As autumn slowly slides into winter, frost curls at the corners of umber leaves and flurries of snow soften the landscape. While the hedgehogs, dormice and bats are hibernating, keeping warm inside our homes is tempting, but it is well worth putting tights on under your trousers, socks upon socks and heading out into the winter wonderlands. There are many nature highlights to spot during these winter months, here we have collated a guide for what you might be able to find around our train lines this season. Travelling to some of our favourite winter walk locations by train makes it even simpler, not to mention more sustainable, helping to protect the natural landscapes you are visiting.

Long-tailed Tits

Travelling together in flocks, you may see groups of long-tailed tits flitting amongst the trees. Sometimes referred to as flying teaspoons with their comically long tails and tiny bodies you may hear them before you see them as they are very chatty, calling to one another in high pitched whistles.

Fungi

Keep an eye out for jelly ear fungus which grows on decaying tree branches and looks, just as the name suggests, like a rubbery ear growing out of the side of the tree. You might also see the brightly coloured scarlet elf cup fungus which can be found low down on the woodland floor, amongst damp spots beneath leaf litter.

Holly

Although many trees will now have lost their leaves, now is a great time to have a go at winter tree identification. A familiar evergreen will still have its leaves is the Holly tree, with glossy, spiky leaves and bright red berries.

Mountain Hare

A very special winter sight, seeing a mountain hare in their white winter coat. The mountain hare’s coat changes to white over the winter months so that they are camouflaged against the snow on the high areas of the Peak District where they live.

We would love to see the wonders of winter nature that you spot as you get out and about exploring on the train, share them with us over on Facebook and Instagram.