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Discover the best family-friendly Autumn walks near Southampton, including the Longslade Heath circular walk and the Southampton to Dorchester rail trail. Perfect for picnics, blackberry picking, and seaside dips.

Autumn always hits me a little harder after a summer of long, sun-filled days and family adventures. I love the planning, the sense of freedom, and the chance to step away from everyday pressures—but as the darker, colder months start creeping in, I can’t help but feel a bit low. I know I’m not alone; I can imagine that this is especially common in northern Europe, where the early nights and chill can hit hard.

At the same time, I remind myself how fortunate we are. We’re safe, healthy, and free to live, work, and spend time with our families. With that in mind, last weekend I gave myself a little pep talk and decided to get the family out to enjoy what makes Autumn beautiful.

To keep it simple and budget-friendly, I checked AllTrails and found an 8 km circular walk starting at Longslade Heath car park (free parking—always a bonus).

The route takes you through forests and open land, with heather turning shades of purple and paths dotted with ripe blackberries.

My kids love picking blackberries—it’s part competition, part teamwork. This quickly also turned into a foraging activity when we also found sloes and crab apples too, another perk of Autumn. Parts of the walk follows the Southampton to Dorchester rail trail: long, flat, and perfect for walking, cycling, or running. We’d packed a picnic and stopped for lunch with a lovely view of rolling hills, early autumn heather and New Forest ponies.

I picked this walk because it’s long-ish but manageable for the kids, and also just ten minutes from Highcliffe Beach. I love an Autumn swim in the sea, particularly in the waves, and you can definitely find these at Highcliffe Beach. There’s something about deserted Autumn, wavy beaches that feels dramatic, and having a (quick) dip really did wash away the blues. It really did feel like the perfect way to round off the day. Living near some of Britain’s best beaches has its perks, rain or shine.

Even though Autumn can feel heavy, days like this remind me there’s still joy to be found—in foraging for autumn fruit, a walk, a swim, or the changing colours of the forest.

If you’re looking for family-friendly walks near Southampton or things to do in Autumn in the UK, this route is an easy, scenic option that combines forest trails, open heath, and a bit of coastal adventure. There’s even a van selling pizza and ice creams at Highcliffe Beach if you really want to go for it.