It is that time of year when a walk through one of the island’s many glens is a must.

The leaves turning to golden browns, yellows and reds transform any woodland stroll into something just that little more magical.

For me, the glen that seems to transform the most is Glen Helen which is why it is one of my favourite autumn walks.

This is a relatively easy and accessible walk with the bonus of a lovely waterfall midway round.

A word of warning – in recent weeks there has been some tree felling and part of one path has been damaged so there is a chance part of the glen maybe inaccessible temporarily.

That was the case when I went there last weekend but we were able to walk along the top path and then carried on down the road which takes you back to the starting point anyway.

Most will know where Glen Helen is but, for those who don’t, you turn right at the St John’s crossroads if coming from Douglas along the TT course and a mile or two further up you will see it on your right.

Sadly, the Lodge eatery has now gone with the owners setting up in Douglas so you will need to head elsewhere for refreshments after – perhaps Greens Café in St John’s.

The walks begins with a wide and fairly even path. There is a picturesque waterfall on the other side of the bank and then the bridge over a weir which also provides another fine photo opportunity.

As the weather has bee relatively mild so far this autumn, there was still quite a bit of green around but the path itself was littered with brown leaves.

One thing I have noticed at Glen Helen are the number of fallen trees and this area is susceptible during stormy weather.

Eventually, you arrive at the bigger waterfall. It is not quite as spectacular as the ones at Glen Maye or Spooyt Vane but it is just as beautiful and there is a wide viewing platform to admire the view.

For a bit of fun, if you stare at the waterfall for ten seconds and then turn your gaze to the rocks to the right, they will move. It is quite a freaky optical illusion!

At this point there are a few choices. You can head up the steep little path to get a view of the plunge pool from the top but you cannot really see the waterfall. If you carry on this path, it takes you further into the valley and there is a path down which takes you over a small bridge.

The better route is to cross over the immediate bridge and up the steps and on to the top path. This is not as wide as the lower one but provides great views down below between the trees.

After a while, there is a path that takes you down and over the bridge you saw near the start. However, this was closed due to the path being damaged during tree felling. A fallen tree had blocked the path the last time I came!

But you can carry on and you will eventually come to a road which takes you back down towards the car park.

This is a short walk, probably only a couple of miles in total but very rewarding, never more so that during the magic of autumn.