A landscape of reds and golds

Even though the summer was disappointing for many, the National Forest Company is urging people to get out into the woodlands and enjoy nature’s autumn finale. Already the leaves are turning red and gold with their final dazzling display of colour before the bleak winter months set in.

Penny Wilkinson, Tourism & Promotions Officer for the National Forest Company said: “Autumn is truly the best time to walk in The National Forest. As well as enjoying the stunning colours and crisp fresh air, you can also find hazelnuts, sloes and other Forest fruits just dripping from the trees.”

Foremark Reservoir is lovely in autumn, with its boardwalks and waterside path that leads to Carvers Rocks Nature Reserve. And the parkland landscape of nearby Calke Abbey, with its resident deer, misty lakes and ancient oaks, provides an atmospheric setting for an autumn stroll. This could be combined with a visit into the fascinating historic house (open until 2 November) or with a meander along a scenic ridge to Staunton Harold Church and the Ferrers Centre for Arts and Crafts.

The Outwoods and Beacon Hill within the ancient Forest of Charnwood provide some of the best displays of Autumn colours and are criss-crossed with footpaths and cycleways to explore.

Willesley Wood, near Ashby de la Zouch, is always rich in vibrantly coloured field maple and rowan during Autumn. Willesley, owned and managed by the Woodland Trust, was the first woodland planted as part of The National Forest and is maturing to become a well-established haven for wildlife.

Autumn is also ‘Seed Gathering Season’. The National Forest runs a ‘Seed to Tree’ scheme that encourages local residents and visitors to collect acorns and other native tree seeds and grow them on as small seedlings to be eventually planted in the growing National Forest. After two years the seed-gatherers are invited to a community tree planting event to plant their little trees in a young woodland.

For more information on places to visit and where to eat in The National Forest, visit the website – nationalforest.org or get a copy of The National Forest and Beyond visitor guides, available from Tourist Information Centres.