Gold may be set to reach an all-time high in many parts of Britain this autumn according to experts at the Forestry Commission.

Our autumn colours experts believe the long hot spell this summer will affect the richness of colour when trees begin their preparation for winter and reveal their autumn hues.

The National Arboretum at Westonbirt, in the Cotswolds, is one place expecting spectacular autumn colours. John Weir, Director of Arboreta, said: "The different chemicals in the leaves control the colours we see. During summer the leaves are packed with chlorophyll, which turns sunlight into sugars - plant food - and this makes the leaves appear green.

"However, once the tree shuts down as it prepares for winter, the chlorophyll is withdrawn and other chemicals take over - carotenoids (which give carrots their colour), anthocyanins and tannins which make the leaves appear yellow, red and gold.

"Many of these chemicals help protect the leaves from receiving too much energy from sunlight and are the reason colour could be at their best this year."

This is good news as the Forestry Commission gears up its Autumn Colours website (www.forestry.gov.uk/autumn) for the millions of leaf peepers who will visit woodlands across Britain to see the colours at their best.

John added: "The National Arboretum at Westonbirt is world-famous as a place to see autumn colours and our collection of trees makes the display astounding.

"Among the highlights are our maples. If the conditions are as good as we think then this could be a year to remember.

"Westonbirt is not the only place you can go to, though. Our centres in Perthshire, for example, are predicting a stunning display, and places such as the Lake District, Forest of Dean and Northants are hopeful. Our website will help people choose the right time and location from more than 100 places to go, and foresters throughout Britain will mark up the strength of autumn colours on the site, letting people know when they should visit to see the colours at their best.

"A lot will depend on the weather between now and the autumn and that is why we put up this website to help people track the colours. When the colour rating moves from green through to gold - our top rating - then it's time to get out there."

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. The Forestry Commission offers hundreds of places for people to go and become healthier in body and mind through its activewoods campaign. Seeing autumn colours at this time of year is an ideal way to do this - activewoods: naturally stimulating.
2. Pictures to accompany this story are available from the Forestry Commission picture library by contacting Neill Campbell, tel: 0131 314 6411
3. The Forestry Commission's autumn colours website will go live on Friday 15 September 2006.
4. Included in this release are highlights of some of our most popular walks where you can see autumn colours.

Media contacts:
Willie Cairns, tel: 0131 314 6443, mob: 07771 730510, email: willie.cairns@forestry.gsi.gov.uk
Jo Fowler, FC England, tel: 01223 346034, mob: 07833 672903, email: jo.fowler@forestry.gsi.gov.uk
Steve Williams, FC Scotland, tel: 0131 3143 6508, mob: 07771 730509, email: steve.williams@forestry.gsi.gov.uk
Amanda Roll Pickering, FC Wales, tel: 0845 604 0845, mob: 07787 757982, email: amanda.roll.pickering@forestry.gsi.gov.uk

AUTUMN COLOUR WALKS

ENGLAND

Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire - experts at Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, are predicting a spectacular autumn show following one of the hottest summers on record. Trees that contribute to the famous ‘New England glow’ - scarlet oak, sugar maple, red maple and silver maple – are expected to blaze a trail this year as a result of extreme temperatures and bright sunlight, conditions which the American species experience in their natural habitat in the north east USA. Visitors can also rediscover the native trees that grow throughout Britain in the one-mile Native Tree Trail through the heart of Silk Wood.

Grizedale, Cumbria - try the three-mile Bogle Crag Trail. Look out for the mellowing colours of ancient beech trees and some inspiring sculptures such as Andy Goldsworthy's "Taking a wall for a walk". Pitsteads and a potash pit will take you back to a time when the oakwoods were used extensively for iron smelting. Look out for woodcocks and nuthatchs, which may be seen in the ancient beech forest.

North Wood, Holystone Wood, Northumberland - see the changing colours of ancient, semi-natural oak woodland set in Coquet Valley in the heart of the Northumberland National Park. This area is one of the last bastions of the red squirrel in England. The four-mile Red Walk (Dove Crag) will take you through this woodland and on to Holystone Common, both Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). Flocks of redwings stopover in oak woodland and may be seen scratching in the oak leaf litter for insects and worms on route to pasture land further west.

Hazelborough Wood, Northamptonshire - this wonderful ancient woodland, with its gently sloping paths is the perfect place for an autumn stroll. As part of the ancient Whittlewood Royal Hunting Forest, Hazelborough Wood has a long and fascinating history, and has been used by kings throughout the ages. Visitors can follow King Richard's Trail, a two-mile walk through some of the loveliest areas of the woodland, and on a quiet morning they may catch a glimpse of the shy roe and fallow deer.

New Forest, Hampshire - the way-marked Knightwood Oak Trail is a short circular route (1/4 mile) which guides you through an area of ancient woodland and around the Knightwood Oak, which is believed to have been planted before 1600. The oak is a great example of the ancient practice of pollarding. This was a traditional way to harvest wood sustainably for fencing and firewood, as it allowed new growth out of the reach of grazing animals. The trail is suitable for all users - the path is flat with a fairly smooth gravelled surface and has frequent resting places and no gates. A podcast is available for visitors to download from the website (www.forestry.gov.uk/newforest) so they can have their own 'personal ranger' while they visit.

Bedgebury - A walk down Dallimore Valley passes the Liquid Amber collection - all of which have been planted for their autumn colour; these includes the tulip tree, ginkgoes, oaks, the black birch and the recently-planted nyssas. The walk will also take you around Marshal's Lake, where the deciduous conifers - larches, dawn redwoods and swamp cypresses - all turn various shades of golden red before shedding their needles. These trees attract birds such as crossbills and siskins that feed on the cone seed. If you are very lucky you may spot the rare hawfinch – Bedgebury is one of the best places in the country to spot this shy bird.

Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, - the Cyril Hart Arboretum path taking in 180 feature trees this 0.6-mile trail, named after a local historian and tree expert, is designed for all abilities. Several finely carved sculptures including a bench and sundial can be found amongst the trees. A series of Braille signs have been installed for the visually impaired and an audio tape is available on request. Stop at the bird feeding station to watch tits and other birds.

Cannock Forest, West Midlands - Cannock Chase is Britain's smallest Area of Natural Beauty (AONB) known for its open heathland - a beautiful purple colour in the autumn - and its pine forests. Try the one-mile Route to Health Sculpture Trail. The unique art pieces are themed around health issues and are designed to generate interest in areas such as exercise, relaxation, mental health and a healthy heart.

Wendover Woods, Buckinghamshire – The Boddington Bank Trail circles Boddington Hill, which was once the site of an ancient Iron Age hill fort. The deciduous trees in this part of the wood include huge ancient beech trees at the start of the trail. The one-mile trail offers spectacular views over Wendover village and beyond. Listen out for the distinctive “chick-a-dee-dee” call of the marsh tit – one of a small number of bird species that remain in the same wooded area all year round.

Cardinham Woods, Near Bodmin, Cornwall - The Lady Vale Walk - is a gentle all-ability trail following the river, suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs. Cardinham is a mixed wood, with areas of native woodland including oak, rowan, alder, and willow, and stands of beech. Autumn is a good time of year to spot deer and birds, ranging from the tiny treecreeper to the majestic buzzard, find hazelnuts and sweet chestnuts on the ground, and discover many weird and wonderful fungi. The trail is two miles, and takes approximately 45 minutes.

SCOTLAND

Faskally, Perth and Kinross - on the north shore of Loch Faskally just outside Pitlochry. It is something of a model forest with a wide mix of tree species, some over 200 years old, surrounding picturesque Loch Dunmore. An easy walk (0.75 mile) takes you round Loch Dunmore where you can see the autumnal colours reflected in the Loch.

Glen Affric, Highlands - one of the largest ancient Caledonian pinewoods in Scotland - there is nowhere better than Glen Affric to experience the beautiful colours of Autumn. Aspen, Birch, and Rowan combine create a wonderful spectacle of golden yellows against the dark green needles of the ancient pine trees. The Coire Loch walk (between one and three miles) takes you through the woods where you can walk on a carpet of fallen pine needles and admire the burnt orange colour of the bracken.
You may hear the magnificent roar of the red deer stags as they begin to rut. Their primeval roar can be heard from within these ancient woodlands or echoing down from the high hills above.

Cambus O'May, Aberdeenshire - a pine/birch woodland on Deeside. All the paths within this wood are waymarked as footpaths or as all-ability paths. The trails lead to view points and past shallow lochans, as well as narrow "natural" paths twisting between Scots pines and boulders for the more active. As birch is the main broadleaf, the colours tend to be golden. On a clear day you can look right up Deeside, with all the wooded hills reflecting back the colours.

David Marshall Lodge, Aberfoyle - there is a variety of walks from David Marshall Lodge, two of the most colourful are the 0.5 mile Larch Loop which leaves from Braeval Car Park and leads you through open larch woodland, giving a vibrant, colourful display later in the Autumn. For a longer route, follow the Easter Park Trail from Aberfoyle. This 2.5-mile trail follows the beautiful River Forth and includes areas of both conifer and mixed deciduous woodland - the variety of species offer a dramatic and colourful woodland walk.

WALES

Coed y Brenin - Cefndeuddwr Trail – beautifully handcrafted oak route-markers signpost the beginning of the Cefneuddwr trail, the new all-ability walking trail at Coed y Brenin forest. A gently rising walk takes you through stunning mixed woodland and boulder fields on wide well-surfaced paths. The route climaxes at the Cefndeuddwr viewpoint and picnic tables, where you can admire stunning vistas of the surrounding forest and Cadair Idris Mountain. This walk is suitable for all the family including pushchairs. There are no steps or stiles and there are resting places every 150m.

Gwydyr, Conwy - Lady Mary’s Walk - this is refreshing, short trail through established mixed woodland. After a short uphill climb, a seat looks out over the market town of Llanrwst, and on down the widening Conway Valley towards the sea. The steep slopes of Grinllwm and Cefn Cyfarfod form a dramatic backdrop to the pretty village of Trefriw. Then the trail climbs sharply, becoming briefly very steep towards the crest of the hill, but after this, the walking is very easy. Just beyond the hairpin bend, another seat offers a pleasant view of the floodplain. Soon Gwydyr Chapel comes into sight. It is well worth a visit, and the key is available from Gwydyr Uchaf.

Parkwood, Gower Peninsula - a popular woodland situated on the famous Gower Peninsula, West of Swansea. It is a wood of majestic and mature oak, ash and conifer trees, home to buzzards, woodpeckers, nuthatch, lesser and greater horseshoe bats and a wealth of other wildlife. There are also many archeologically valuable sites here, covering 14,000 years.

The Wye Valley - recognised as one of the most beautiful woodlands in Britain, with most of its 4,300 hectares lying within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. These woodlands are predominantly broadleaf with a mix of mature oak and beech as well as other species such as ash, cherry and small leafed lime. The historic Wye Valley Walk passes through Tintern and Monmouth. There are several view points from Upper Wyndcliffe near Chepstow, to Cuckoo Wood north of Llandogo, which offer spectacular views across the lower Wye Valley with the Bristol Channel and the old Severn Bridge in the background.