Welcome to our new Nature Wellbeing Calendar series.
Every month, our Calendars treat you to loads of easy and enjoyable ways to get your regular healthy ‘dose’ of nature. Learn more about how nature helps your health and wellbeing.
Here’s some ideas for September. How many can you do this month? 🙂
1. Hello Autumn! After a long, warm summer, welcome the arrival of Autumn this September. Head out whenever you can to enjoy the wonderful feeling of change in the air. Rejoice at the first yellow and orange leaves, be refreshed by cooler wind and rain, and delight in the return of birdsong! Enjoy Autumn on our nature-rich routes from the Millennium Bridge.
2. And it’s Fungi season! Plant, animal, or alien? 🙂 Fungi is in a kingdom of its own with over 15,000 species. One easy-to-find group is Bracket Fungi. They jut out like mini shelves from old or decaying tree trunks and have fantastic names. When you’re out and about this Autumn, take a closer look at trees on your route. Will you discover Chicken of the Woods, Turkeytail, or Dryad’s Saddle? You’ll need to celebrate your Fungi find with a photo, of course! Share your excitement with friends, family or in our WhatsApp group. Or try a sketch in your Nature Journal when you get home.
3. It’s also a month of incredible wild bounty. First up is berries. How well do you know your berries? Trees are laden with Elder, Dogwood, Cotoneaster and Rowan berry clusters. Hedgerows hang heavy with Hawthorn haws, Dog Rose hips, and Blackthorn sloes. But wait, what’s that rustling? Pause on your travels and see who’s feasting! You may spot Blue Tits, Blackbirds, or, if you’re really lucky, Bohemian Waxwings.
4. Nuts and seeds are our next wild bounty. This month, they’re everywhere! How well do you know your Tree seeds? Trees are throwing down winged Maple helicopters, shiny brown Horse Chestnut conkers and neat green Oak acorns. Flowers are presenting their seeds on elaborate, beautiful seedheads. Why not collect some local seeds on a sunny September day when you’re out? You’ll find the activity deeply satisfying, save lots of money, and enjoy planning growing them, too! Learn how to collect seeds. And how to grow your own Trees from seed. 🙂
5. And let’s not forget the wild bounty of the Apple tree! Did you know there are over 2500 varieties of Apple in the UK? Apple trees are now bowing under the weight of their gorgeous, reddening fruit. We’re lucky to have Abundance York, who organise Apple picks from local trees and share them with the community. But what will you do with lots of Apples? Munch your way through a crisp and tasty Apple a day? Or get baking, and celebrate Apple Season with any of these 300+ Apple recipes!
6. Finally, this Autumn, do enjoy some quiet time with your favourite Tree as it changes. Look out your window, sit in your outdoor space, or settle on a bench on your walking or cycling route. Simply notice your Tree. What can you see, hear and smell? What colours are its leaves? Are they rustling in the breeze? Is there a damp, earthy aroma? Breathe deeply, in through your nose, and out through your mouth. Feel yourself calm, your shoulders relax and your breathing slow. Make a promise to come back again very soon. 🙂
York Bike Belles 