Death and decay?

This is how I have previously referred to autumn - doesn't really quite do it justice, and in recent years I've come to look forward to this season of change.

I'm not long back from a lovely few days up North - the Lake District and Scottish Highlands visiting friends - and although it was a bit of a whistle-stop tour, we did manage to exalt (!) in the amazing scenery.

It certainly makes the South seem very busy and flat! However, I'm still so lucky to have some amazing places right on my doorstep. It being the foraging season, we headed off to Langley Wood NNR for a potter and possible chestnut foraging. The fungi were diverse and beautiful, with the leaves on the magnificent beeches, oaks and sweet chestnuts just beginning to turn. Not at their rufous best yet, so a future visit required.

It was, however, the peak time to collect chestnuts! This year definitely seems to be a mast year (hardly death and decay!)- where all the trees produce lots of fruit/nuts to create a population boom of predators, only for next year to not produce anything and cause a massive population crash. This means the trees can put less energy into successfully reproducing whilst their predators (insects mostly) slowly build their populations. Cunning! 

So make the most of this year's bounty (even if it means risking life and limb dodging falling spiky chestnut cases falling around you, or spending hours preparing the damn things!), as next year is probably going to be fairly rubbish!