Sheffield Park in October

Look at this little chap. 6 months old already!! 

October is a busy month for our family. We have many birthdays crammed into it (and another baby overdue to join the October gang. Not mine, I hasten to add!) so there is a lot of cake and singing and trips out to various places. 

Last weekend we went to Sheffield Park, one of our favourite places, and were blessed with gorgeous sunny, balmy weather. The ducks were in fine fettle (we always take some duck food with us) and the park was packed with visitors keen to see the changing colours and embrace everything autumn. At this time of year you have to book entry because it is so popular with art and photography groups who come to see the planting around the pond and try to capture the colours - it is a very photogenic set of trees!

As well as the gorgeous colours and reflections in the ponds and lakes, I love going at this time of the year on mushroom/toadstool spotting expeditions. Sadly, this time round, a lot of the toadstools had been kicked down - something I don't really understand why parents let their children do. Mine certainly won't be trampling toadstools down when he is old enough to walk round and help me look for them. The below two toadstools, which were resplendent when we walked past them on our way to the cafe, were completely squished an hour later when we walked back past them to the car - they were even behind fencing!! I'm glad I took the time to photograph them when they looked so pretty. 

I walk around this place with my head swivelling like mad, looking up to see the contrast of the brightly coloured leaves with the blue sky behind them and then down to spot little shrooms nestled in grasses or on tree stumps. Bushes at eye level with their bright berries also vie to catch your eye and, with the rustling of the leaves underfoot it's a hugely sensory experience. Definitely book to visit if you can!!