Autumn is above all my favourite season. As there are not many Autumn’s days left this year, my kids and I decided to get out in the fresh air and enjoy it while we still can.

We ventured to Leigh Woods which is a designated nature reserve and lies just outside Bristol. Leigh Woods is free and open from dawn until dusk every day of the week. There is also free parking.

There are different pathways throughout Leigh Woods that you can choose depending on the length and level of challenge that you require for your walk. We opted for the red pathway, which turned out to be just the right length and fairly flat.

Leigh Woods at this time of year is beautiful and the ground that we walked was a carpet of leaves. My children loved exploring and discovering. We gathered a nature collection; which, apart from the usual sticks, included acorns, as well as some leaves and a nut that we could not identify.

I felt bad that although I love trees, I have little knowledge of each one and cannot tell an Oak from an Elm. I decided there and then that this would not be the case for my children. We collected a few Autumn leaves to take home and identify later. I figured that a good way for children to learn is by discovery and learning for themselves.

By the time we were nearing the end of our journey through Leigh Woods, the rain started falling but the ceiling of leaves above our heads protected us from the worst of it.

The pitter patter of rain drops, the crunch of Autumn leaves underfoot and the damp, woody smell all added to our experience; it felt good to have our senses challenged.

Leigh Woods is a wonderful place to take kids to.

For more information about Leigh Woods, please visit the National Trust website, email leighwoods@nationaltrust.org.uk or phone 0117 973 1645.