Autumn walk: This is now to be discovered

On an autumn walk you can not only enjoy colorful leaves, but also collect useful plants or their seeds. Here we tell you what there is to discover and what you can look out for.

On an autumn walk, the cold air burns our noses, but the sky is often still blue in the sun. Autumn prepares us for winter with a gentle change in weather and nature once again provides people and animals with nuts, seeds and herbs.

In autumn, the intense colors of the trees can put you in a good mood and warm temperatures encourage you to spend time in the fresh air alone or with friends and family. An autumn walk is healthy and makes you happier. It strengthens the circulation and the immune system and contributes to relaxation. Here you can find out why you should take the time to go for a walk every day: Going for a walk: A few steps a day are healthy

Collecting leaves and chestnuts on an autumn walk

Many know it from kindergarten: collecting leaves on an autumn walk and doing handicrafts with them or sticking them in notebooks. In this way we learned about the native tree species and were able to quickly recognize them by the shape of their leaves. Why not refresh the knowledge or pass it on to the niece or nephew? With helpful apps and simple tips, you can identify the plants and label the colorful leaves in a notebook.

Autumn time is chestnut time. Every year, children and adults collect the fruit of the chestnut tree, which is an integral part of parks and cities. There is only one kind of edible chestnut for humans, the chestnut. You can collect these between the end of September and the end of November. Chestnuts can be processed in many ways, as you can find out here: Chestnut recipes: Delicious ideas for sweet chestnuts

Even if horse chestnuts are poisonous to humans, there are good reasons to collect them outside:

• While collecting we spend time together in the fresh air.
• Children love to make little animals or other figures from the chestnuts they have collected. This is healthy, as crafting trains fine motor skills in both children and adults.
• You just like collecting and don’t want to tinker? Wild boar and deer like the chestnuts very much. At foresters or in a game reserve there are often collection containers to which you can bring the collected chestnuts for the animals.

Which wild herbs and nuts can we find on an autumn walk?

On your autumn walk you can come across all sorts of fruit trees and nut bushes. Apples can be collected until the end of October/beginning of November, pears until the end of November. Nut types such as walnuts or hazelnuts can be collected from mid-September to the end of October. If you want to collect the fruits, there are a few rules to follow:

• Do not collect fruits and nuts from private property. This can even be reported as theft. Some owners allow collecting even on private property. Pay attention to identifying signs.
• The Mundraub map also shows you where you can harvest nuts and fruits for free.
• Only collect fruit and nuts that have already fallen from the tree. Don’t shake the trees.
• Often nature reserves may not be entered. Again, pay attention to the relevant signs and do not collect fruit and nuts without permission.

You are free to pick wild herbs. Of course, you should not enter a nature reserve here either, nor should you enter someone else’s gardens. But around the gardens, in meadows and in forests you can look around for wild herbs.

Note nevertheless:

• Never pick too many herbs from one spot. Less than a third is a good guide to allow the plant to recover from picking.
• Only collect herbs that you can identify with certainty. You can find tips on this here: Collecting, identifying and eating wild herbs: 11 tips

In autumn you will still find some useful herbs, including goutweed or bedstraw. You can recognize ground elder in autumn by its fine structure and the slightly jagged leaves. It is a popular bread spice. Bedstraw, on the other hand, is said to have a calming effect and is said to help with varicose veins as a regular salad accompaniment. Maybe you’re lucky and you find nettle seeds. Make sure they are completely dry before storing them. This is how you avoid mold.

You can read here which wild herbs you can still collect on an autumn walk and what effect they have: 8 wild herbs that you can now collect in autumn

There is no wrong weather, only wrong clothing

Autumn can be changeable. Temperature fluctuations of more than five degrees are nothing unusual. So don’t forget to dress appropriately for the weather. Sometimes it helps not only to rely on the temperature display on the smartphone, but also to estimate the weather by taking a short walk in the garden or on the balcony. Because the number of degrees can differ from how we perceive the heat or cold.

If you move outside, you should neither freeze nor sweat. The famous layered look (layers of clothing from thin (undershirt) to thick (jacket)) can help you regulate your temperature.

You can get more tips for suitable and sustainable outdoor clothing here: 7 tips for sustainable outdoor clothing & fair outdoor brands

Read more on Techzle.com:

• Walk in the woods: That’s why he’s so healthy
• Avoid autumn depression: How to fight the autumn blues
• City trips in autumn: 5 beautiful destinations in Germany