Autumn heralds the ideal season for a weekend escape, with the landscape transforming into a tapestry of fiery hues and the countryside beckoning explorers to its most scenic locales.

Recently crowned as the UK’s favourite hiking destination, the Aber Falls circular trail in Eyri National Park, Wales, promises an enchanting experience complete with archaeological wonders and a stunning waterfall.

Spanning 6.8 kilometres, the journey around this track can be completed in approximately two hours, though those wishing to fully immerse themselves in the natural beauty may take their time.

The path offers a gentle incline, peppered with a few sharper descents, catering to walkers of various skill levels.

However, its popularity means it can become quite crowded; early risers are rewarded with a quieter, more serene experience.

Outdoor specialists at Blacks have meticulously sifted through AllTrails and Google search data from October 2023 to September 2024, alongside climate statistics, to pinpoint the premier hiking trails for the autumn and winter seasons.

Aber Falls emerged as the top choice. This is attributed to its comparatively mild weather conditions, with temperatures averaging around 8C in the latter months of the year, and an impressive 4.8-star accolade on AllTrails, reports the Mirror.

An enthusiastic hiker praised the trail on AllTrails with a five-star review, exclaiming: “Super beautiful! ! ! We carried on and climbed the hill and found some more waterfalls so amazing!”

On TripAdvisor, one visitor said: “It is a lovely walk up to the falls. The walk is fairly easy if you are relatively fit. The local scenery is absolutely stunning. When you get to waterfall it is breathtaking, as others have said, photos don’t do it justice. I will definitely revisit these falls again if I am holidaying in the area again.”

Another said the trek to Aber Falls is hailed as an absolute “must visit”.

The enthusiastic visitor shared: “Aber Falls is a spectacular waterfall which, considering its location, is probably the most visited in Wales, along Pistyll Rhaeadr.”

“I got extremely lucky during my visit when huge rainstorms dumped a huge amount of rain overnight and made this waterfall into a monster. 

“There was so much water pouring over it and with such force it was impossible to even get close to the base with all the spray flying everywhere.

“I got extremely wet about 20 meters from the base itself!”