Aston Clinton Ragpits, Bucks

Famous for its spectacular orchid displays in summer, Aston Clinton Ragpits on the edge of Wendover Woods still has plenty to offer as autumn begins to arrive. This former chalk pit can transform into a haven for fungi, with September providing a variety of species amongst the grassland.

If you want to get out with a few more people, join the Autumn Guided Walk here on Sunday 27 September, where you’ll explore the fungi, late summer flowers and invertebrates of the reserve with one of BBOWT’s knowledgeable volunteers. As with all fungi, what appears on the surface each year depends on the weather, making each autumn visit a unique experience. We're looking forward to seeing what this year brings.

Whether you join the walk or adventure on your own, keep an eye out for colourful waxcaps, including the striking blackening waxcap (also known as the witch’s hat), snowy waxcap and the rarer toasted waxcap. You may also find more unusual species such as mousepee pinkgill in the grassland, while jelly ear can often be found growing on elder trees in the woodland.

Access: There is a network of smaller paths that visitors are free to explore. Short, steep slopes; some loose stone; steps.

Aston Clinton Ragpits

Autumn Guided Walk | 27 September

Foxholes, Oxon

With over 200 species of fascinating fungi recorded at Foxholes, it might just be one of the best places to visit for some autumnal magic and we wait to see what this season brings. 

Foxholes was once part of the vast Wychwood Forest, making it a special place to discover both its rich wildlife and history. Follow the paths at a leisurely pace and see if you can spot the various woodland fungi including the oyster mushroom, porcelain fungus and tawny grisettes. 

Whether you’re an experienced fungi enthusiast or simply looking for a peaceful autumn walk, Foxholes is the perfect place to immerse yourself in the changing season.

Access: Tracks leading to the reserve can get extremely muddy when wet making access challenging. Gently sloping; mainly grassy, soft when wet, some roots, gaps (0.5m wide), kissing gate. Off-road pushchair recommended.

Foxholes

Greenham & Crookham Commons, Berks

Greenham and Crookham Commons puts on one of Berkshire’s most remarkable wildlife displays coming into autumn. This vast expanse of heathland is home to one of the largest populations of autumn lady’s-tresses in southern Britain, with thousands of these delicate orchids flowering from later summer into September. See if you can smell their delicately sweet fragrance on a warm afternoon! Once a military airbase, the site is now also one to observe an extensive array of fungi, including puffballs and waxcaps.

Beyond the orchids, the Commons offer miles of accessible waymarked routes through heather, gorse and open grassland, all taking in a wide range of habitats and points of heritage interest. Some defined paths and tracks also allow cyclists and horse riders.

Access: The main tracks across the common are level and accessible for those with limited walking ability, off-road bicycles and off-road mobility scooters. Other waymarked routes are colour coded and cross varying terrain. Undulating wooded valleys with uneven terrain including steps. Most entrances have 1.5m bridle gates. Height barriers on minor car parks, main car park accessible to larger vehicles or those carrying cycles on the roof.

Greenham & Crookham Commons

Thatcham Reedbeds, Berks

One of the largest reedbeds in southern England, Thatcham Reedbeds, next to the Nature Discovery Centre, is a fantastic place to experience the sights and sounds of wetland wildlife in September. As well as the abundant dragonflies and damselflies present in the summer, autumn now brings a whole new scene.

The reedbeds here are part of the West Berkshire Living Landscape, a project with an aim to restore wild habitats and improve connections for wildlife across the landscape. A 6m circular walk passing through the wetland will let you explore an array of wildlife here and on several other nearby reserves. 

Stroll along and pause by the water’s edge, where you might spot a grey heron standing patiently in the shallows or a flash of bright blue as a kingfisher flies by. The quieter corners of the reserve offer the chance to catch a glimpse of some more elusive residents, including the red fox and even otters if you’re especially lucky.

Access: Flat terrain and even routes but the reedbed route is more challenging than those around the lakes and can be wet in places. Safety first - railway crossing required.

Thatcham Reedbeds

Warburg Nature Reserve, Oxon

Nestled in the Chiltern hills, the views at Warburg Nature Reserve are hard to beat in autumn. This gem is home to ancient woodlands and one of the richest collections of fungi in the three counties, with a staggering 900 species recorded here. How many will be spotted this year?

Follow the badger waymarkers on the one-mile Wildlife Walk through the reserve and take in the peaceful surroundings, keeping an eye out for red kites soaring overhead, and Chiltern gentian flowering on the grassland.

Borrow a children's Nature Detectives backpack from the Centre by the car park and set off on a self-guided adventure, where games and spotter sheets bring the woodland to life. 

Whether you’re a keen wildlife watcher or simply after a scenic stroll, Warburg Nature Reserve offers something special at every turn as the seasons begin to change.

Access: Variable, mostly steep paths and loose flint, flat grassy path; muddy in valley bottom after rain; benches.

Warburg Nature Reserve

Yoesden, Bucks

Perched in the Chiltern Hills, Yoesden’s diverse chalk grassland remains vibrant through September. Back in the 19^th century, the adjacent woodland saw local craftsmen using beech and ash to carve chair legs and spindles for the furniture industry of High Wycombe.

As autumn begins to arrive, the grass is painted in purple as Chiltern gentian and Devil's-bit scabious begin to bloom. With a south-westerly, sun-soaked slope, the site supports a variety of insects, including the Adonis blue, if you’re lucky enough to spot them as summer ends. Or look for a stripe-winged grasshopper amidst the long grass. 

This is the perfect place to enjoy the changing season and the rolling landscape. Take a stroll in the grasses while keeping an eye out for red kites circling overhead, before wandering into the attached ancient woodland.

Access: Sloping, steep and stony in places, muddy in places; kissing gates and gates; bench. 

Yoesden