Welcome to your guide to Autumn in Hampshire 2021!
Autumn in Hampshire is always particularly magical, from the changing of the leaves to the incredible events on.
Here’s some of my favourite things to do and places to visit from 22 September after the Equinox and the official start of the season.
Your Guide to Autumn in Hampshire 2021
There are four sections containing ideas and suggestions for you this Autumn.
- Hauntingly Good Halloween or Autumn Events
- Autumn Fireworks Displays
- See Hampshire’s Leaves Change Colour
- Pick Your Own Pumpkins
Hauntingly Good Halloween or Autumn Events
There are so many Halloween and Autumnal events this year, here’s a round up of some at my favourite places across the county.
The majority are events for adults but there are some that why should we miss out on all the fun?!
Sir Harold Hillier Gardens
Sir Harold Hillier Gardens offer plenty of Halloween activities for children but also, Fungi Display and Walk Weekends, Art in the Garden, Autumn Coloured Tree Walks and Forest Bathing.
Discover all the autumn events at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens in Romsey.
Chawton House
Chawton House has an incredible program of Autumn and Halloween events. I attended the Gothic Storytelling last year on Zoom and it was magical. They are offering this year…
- A Gothic Tour of Chawton House
- Gothic Suppers and Ghostly Tales
- A Gothic Garden Trail for Children
- Roundtable Discussion on Gothic Contagion
- Wilderness Walks in the Moonlight
- Photograph workshops
- Movie In the Barn: Hocus Pocus
Read more about each event in the Chawton House What’s On Section.
Exbury Gardens
Children will love the Halloween Ghost Train, Pumpkin Carving, Gruesome Garden Trail and making your own Spooky Garden and us grown ups will enjoy the Autumn Tours.
Find out the details of all the Exbury Garden Events.
Winchester Torch Procession
The Winchester Round Table Bonfire & Fireworks event is iconic and this year on Saturday 6th November 2021.
Each year there’s a city centre candle light procession, the lighting of the Bonfire and the spectacular Fireworks display. There’s also live music, food and drink. The event starts at 6pm on The Broadway by King Alfred’s Statue and the torchlit procession heads to the fields behind River Park and at 7pm the Fireworks Spectacular take place.
For tickets and full details visit the Winchester Round Table Bonfire Website.
The Watercress Line
I’ve been wanting to go onThe Watercress Line for so long, I need to make it a reality. Mostly because the railway footbridge was used in Harry Potter AND the journey through the autumn countryside would be stunning! The upcoming program of events look like a lot of fun, take a look…
- Halloween Evening Dining Train
- Wizard Weekends
- Steam Illuminations
- Sunday Lunch Train
Take a look at the events on The Watercress Line.
The New Forest
- Unsettled Landscapes: The Art of the Eerie in Lymington – An exhibition that looks beyond the stereotypical image of the British countryside from the 20th and 21st centuries.
There are other events on like Owl-O-Ween at the Hawk Conservancy Trust but the event, like many others, has already sold out.
Autumn Fireworks Displays
Wow! There are so many firework displays this Autumn in Hampshire 2021. I’ve included as many as I could find and when and where they are but please click on the links to find all the details.
A few warnings, as we’re still navigating our way out of the pandemic. Most events this year are smaller and you need paid tickets in advance as do not offer entrance on the gate. Make sure you’ve got a ticket if you have your heart set on going.
27 October
28 October
30 October
- Fordingbridge Pumpkin Pastures Fireworks in Fordingbridge
- Funland Fright Night & Fireworks in Hayling Island
3 November
4 November
5 November
6 November
- Winchester Roundtable Bonfire Night – With Fireworks
- Strawberry Fields Fireworks in Boldre, The New Forest
- Petersfield Fireworks
- Basingstoke Fireworks by Hatch Warren & Beggarwood Community Association
- The Lions Club Fireworks in Fleet
7 November
See Hampshire’s Leaves Change Colour
There’s so many places you can go to see the changing seasons and my gosh Hampshire really is spectacular at this time of year.
Rich reds, burnt oranges and the mellowest of yellows, it’s all waiting for you. Walks are the best way to see it and I find that it helps me personally with the seasonal transition too. I love Autumn and Winter but I find the the extended darkness tough!
Here’s a few suggestions to get you started but the key is to wrap up warm, get outside a lot and notice those beautiful colour changes. Everything is linked to useful resources and reviews.
- National Trust properties – The Vyne, Mottisfont and Hinton Ampner.
- English Heritage Sites – Netley Abbey and Titchfield Abbey
- South Downs National Park like Selbourne’s Zig Zag Path
- Winchester is home to THAT Keat’s walk, you know the one that inspired him to write Ode To Autumn. Visit Hampshire has a great leaflet online detailing the Keats Winchester route.
- The New Forest and the New Forest Walking Festival
Before we move on, the ultimate New Forest Autumn destination has to be Burley which has a history of witch craft. It also has amazing autumnal walks, incredible ice cream shops, a fudge shop and some pagan witch shops too. Keep your eyes peeled each year for the apple cider festival too!
Pick Your Own Pumpkins
This really does require its own dedicated post because this county is blessed with many Pick Your Own farms, shops and experiences.
Here’s my revised guide to the best pumpkin picking spots in Hampshire…
A GUIDE TO PUMPKIN PICKING IN HAMPSHIRE 2021
Autumn in Hampshire 2021
That’s one meaty guide to Autumn in Hampshire 2021, I really hope it find activities and events for you to attend to bring this season to life. I mean, we all deserve it after the last year and a half, right?
Let me know if you find this useful or have an event suggestion you’d like to add to this in the comments section below.
And, in the meantime, enjoy Autumn to the fullest!
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