Bowdown Woods, Berks

If autumn colours and fungi are your thing, Bowdown Woods is worth a visit this October. Just a couple miles from Newbury, this nature reserve is made up of ancient woodland, heathland, glades plus streams and ponds. 

On the woodland floor, you’ll find plenty of interesting fungi, why not take an ID book to help you identify them! You might even spot a fly agaric, one of the most recognisable red fungi at the reserve. Or look out for the butter waxcaps with their bright yellow colouring.

There are several short walks to choose from around the woodland, one that even follows old, surfaced tracks from when it used to be a bomb site, used for storing ammunition during the Second World War. 

If you fancy a closer look at the fungi, join the Fungus Foray with Peter Creed on Sunday 25 October, where you can learn to identify all the fabulous fungi with a knowledgeable expert! Booking required.

Access: Variable, the reserve is made up of 3 areas: 
Baynes: steep slopes, uneven underfoot, long flight of steps and a boardwalk.
Bomb Site: flat and surfaced, accessible for robust mobility scooters and robust wheelchairs. 
Bowdown: gentle slopes, soft after rain.

Bowdown Woods, Berks

Fungus Foray | Sunday 25 October

College Lake Nature Reserve, Bucks

Close to Tring, College Lake will give you an autumn day out with a bit of everything. This former chalk quarry is one of the best places in Buckinghamshire for spotting waterbirds throughout the year. In October, you may find wigeon, teal or lapwings arriving to spend the winter here. 

Thanks to BBOWT staff and volunteers, the reserve is now home to over 1,000 species of wildlife, meaning there’ll always be something to see when you’re on your walk, even as we get closer to the colder months.

There are also plenty of events happening here this month for all ages. On the 6 and 8 October, toddlers can enjoy a morning of wildlife themed activities and explore the reserve with Nature Tots. 

Or for slightly older children, Teen Rangers on Saturday 17 October helps young nature lovers learn conservation skills and scientific knowledge, plus it’s something they can do every month to learn new things each time!

Access: Gentle slopes, 90% surfaced paths, gates, benches. Please note: some of our paths are uneven.

College Lake Nature Reserve, Bucks

See what's on

Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon

For something a little different, head to Dry Sandford Pit near Abingdon. Once a quarry, it is now a wonderful mix of fossil-rich cliffs, grassland, woodland and even ponds and streams. 

The cliffs here date back to the Jurassic era when the land that's now Oxfordshire was submerged underwater. Many corals and fossils of marine life can still be seen now if you look closely enough. 

This reserve is another one where fungi thrive in the autumn so keep an eye out for the assorted waxcaps and milkcaps as well as the stranger club-like hairy earthtongue.

With a half-mile, circular walk, stroll along the reserve’s paths and keep an eye out for the colourful berries and fungi. You could even make a checklist of everything you want to see and tick them off as you go along!

Access: Look out for temporary signs warning of a footpath that's closed while we repair a footbridge. Undulating, steep cliffs; firm paths, some moderate slopes; kissing gates.

Dry Sandford Pit, Oxon

Rushbeds Wood, Bucks

This broadleaved woodland is a beautiful reserve to visit all year round. Close to the town of Bicester, Rushbeds Wood is one of the few remaining parts of the Royal Forest of Bernwood, an ancient hunting forest, appearing on maps as far back as 1590! 

Whilst the summer may have showcased the reserve’s butterflies and moths, October brings around a display of fascinating fungi. Keep your eyes peeled for species with some wonderfully unusual names, including deceiving knight, amethyst deceiver and fluted bird’s-nest. 

The wood is also home to a lovely mixture of oak, ash, hawthorn, hazel, field maple and a few hornbeams. So when you’re having an amble around the 1.5 mile circular walk, see if you can identify the different shapes of fallen autumn leaves, you could even take a sketchbook and pencil with you for some outdoor art!

Access: Paths flat, soft after rain, some roots; kissing gates, bench

Rushbeds Wood, Bucks

Snelsmore Common Country Park, Berks

Four miles north-west of Newbury, Snelsmore Common is a diverse landscape, home to a range of habitats and wildlife throughout the year. Like many other BBOWT reserves, autumn is an ideal time to look out for all the fungi, here you can see fairy inkcap, white saddle, slippery jack and false death cap. 

There are several short and longer distance routes for walkers, cyclists and horse riders to follow, taking you through the reserve’s woodland, heathland and wet mires. Though some paths are quite steep, there is an Easy Access Trail of 0.75 miles on a paved path too. 

If you’re feeling peckish after exploring, head to the café (not run by BBOWT), in the main car park and dig into one of their homemade cakes, or even better, use their treats as fuel for your adventure around the common!

Access: The common is dissected by a number of valley mires so some paths are steep and uneven. A paved circular path 0.75 miles, the Easy Access Trail, is fully accessible by pushchairs and wheelchairs (RADAR key required to fully open gate).

Snelsmore Common Country Park, Berks

Sydlings Copse, Oxon

Tucked away 3.5 miles north-east of Oxford, Sydlings Copse is a small reserve with a surprising variety of things to see. You may still find yourself taking an hour or two exploring everything the woodland, limestone grassland, heathland, reedbed, fen and stream have to offer. 

The reserve is home to more than a staggering 400 plant species, and in autumn you can see spindle, wayfaring-tree berries and blackberries. And of course, October brings plenty of fungi to the surface, including several varieties of boletes, plus the amethyst deceiver and plums-and-custard. 

You can take the 0.75 mile circular wildlife walk following the badger waymarkers. This might seem short but you will be stuck admiring every bit of wildlife you see here.

Access: Sloping; flat sections, steep slopes, soft patches; kissing gate, steps. Not suitable for pushchairs.

Sydlings Copse, Oxon