When friends who recently moved to west Devon invited us to see their new home, we decided to combine the visit with a brief autumn tour of the area, so we could explore the beautiful landscapes of Da

Walk through three counties visiting Cheshire’s Matterhorn, Derbyshire’s ancient bridge and Staffordshire’s secret church all in one Peak District hike.

Reservoirs, brooks and sculptures make for a ‘dam’ good autumn walk in this western Sheffield wilderness

■ Distance: 8 miles/12.8km ■ Time: 4½ hours ■ Grade: Challenging

10 great sites for brilliant birdwatching

■ Distance: 5½ miles/8.8km ■ Time: 3 hours ■ Grade: Moderate