NATURE lovers are being given the chance to get in amongst the wildlife of the Dean this autumn with two guided walks from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).

The charity, which manages reserves in Parkend and Highnam in the Forest, is inviting locals to book onto two guided walks to explore the flora and fauna to be found in the woods at this time of year.

Both walks will take place at Nagshead in Parkend and will be led by the local RSPB team.

The first walk, ‘Autumn in the Forest at Nagshead’, will take place on Saturday, October 15.

Led by Assistant Warden Emily Bennett, participants will walk through the woods and try to spot rutting deer, fungi, wild boar, and autumn birds such as crossbill, brambling, redwing and hawfinch.

Visitors will also learn about how the team manage the reserve throughout the year, while taking in the stunning autumnal beauty of the Forest underneath a canopy of changing leaves.

The second walk is an opportunity to explore all things fungi with local expert John Holden on Saturday, October 29.

John and Emily will lead participants on a “mushroom “treasure hunt” through the reserve to learn about the “weird and wonderful lives of fungi”.

John is an experienced recorder for the Dean Fungus Group and a long-time volunteer at Nagshead nature reserve.

Emily said of the walks: “Nagshead is a lovely place to spend time throughout the year and there’s no better way to see it than on a guided walk with the reserve team, where you can learn all about the species that call Nagshead home and the work that we do all year round.”

The autumn walk will begin at 9am, while the fungi walk starts at 10am.

Tickets range from £4.50-£10.50 per person, and booking in advance is required.

For event details and to book, go to events.rspb.org.uk/nagshead.