Monday 19th October 2026, 9am
Autumn has come……at last!
For those who loved the long, hot, sunny days this year the autumn weather may not be quite so welcome – but for me autumn couldn’t come soon enough. Whilst doing my best to ignore the cold winter months to follow, I love to wallow in the sounds, smells, colours and textures of autumn. The return of proper bird song, the crackle of falling leaves underfoot, the glorious colours of the leaves, the smell of bonfires, the amusing fungi popping up in unexpected places, squirrels squabbling and chasing each other high in the trees, chestnuts on the ground. I could go on and on. Even the autumn Sunday afternoon sound of football games – the blow of the whistle and the shouts from the pitch.
So it was with a smile on my face that I donned my lightweight woolly hat and gloves – after all, not winter yet – and headed into the BET woodland. However it was a very different route this time. Today I chose to walk up the Cheston Coombe road, situated between the two woods, to see what I could find. I should add that this is far from a recommended route. First, there is no pavement of any sort, second it is steep, third it narrows suddenly on several sections so sharing space with the passing traffic can definitely be hazardous, fourth there is a 60 mph speed limit for most of the road and finally, as you go uphill you walk directly into sunlight. Not so bad for walkers but quite tricky for drivers to spot you as they are sometimes blinded by the low autumn sun. But done carefully with a good ear out for passing cars, vans, bicycles or even horses – there are some lovely sights to be seen.
So I start my walk at the corner of Church Town and carefully negotiate the tricky, narrow, gloomy section at the start of Cheston Coombe, after which the road begins to open up. To my left and right the woodland rises steeply. It is rocky and muddy with plenty of cover for wildlife. Tthe trees on the edge of the road are noticeably tall, reaching as high as they can for the narrow band of available sunlight. And it is on one of the lovely older trees, way up high in the canopy that I can just hear the sound of a Nuthatch.
The sound funnels down the road, echoing. But then I hear another and another call. Similar but not the same and all with the slight echo. It’s a lovely sound – a chorus of Nuthatches! I look up and realize that I am seeing not one or three but seven Nuthatches chasing, whistling, singing, stopping to peck at the tree then chasing each other again. I have never been lucky enough to see more than two Nuthatches at a time. I presume a family and stand still by the roadside with my head tipped right back to watch them until my neck begins to ache. We are so fortunate to have them in these woods as they are not common in the area but are particularly attracted to old woodlands. They continue to play and whistle as I carry on up the hill.
Then, just a moment later, out of the left side of the woodland, comes a dash of ginger brown. From one side to the other across the road in a split second, a small animal with a pointy face, tiny legs and a long body whose stomach appears to rub the ground but who moves with such amazing speed. In that brief moment it looks to me like a miniature version of a Miniature Dachshund.
However, it was, of course, a Weasel and I am so happy to catch my first glance for some years and to note that it appears to have very good road crossing skills.
Two thirds of the way up the hill is a two-car parking space and a wheelchair access path which leads to wonderful views over the adjacent quarry and out over the rolling Somerset hills and as far as Wales. Well worth a look!
As I approach this parking space I can hear a high pitched shrill, combined with an occasional trill, in the trees around me. Immediately recognisable as the lovely and comical sound of a volery (a group) of Long-tailed Tits.
Another family, I suspect, and a chatty one at that as they constantly communicate to each other whilst they dart amongst the lower trees. Unlike Nuthatches, who are particularly shy and prefer the safer, higher branches, Long-tailed Tits are very comfortable lower down and appear to revel in their agility. Really little birds, with pretty black, white and blush colouring and bodies the size of golf balls, they never fail to bring a smile.
They draw my attention to a path into Jubilee Stone Wood which is directly opposite the two-car parking space. Time perhaps to take myself off the narrowing road and instead enjoy the mid-wood path all the way down to Church Town road.