Why there's never been a better time to explore the gorgeous woodland hidden by the M60

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A slight breeze, and they fall like nature's confetti.The result is rust and gold underfoot.Flitting between the increasingly naked trees are a flock of long tailed tits with their hyper high-pitch calling, hunting for food.I am back in Springwater Park, just a mile from the M60.Its autumn bounty is as beautiful as the lush retreat it offered during the spring lockdown.Leaves are carried down river in the Irwell, a final journey for summer offspring of ash, beech, and oak.Magpies squawk at intervals, puncturing the endless symphony of birdsong flowing from trees.we are lucky and glimpse a jay disappearing into a riverbank hedge.As it flees its chattering alarm erupts.