Cool canopies, leafy lean-tos and barky boarders are all being celebrated this #ForestWeek. We’re not classified as a forest but we have lots of wooded areas that are great to escape to enjoy the peace and tranquillity being around trees can bring. In this blog we’re going to list our top wooded areas, trees you might see and how to forest bathe.
We’re more than just a park!
When you think of Lee Valley Regional Park, you might think of wide open spaces, maybe maintained gardens and even action packed sporting activities, but did you know we’ve pockets of woodland scattered around the park? Here are the hotspots if you’re looking to hang about amongst the trees:
Wet woodland at Gunpowder Park – What3Words ///deaf.noon.prime– follow the board walk and enjoy the surroundings of this sheltered habitat.
Tree Park at Cornmill Meadows - What3Words ///life.wash.analogy– Walk until you find the central path with the marker stones at the end, these mark the Meridian Line and the Tree Park is along this path.
Horseshoe Thicket at Walthamstow Marshes - What3Words ///duke.stands.cherry – follow the mazy paths through the willows and take a moment to gaze over the ponds.
Spotting woodland wildlife
There’s lot of different wildlife to see in the wooded area of the park. Ones to keep an eye out for are Great Spotted Woodpecker, Treecreeper, Speckled Wood Butterfly and Muntjac deer.
Leaves of all different shapes and sizes
There’s a variety of different trees in the park and as the leaves fall from the branches you can get a good look at their colour and shape! Here’s some great finds:
English Oak Tree
This tree is found throughout the park and leaves are known for their rounded lobes and wonderful brown colour in the autumn.
English Elm
These oval leaves can be identified by a toothed edge with a rough, hairy surface. As we head into the autumn you will notice the leaves turn a deep yellow.
Hawthorn
The small lobed leaves can create a rainbow of colours from red to orange and yellow with the addition of red berries in the later months of the year.
Try forest bathing in the park
Being surrounded by trees and wildlife is a great way to boost your mindfulness and take time out of your day to pause and reflect.
Here’s some steps to help you make the most of your surroundings:
Find the quietest time to visit like morning and evenings – this will give you the peace and quiet you need to absorb what is around you
Turn your phone on silent to avoid any distractions
Do a range of different activities – walking, sitting down and breathing exercises are all great ways to take in the surroundings
Stay as long as you feel like – it is recommended two hours but any length of time in the forest has been seen to have benefits
See different ways to practice mindfulness in woodlands on Forestry England
We hope you enjoy exploring our wooded areas during one of the most magical times of year to see them.