Enjoy the colours of autumn

Walk through a carpet of fallen leaves in our native woodlands this autumn.

Forget New England, try old Wales if you want to enjoy the colours of autumn.

We may not have as many species of trees as America, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the burnished colours of autumn on your own doorstep.

Rory Francis, press officer for the Woodland Trust, certainly has his favourite places to visit this time of year, starting with the beech wood of Coed Aber Artro, near Harlech.

"This woodland is so atmospheric," he said. "There's a road running through it, so you can stop and wonder at how unspoiled it is.

"In autumn, the floor of the woods is covered in golden leaves as they grow thicker on beech than oak. It's really worth seeing."

Closer to his home, Rory likes visiting Coed Cymerau, Blaenau Ffestiniog. Another oakwood, it stretches over a patchwork of fields, hillocks and a stream beneath the Moelwyns.

"Another lovely wood worth seeing is Parc Mawr above Conwy," said Rory.

Coed Cymerau, Blaenau Ffestiniog, is a favourite of Rory Francis.

He also recommends Coed Garth Byr near Talsarnau and Hafod y Llyn, Maentwrog, on the shores of Llyn Bryn Mair above Plas Tan y Bwlch.

"We're really proud of Hafod y Llyn now because we won a prize for it in the Royal Welsh this year. It's mostly oak with a few conifers, though we've been getting rid of most of those over the past 15 years as they're not native."

You can visit this wood by train, as the Ffestiniog Railway runs alongside it.

Further south is Coed Nant Gwernol, which is at the end of the Talyllyn railway line.

"If you go on the train from Tywyn right to the top and then walk into Abergynolwyn, you'll walk through Coed Nant Gwernol," said Rory.

"It's one half of a wooded gorge so it's another very damp forest with a stream running through it. There are moss and ferns on every stone and tree; it's really quite a pretty place, in the shadow of Cader Idris."

This forest might be what Rory describes as a 'Celtic rainforest'.

"The native trees of north west Wales are special because of our climate. The prevailing winds come from the south east, over the sea, and so they're very damp," he said.

Amazing berries

As for why the leaves change colour, Rory explains: "That happens because the sugar in the leaves deteriorates. They start creating two other chemicals; carotene, which is orange in colour, and anthocyanin, which is more red."

Unfortunately for us, a lack-lustre summer doesn't help produce brightly-coloured autumn leaves, but this year has been a great one for bright red berries.

"The hawthorns have been producing amazing berries," said Rory. "Lots of people came to us in the eisteddfod in Bala asking for mountain ash, too, as the berries had been so red this year because of all the rain we've had."

The abundance of berries should make the woods a busy place during autumn for all those animals wanting to fatten up before their winter hibernation.

However, our variable weather makes it hard to predict the best time to see the autumn colours. A cold snap makes the leaves turn far earlier.

Contact us with your favourite autumn photos and locations in north west Wales.