Hinchingbrooke: An Artist's Interpretation of Autumn

It was some time ago that we first heard about Parkrun. If you’re not familiar with it, Parkrun organises free Saturday morning timed 5k runs at loads of different locations both in the UK and abroad. Being outdoorsy types, we had always fancied giving it a go but had never quite got round to it. Four weeks ago we decided that the time had come, so we laced up our running shoes and headed to Hinchingbrooke Country Park in nearby Huntingdon. And we are so glad we did! There’s nothing better than getting up early on a crisp weekend morning and joining crowds of lovely, energetic fellow runners to jog around a beautiful lakeside, woodland setting.

The only problem with running through this stunning place is that it’s hard to appreciate it in detail. So we decided to take a trip to Hinchingbrooke on Sunday afternoon and mosey along at a slightly slower pace.

The woodland at Hinchingbrooke currently looks like an artist’s interpretation of autumn. We wandered along the thick crunching carpets of gold and amber leaves, under mature trees which still retained the last traces of their fading foliage. The low autumnal sun shed warm light through the emptying boughs and illuminated the textured bark. The great diversity of mostly native trees made the place feel like a snapshot from history. The pinnate leaves and delicate keys of ash lay on the ground mixed with the five-pronged saffron-hued leaves of field maples, while above the elders stood proud with their bounties of berries. The oaks, adorned with plump acorns, still retained the majority of their now chestnut-toned leaves, but soon both acorns and leaves will drop and the oaks too will be left bare. In not too long the Scots pines will be left as the sole bearer of green foliage.

Woodlands will always hold a special place in our hearts. Trees manifestly display the changing faces of the seasons and provide us with a sense of something greater than ourselves. Natural and sustainably managed woodlands are not only vital as homes for a myriad of creatures, from large mammals to nearly invisible insects, but they are also essential in absorbing the CO₂ and pollutants that humans are emitting, and reducing rainwater run-off which decreases the risk of flooding. But time and time again around the world we chop them down in favour of agriculture, housing and timber, amongst other things. Trees silently do their bit for the planet, and it’s certainly time for each of us to do our part in conserving them.