Free Things to Do in the North East & North Yorkshire This Autumn

Think autumn days out have to be expensive?

Think again.

Some of the best autumn experiences in the North East and North Yorkshire cost absolutely nothing and many of them are simply about getting outside and enjoying the season.

Here are some of my favourite free or almost-free ideas.

🍂 1. Go leaf spotting in Jesmond Dene

You don't need an organised event to enjoy autumn colour.

Take a flask, put on your boots and wander through Jesmond Dene as the leaves turn.

🍁 2. Explore Dalby Forest

You can spend nothing on a walk and still get a full autumn experience.

Choose a woodland route, take a picnic and let the kids collect fallen leaves and conkers. You do need to pay for parking

🌊 3. Walk the beach at Bamburgh

One of the easiest free days out in Northumberland.

Walk along the beach, admire the castle and take plenty of photos.

🏰 4. Walk to Dunstanburgh Castle

You don't need to pay to enjoy the spectacular walk from Craster towards Dunstanburgh.

Pack lunch and make it a proper autumn adventure.

🌊 5. Explore Robin Hood's Bay

Wander the narrow streets, explore the beach and watch the waves.

The village itself costs nothing to explore.

🍂 6. Go conker hunting

Find a local park, woodland or country lane and make a competition of it.

Who can find the biggest conker? Keep an eye out for my very popular conker post

🌳 7. Have an autumn picnic

Don't wait for summer.

Take blankets, soup in a flask, sandwiches and cake and find somewhere scenic.

🌅 8. Watch the sunset at Sutton Bank

One of North Yorkshire's best viewpoints becomes even more impressive when the sun starts setting earlier.

🏖️ 9. Walk Tynemouth Longsands

Take a coastal walk, watch the surfers and finish with a flask of something warm.

🦆 10. Feed your own curiosity at a local park

Take a camera and go on an autumn wildlife hunt.

Look for squirrels, birds, fungi, changing leaves and signs of the changing season.

🌊 11. Walk the Durham Heritage Coast

Cliffs, sea views and big skies without an expensive attraction ticket.

⛪ 12. Explore Durham

Wander around the historic centre, cross the bridges and enjoy the riverside. The cathedral is also free entry

🌲 13. Go on a woodland photo walk

Pick a colour red, orange or yellow and see how many examples you can photograph.

🧺 14. Have a flask-and-cake adventure

Choose a scenic destination and take your own café with you.

🌌 15. Go stargazing

Autumn's earlier sunsets make this much easier with children.

Find somewhere away from street lights, wrap up warm and look up.

🍎 16. Go apple spotting

Take a countryside walk and see how many different varieties of autumn fruit you can spot.

🥾 17. Do a free countryside walk

The North York Moors, Yorkshire Dales and Northumberland are full of walking routes.

You don't need a fancy attraction — just good boots.

📸 18. Have an autumn photography challenge

Give everyone a list:

• Red leaf

• Orange leaf

• Mushroom

• Spider web

• Conker

• Interesting tree

• Sunset

• Reflection

• Bird

• Something shaped like a pumpkin

First person to photograph everything wins.

🏖️ 19. Have a wild-weather beach day

Choose a windy day, wrap up properly and go to the coast.

Sometimes autumn is best when it's slightly wild.

☕ 20. Make your own cosy autumn day

The ultimate free activity?

Go nowhere.

Put on autumn music, bake something, make hot chocolate, watch a film and have a family board-game afternoon.

Sometimes you don't need to spend anything to make a memory.

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