With all the rain and some strong winds we have had over the last few days I took an opportunity to walk the main trails at Nagshead this morning. I was greeted with a real feeling that autumn is in the air (as if the weather hadn't told me). The bracken is receding and revealing the diggings of the wild boar around the reserve, and there is a very peaceful feel, possibly partly as I was one of the first on the reserve at that time of day. Leaves are beginning to change colour and drop already, but it may be a slow process this year. The woods most definitely aren't devoid of wildlife though, I delighted at watching little wrens darting in and out of brash piles and brambles, nuthatches called their warnings as I approached and tits flitted around in the tree tops. I also caught sight of a fallow deer as it bounded across the path someway ahead of me as I followed the 'long trail'.
I was pleased to see that not only had no trees been brought down by the winds, but also the paths have held up well. We have been aware of muddy patches and even running water on some pieces through the summer, but today there were signs that a lot of water had flowed over the paths, but left them relatively firm meaning that they are possibly even more accessible now than they were in July and August!
I didn't have enough time to go in search of fungi, but there are some around, and I look forward to getting out to explore more in October.
Hannah