Autumn adventures

Yes, the nights are drawing in and temperatures are dropping, but there’s still plenty to enjoy if you wrap up warm and embrace the season, says outdoor activities expert Georgie Duckworth

Now is the time of year when summer feels like a distant memory. Heatwaves and endless sunny days are a thing of the past, washed away by rainy spells and cooler temperatures.

As the days become shorter, it is not unusual to feel a bit low. But stop and draw a line under any gloomy thoughts.

The arrival of autumn is something to celebrate. As the season changes, there’s much to look forward to, from beautiful colourful landscapes as the leaves change hue, to exciting afterdark experiences. And the best thing is they don’t cost a penny.

So this autumn, don’t hibernate in front of the TV. Instead, fill your weekends and free time with adventure. Gather friends and family together and make the most of this beautiful season with these fun activities for all ages.

INTO THE WOODS

A trip to the woods at this time of year is always a rewarding experience. The colours of the trees, the bustling of squirrels and birds as they prepare for winter, and that playful sensation of walking through piles of fallen leaves is enough to lift anyone’s spirits.

Check the Woodland Trust’s website (woodlandtrust.org.uk) to locate woods near you and head out for an autumn day of fun.

Follow a woodland trail

Walk among deciduous trees and admire the incredible colours of the leaves. Try to catch one as it slowly falls from the tree or kick through any piles already gathered on the ground. Pick them up and throw them around like confetti – kids love to run underneath them.

Find some fungi

Damper woodland conditions in autumn are perfect for mushrooms.

At this time of year, fungi emerge in an array of different colours, sizes and shapes, so peer down low in the leaf litter, or on tree trunks and branches, to see what you can find. Some mushrooms are very poisonous, so don’t touch or pick them. Instead, have a close look at the different types that you discover, or be brave and have a sniff of them. Some have very distinctive – be warned, often unpleasant – scents. Others may have been nibbled on by a passing dormouse.

Get on your bike

The woods are fantastic for bike trails, with beautiful scenery to admire without the worry of cars and other traffic. It’s an easy way to clock up some exercise,

and it never feels like a chore. Visit Forestry and’s website ( forestryengland.uk) to find a woodland bike trail near you. Many are reasonably flat and wide so great for families cycling with beginners or young children.

Others have exciting downhill trails that are perfect for more experienced cyclists – and fearless kids and teens – to race down at top speed.

Discover ancient trees

Dotted across the UK is a network of ancient trees, which are wonderful landmarks to discover. Some can grow for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Search the Woodland Trust’s Ancient Tree Inventory to explore any in your local area and marvel at their size and longevity.

Why not bring a sketch pad and try drawing the tree, or see who can identify which type it is by examining its leaves?

FUN FORAGING

It’s hard to resist snaffling the occasional blackberry as you pass a bramble bush. But this year, why not take hedgerow foraging to a new level?

There are rosehips to bake into cakes, sloes that can be infused into gin, and apples to cook in a crumble. Try these fun foraging activities.

Make elderberry syrup

Elderflowers are a wonderful symbol of summer, but the plant’s shiny black autumn berries are also a fantastic ingredient. Elderberries are believed to have many health benefits, as they are packed with antioxidants and vitamins. Although they can’t be eaten raw, when cooked they make a delicious syrup.

To make it, gather a few handfuls of berries and remove them from their stalks.

Boil them down with some water and then strain off the liquid, discarding the berries. Add a little honey for sweetness and store in the fridge.

Blackberry tie-dye

Delicious though they are, with an abundance of blackberries this year, it’s worth finding an additional use for them. Blackberry tie-dye is a fun and easy activity that anyone can try.

Boil down some foraged blackberries with a pinch of salt and a splash of vinegar to make your dye. Choose a

Enjoying the sunrise is one of the most rewarding ways to start the day

light coloured T-shirt or pillow case and tie tight knots in it to create the tie-dye effect. Then dip your garment in the blackberry dye and leave it out to dry. Finally, remove the ties and knots and admire the patterns and colours the dye has created.

NATURE’S PLAYGROUND

Autumn is nature’s playground. There is so much to explore and enjoy no matter what age you are. Organise a tug of war in the park, fly a kite in the wind, jump in puddles or have a go at apple bobbing. Here are a few fun autumn games to play.

Conkers

This game has been played for centuries. Hunt beneath a horse chestnut tree for the perfect, shiny conker. Make a hole in it and thread a string through, tieing a knot below. Then challenge a friend to a battle.

Each player must knock their opponent’s conker until one of them cracks and breaks.

Snail racing

As the weather becomes wetter, snails will re-emerge after a dry summer. Each player must search high and low around the garden or park for a speedy looking snail.

Use sticks to mark out a race track, complete with a start and finish line. Then line up your competitors and get ready for a nail-biting display of snail speed. A great game for a rainy day.

EMBRACE THE DARK

Even though the weather can be a little more unsettled through autumn, there are plenty of beautiful days to get out there and enjoy this wonderful season.

Take advantage of the longer hours of darkness to create an adventure, enjoy the warmth of an evening campfire, watch the stars or navigate by moonlight.

Track an owl

The call of the tawny owl is one of the most fantastic sounds in nature. Owls live in both urban and rural settings, and can be heard marking their territory by hooting from a treetop perch as soon as darkness falls.

Choose a dry evening to venture out into your garden, local park or woodland on a mission to track an owl.

They’re so loud and distinctive that they are easy to identify. See if you can pinpoint which tree your owl is perching in, but keep your distance so you don’t scare it away.

Woods are a fantastic place for a bike ride well away from any traffic

Watch the sunrise

Enjoying the changing colours of sunrise is one of the most rewarding ways to start the day. Check the time of the sunrise and choose a dry, clear morning. Set your alarm and head out on an early adventure.

Why not challenge yourself to climb an easterly facing hill to make the most of the views, or take it easy and watch the sunrise from your garden or local park? Pack a flask of coffee and a warm coat and settle down to watch the show, which is nature at its finest.