OUT AND ABOUT
ALL CHANGE As well as transformed leaves, the other signs of autumn in Cambridgeshire include mists on the fens and fungi appearing on the woodland floor
plants fade away to allow the yellow and orange of carotenoids and the russet, claret and red of anthocyanins to take the lead and colour the leaves before they fall. Soaking up the season In the US, visitors flock to New England to view the autumnal colours through the woodlands and across the hillsides. As much as $8 billion is spent annually within this foliage economy. Likewise in Japan, millions of tourists visit the most impressive sites to view Koyo (the seasonal colours of yellow, orange and red) and Momiji (the intense reds of maple leaves) – and the term Momijigari means ‘hunting red leaves’. So where might you set about your own Momijigari this autumn? It’s usually wise to start local, spending time searching for the reddest leaves you can find in a garden, along a riverside, lode bank or in a park. But if you want to go bigger and see the Koyo – the autumnal spectrum – in all its kaleidoscopic glory, a visit to a woodland is a must. Although not the most wooded of counties, Cambridgeshire does boast plenty of mature woodland where you can seek out the best of the seasonal colours. Taking points of the compass, a visit to Castor Hanglands in the north, Chippenham Fen in the east, Hayley Wood to the south or Brampton Wood in the west should be productive. Each of these woodlands has its own character and feel, its own sense of place and its own deep ecological history. To see colours in a more structured, curated setting, Anglesey Abbey offers
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