I AM always surprised when I hear people living in Scotland saying they dream of jetting off across the Atlantic on a “leaf peeping” trip to New England in the fall. I am not saying North America doesn’t offer remarkable autumn colours; just that you can savour easily as good, seriously world-class autumn colours, right here in Scotland. Join me now as we get coorie, as I share my favourite spots with you.

It’s that time of year again when the heat (and midges) of summer become a distant memory. It can be a time of reflection, sadness even, so it can help to embrace the beauty of autumn, a season as spectacular as any if you can savour it. Scotland puts on quite a show as the leaves on the country’s deciduous trees turn fiery red, burning orange and smouldering yellow.

Let’s start in our two biggest cities. If you live here and don’t have time to head off into the countryside, simply ease along to the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, or Glasgow‘s Botanic Gardens. It’s that easy. Yes, they’ve got exotic hot houses and flora from all over the world, but for me, the highlight is wandering their paths kicking through the leaves. And then grabbing a coffee and cake to finish off a coorie autumn escape right in the heart of a great city.

Just to the north, Loch Lomond And The Trossachs National Park is great for a scenic walk or bike ride enjoying the autumn show. How about hiking a section of the West Highland Way within the park? Or maybe tackling the start of the John Muir Way from Helensburgh across the hills to Loch Lomond? I’ve walked this a couple of times, and it’s a real joy as you walk through forests breathing in all that fresh air as you flirt with the Highland Boundary Fault and seek out the loch. Both these Great Trails offer up a swathe of autumn glory to well-prepared walkers.

READ MORE: Game of Thrones actor James Cosmo launches Set in Scotland travel guide

The cycle, or drive, from Callander to Aberfoyle on the Duke’s Pass nearby is a spectacular one that again puts on an autumn show, with plenty of deciduous trees in between the conifers. This is the land of Queen Elizabeth Forest Park. I recommend that if you’re driving, park at The Lodge Forest Visitor Centre, where you can learn more about the local flora and fauna, and then head off on a walking or cycling trail, looking out for the changing colours and red squirrels as you go.

The Waterfall Trail is only a mile long. If you can manage the four-mile Lime Craig Trail, you’ll be rewarded with great views – there is a wildlife hide and a waterfall en route too.

Heading up the A9, I always try to stop at one spot in autumn. Spend even half-an-hour here, and you’ll thank me, I promise. And that stop is The Hermitage. This remarkable National Trust for Scotland oasis ekes along the banks of the roaring River Braan to the folly of Ossian’s Hall, where you can gaze over the thundering Black Linn Falls.

Stars of the show are the towering Douglas firs – among the tallest trees in the UK. There are plenty of deciduous trees too in this wonderland, which was fashioned over the years as a playground for the Dukes of Atholl. Today everyone is welcome: including the wild salmon that you can view at this time of year leaping in the falls.

Further north we come to probably my favourite – the Rothiemurchus Estate.

Some Scottish estates can be less than welcoming to the public, but here, east of Aviemore, they have opened up their forests with a swathe of walking and cycling trails.

READ MORE: The best things to do in Dunfermline - Scotland's newest city

Scotland has lost much of its native Caledonian Forest, but here it thrives and looks at its best in autumn. A walk around Loch an Eilein – with its castle-topped wee island in its waters – is a life-affirming joy.

You’ve got the rest of the Cairngorms National Park to explore too, a wild wonderland awash with seasonal colour. If you want to stay over and make a weekend of it, Aviemore is the ideal base.

Pushing even further north, we come to Glen Affric, a wee insider tip not many people get out to. It’s quite a heft to get here, and when you do, you won’t find wee tearooms or anything like that. It’s just you, the epic mountains and the autumn colours. Bliss.

This is a Caledonian Forest Reserve, an all too rare oasis of temperate rainforest.

One thing that may shatter your tranquillity is the red deer stags who descend from the high hills to do battle, their rutting roars echoing like murderous cries around the glen. Set against the autumn colours, it is a deeply dramatic experience that screams Scotland.

My wildcard for you is Galloway Forest Park. Some people assume you need to head north for autumn colours, but the UK’s largest forest park –indeed its first forest park, is a riot of tree life.

It is also home to the UK’s first ever Dark Sky Park, so as well as leaf peeping you can search for shooting stars and even scan the skies for the Northern Lights.

All this, and you don’t even need to catch an expensive transatlantic flight over to New England.