Autumn cometh

Speech House Lake

A cool mist hung over the Forest of Dean this morning as I set out on a 7 mile hike. It's what I call 'in between weather' - a bit warm for wearing a cardigan; a bit cool without one. 

Summer is slowly turning to Autumn. Beech and oak trees are leading the way as their leaves turn golden brown, then fall to the ground. Not many yet, but in a few weeks' time the whole forest will be bathed in autumn colours. I wanted to photograph these first signs - another page in my project to record the changing scene throughout a year. 

Intrepid Angie, on a rickety bridge over Blackpool Brook

This time the starting point was Speech House, in the middle of the forest.  From there I walked southeast in an area that I haven't explored before, and soon I arrived at the Speech House Lake. Why had I never been here? This is surely the most beautiful of the forest lakes.  I shared it with a couple of anglers and a party of children, but they were content to stay near the car park. At my end, the misty, moisty morning seemed to impart an extra measure of beauty and solitude.

To the south lay Acorn Patch, which I've already covered in some detail, so I won't bore you by describing the rest of the walk homeward. Instead, I'll let these photos tell their own story.

Beech Trees beginning to turn Autumn gold

I photographed these, confident that there'd be a good crop of sweet chestnuts to collect on my next hike.
Now I look at the leaves, though, I'm not so certain.  O to be an expert!
(ps. A sweet chestnut it is not!  See Ruby's comment (below))

These I do know!  And very tasty they were.

A camera-shy grey squirrel.  When I first saw the little fellow, he was scurrying around on the ground.  However, by the  time I'd switched on the camera, set the focus and zoomed in, he was departing rapidly.