BROWNSEA Island has been included in a list of top autumn colour walks by the National Trust.

The island, home to 200 red squirrels, is the red walk from the autumn palette in the trust’s top treks inspired by the season’s colours.

Autumn is the best time to spot the busy little animals as they scurry among the ornamental red and scarlet oaks on their island sanctuary.

Reuben Hawkwood, head ranger for Brownsea Island, said: “Autumn bursts with colour and life. It’s the best time to see nature and wildlife at its most spectacular.

“During autumn Brownsea’s red squirrels, one of the few colonies left in England, are always particularly active and more easily spotted by visitors. Autumn is a good time to see them when they are busy gathering food for winter and the special red squirrel walks we organise help visitors to find the best places to spot them.”

The walks, chosen by trust rangers, include an orange sunset walk at Nant Gwynant in Snowdonia, yellow leaves at the Speke Hall estate, the seven million green coniferous trees at Cragside in Northumberland, blue-tinged hills at Carding Mill Valley in Shropshire, russet sedge at Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire and the purple mountains of Divis in Northern Ireland.

The conservation charity has launched its Great British Walk 2014 with an invitation to enjoy a rainbow of walks.

New research has found that the natural colour schemes found on an autumn walk make 87 per cent of people in the south-west feel happier, healthier and calmer.

Renowned colour psychologist Angela Wright said: “Natural colour schemes can inspire us and lift our spirits. Autumn, combined with the rich light at this time of year, is a flamboyant blaze of intense colours with each affecting us in a different way.”

To find out more, visit nationaltrust.org/gbwalk.