The unexpected woodland near Hull where you can admire golden leaves for autumn equinox

A path in Loglands Nature Reserve in Hull
-Credit: (Image: Hull Live)


This weekend marks the autumn equinox and very soon green woodlands will turn amber and rust-coloured as the leaves start to change and fall.

For some people, autumn is a magical time of year that speaks of cosy fires, pumpkins, and cinnamon. One thing I appreciate is how beautiful trees look during this period, but there are very few woods for walks near Hull.

Searching maps for possible woodland, I found a small copse in east Hull called Loglands Nature Reserve. It is dwarfed by Sutton Park Golf Course next door but I hoped it might be just about big enough for a gentle walk among the trees.

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There are two entrances, one on Waveney Road if you enter the reserve through Eastmount & Longhill Playing Fields, and the other off East Carr Road which is a single lane but has passing places, although parking is limited.

I went in via East Carr Road and travelled by bicycle. Access was simple enough but I was surprised by the apparent lack of space to leave cars or bicycles and ended up chaining my bike to a tree.

The entrance to Loglands Nature Reserve in Hull
Don't be put off by the entrance to Loglands Nature Reserve, it is nicer inside on the main paths -Credit:Hull Live

This entrance is a bit strange and has an air of neglect. You start the walk at the former tree nursery which was closed by Hull City Council in the 1990s and so the 'path' looks very much like the old foundation of a greenhouse. In 2012, the space was turned into Loglands Nature Reserve but, for some reason, you'll find it called "BBL Nature Reserve" on Google Maps.

If you follow the loop of chalk paths, the total distance is just one kilometre. But you can also walk the tree-lined perimeter of Eastmount & Longhill Playing Fields which adjoins the nature reserve and adds another two kilometres.

Copse at Loglands Nature Reserve in Hull
The leaves at Loglands Nature Reserve have just begun to fall and make a satisfying swishy noise underfoot -Credit:Hull Live

After getting past the strange entrance, I enjoyed the chalk paths and the little copses they threaded through. If you venture off the main loop slightly, you'll find Holderness Drain which attracts a lot of extra wildlife.

There were dozens of damselflies and even a huge dragonfly on my visit as well as some pretty brown butterflies that were so fast I couldn't identify them. Some visitors claim to have spotted kingfishers on the muddy banks, but sadly I was not so lucky on my visit.

Fungus in Loglands Nature Reserve in Hull
Autumn also means fungus and the woodland floor was full of them -Credit:Hull Live

But the tall grassland was buzzing with grasshoppers and crickets and it felt like summer had not quite ended yet. In a few weeks, I'm sure the surroundings will have changed dramatically and autumn will have begun its splendid riot of colour.

For such a tiny place, you'd think it would be hard to get lost but I found myself going around in circles. Luckily, there was a man in the woods who kindly gave me directions.

My only disappointment was the slightly neglected feel of the East Carr end of the reserve. All of the signs inside have been destroyed and, despite being described on the entrance sign as a "picnic area", there was just one picnic bench and it had been vandalised.

There was also only one bin and unfortunately, a few plastic bottles, tins, and crisp packets had been left on some of the paths as well as dog poo. For the most part, it was clean and if you're willing to look past the shabbier aspects it is a calming place to enjoy nature and birdsong.