Woodland walks and funghi spotting in the South Downs

Crunchy leaves underfoot, radiant colours, dappled sunlight, trees bejewelled with berries, nuts and seeds, and that unmistakeable earthy smell of autumn – there’s something so special about a woodland walk at this time of the year.

The South Downs has more woodland than any other National Park in England or Wales, so there’s plenty of treescape to choose from!

A woodland stroll is good for all the family and a chance to escape the daily treadmill of life without breaking the bank. It’s also proven to reduce stress hormones in adults and children alike.

If you want to go one step further with your woodland walks, forest bathing is a great option and has been found to lower blood pressure and depression while increasing energy levels.

Some of the best woodlands for an autumn stomp in the National Park include:

• Queen Elizabeth Country Park – walk idea here
• Alice Holt
• West Walk – walk idea here
• Stansted Forest – walk idea here
• Singleton Wooded Estates – walk idea here (best to get the bus as limited parking!)
• Stanmer Park – walk idea here
• Friston Forest

And it doesn’t just have to be walking. Forests can be great places to go for a morning workout, run or cycle, or even a calming meditation or Qigong session. To learn more about forest bathing check out these tips from Forestry England.

Fungi spotting
Autumn is the best season to see the weird and wonderful fruiting bodies of fungi, thanks to the damper conditions and cooler temperatures.

The fruiting bodies look amazing, but most of their living matter is actually underground.

In the soil they take the form of a mass branched filaments called ‘hyphae’ that extend and intertwine with one another to collectively form a network called the ‘mycelium’. If you have ever kicked up a pile of leaves and noticed something that looks like cotton wool stuck underneath, that is mycelium! It spreads through the soil in search of organic matter to break down and feed on.

Scientific experiments have shown that trees that have fungal life support live longer and grow more vigorously, compared with those that don’t.

Some of the best places to see fungi are in one of the South Downs’ many woods, heathlands or close to historic churches.

Many of our UK fungi are toxic to humans, so please do not attempt to forage or eat any unless you are with an expert and have the correct permission.

The great thing about fungi is they’re easy to photograph even on your smartphone as they don’t fly off!

It’s actually quite a mindful activity to have a go at, slow down and look at the forest floor and this fascinating kingdom beneath our feet.