A feast from the Forest
Along the footpaths, usually looking for fungi , this is my favourite micro season when you’ll find me in the forest with Leo, who will emerge with a muddy tide mark from all those tempting puddles.
Welcome to the next instalment of my new A - Z Chilterns Treasures journey of discovery in the Chiltern Hills. For this next A - Z instalment, I was spoilt for choice: footpaths, fingerposts, fields and field patterns - even film locations. At this time of year, F is all those colourful falling autumn leaves that carpet our Chilterns forests and beech woodland. As I write this, the wind and rain are tearing the leaves from their branches to pile up in drifts in the garden and along the footpaths.
Mid-way through autumn, there is still a lot of colour and hedgerow bounty to enjoy; the sloes and damsons can be picked and turned into mid winter tipples and treats. This region is distinctive because of our beechwoods, once used for chair making, charcoal, lumber for London, now still an integral part of our landscape and woodland heritage, a place to escape and breathe.
But, this time of year, it’s the autumn colour that really appeals, the light at its best just before sunset deepening the reds, yellows and rusty oranges..and lets not forget the fog, most likely in autumn after a clear, cold night. It changes our perception with muffled sounds, even a familiar view can look sinister as we are unsure what will emerge from the gloom. Often it’s brilliant sunshine, but if the fog hangs around, it becomes cold. Compare the view to Tring Park above, the trees bathed in sunshine.
All fungi great and small
I went on a course once in the vain hope it would help me identify at least some of the fungi that I could take home and cook. Sadly, I don’t have the confidence as too much could go wrong! You’ll spot a wide variety of types growing on the ground, in the trees, on the branches including the Fly Agaric Toadstools (red with white spots) associated with birch trees and the 'chicken of the woods' fungus that grows on trees.
Deer in the headlights
The deer are at it again, the stags are all a-bluster as it’s rutting season, with competition fierce to bag the females who are only in season for a day or two. You can tell the fallow deer from the small muntjac by their white spots. The latter are only in Ashridge since their escape from Woburn Park in Bedfordshire in the 1920's.
You have more chance of an encounter on the road as they dash out with no warning. Be careful when driving through woodland so you don’t have an accidental encounter.
I have more photographs of leaves than you could shake a tree at, but it’s such a beautiful micro season, can the next letter G match up? Go for it..? Where should I go?
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Links you will need
If you see any images you like, for yourself or as a gift, head on over to Chilterns Gifts, our online shop. If, however there are images you don’t see in the shop, contact me here and I can arrange exclusive (framed) prints.
Ashridge Estate, with the mature beech, oak and sycamores are particularly colourful and can be enjoyed along the many footpaths through the forest. Bring your wellies as the mud is not yet deep, but still dirty. Around Hughenden Manor and the Thames Path in and around Goring is especially pretty now.
You can dip into previous week’s A - E discoveries through the links below.
Lovely visions of FALL here...