With the clocks turning backwards, and daylight hours becoming painfully scarcer by the week, many of us students find ourselves falling into the habit of cocooning ourselves indoors, cozy under thick bed sheets and pyjamas, perhaps binge watching our favourite shows, or moving university work into a warmer environment. This change into crisp weather and a potential onset of the autumn blues can tend to limit the time that students spend travelling, particularly outdoors, an unfortunate sentiment that leaves many awe-inspiring locations unveiled at times when they are at their most lovely : Autumn and Winter.
Indeed, christened in hues of gold and brown, locations like The Hoopern Valley in Exeter provide a beautiful autumnal experience, as well as being conveniently located an eight minute walk from the familiar grounds of central campus. If students squint hard enough, they may even be able to spot a rabbit or two through travelling there! Further, a trip to the local Exeter Quayside would prove a fantastic use of the dwindling daylight hours, showcasing an idyllic stretch of water populated by cozy coffee shops and further walking paths to soak in the dramatic change of the seasons.Â
The effects of travelling both locally and with an additional stretch of transport cannot be understated enough at this time of the year. In particular, the quaint city of Bath resides an hour and a half away from Exeter via train, and boasts renowned Georgian architecture that will be shrouded in golden foliage, or adorned with glittering Christmas lights should students venture there in the festive season. Students can revel in the rich literary history the city offers by strolling through streets that inspired pieces in Jane Austen’s Northhanger Abbey and Persuasion. And for those Bridgerton fans, a trip must be taken to the featured location of Bath’s Royal Crescent, where you can imagine Lady Whistledown narrating your adventures around Bath! The city is truly exciting with a rich heritage that comes to life in these colder months!
Exeter’s fantastic location in the South West offers further travel opportunities to locations such as Plymouth, Exmouth, and Bristol : all locations that can help create a sense of novelty and adventure at a time where colder, darker weather and building deadlines can push us to retreat inside the familiar sphere of our accommodation. Students must remember that there is much out there to explore through travelling, and that there are immense benefits to reap from it, especially as the seasons turn.