identify different wild edibles so that you can pick them yourself.
23. Toast autumn with a Hedgerow Gin
Made with a selection of locally harvested sloes, damsons, blackberries and bullace (a type of wild plum), the Hedgerow Gin from the Cotswolds Distillery tastes like autumn in the Cotswolds in a glass. The fruit is macerated slowly in their Cotswolds Dry Gin before being aged in oak casks, giving it a fruity, spicy flavour. It’s delicious over ice – or try it warm on a cold day.
24. Indulge in a luxurious hot chocolate
A steaming cup of creamy hot chocolate, topped with marshmallows and cream, is one of our essential autumn indulgences. Our top hot chocolates in the Cotswolds are from Luxe Café Bar or Jacks in Cirencester, Coach House Coffee in Stow-on-the-Wold and The Curious Café in Cheltenham. Or create your own with Daylesford’s organic hot chocolate drinking flakes.
25. Eat your way around Broadway Food Festival
Broadway is one of the foodie hubs of the Cotswolds, and on 14 September 2025 the town showcases the wealth of fantastic food and drink available locally at the Broadway Food Festival. Now in its 11th year, the event will have stalls selling everything from curries and crêpes to pies and pig roast, as well as tasting sessions and cookery demonstrations from Broadway’s chefs.
* This site contains affiliate links, where I get a small commission from purchases at no extra cost to you.
Save for later
You might also like
lee laurino
Monday 18th of August 2025
The Cotswolds are one of my favorite areas in the UK and I visit during every trip. Since I can only visit towns with train connections, is it possible to sort all the wonderful events by date and town? I must search each festival location to confirm train connections. Thank you
Lucy Dodsworth
Tuesday 19th of August 2025
Hi Lee, if you sign up for my monthly newsletter you can get a list of events at the start of each month – the ones here are roughly in order in each section. Train wise you'll be quite limited – only Cheltenham, Bath, Stroud and Stonehouse have train stations, but if you can use buses too that opens up a lot more places. Most can be accessed by train/bus other than Cornbury House Horse Trials, Woodchester Mansion, the foraging sessions and most of the pumpkin patches.