Introduction

October is always one of the most rewarding months for landscape photography in East Sussex. The air turns crisp, the light softens, and the colours across the Downs and High Weald reach their peak. This month’s walks took me from the misty escarpments of Firle Beacon to the beech woods of Ashdown Forest and beyond—each location offering its own mix of atmosphere, light, and stillness. Below is a look back at my October 2025 photo walks, the best images from each, and a few notes from along the way.

Watch the full October 2025 landscape photography video below, featuring highlights from each walk — from sunrise at Firle Beacon to hidden waterfalls in Darwell Wood.

Below you’ll find each location in more detail, with photos and notes from my October photo walks across East Sussex.

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Firle Beacon Sunrise – October 2025 Landscape Photography in East Sussex

October began on the South Downs with an early start at Firle Beacon, one of the best vantage points in East Sussex for sunrise. I arrived before 6 a.m. hoping for a blanket of morning mist rolling across the hills, but it was thin that day. Even so, the light was soft and golden, and the trees below were beginning to shift into their full autumn palette..

Facing north, the best composition looked toward Mount Caburn, where the mist hung heavier across the Ouse Valley. From that angle, the sweeping contours of the Downs framed the scene perfectly, giving depth to the early-morning layers.

Be aware that parking at Firle Beacon now requires payment. The machine system is signal-dependent and camera-monitored. I arrived before sunrise as the only car on site and couldn’t get a signal to pay, which still resulted in a £60 fine. Worth knowing before you visit.

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Ashdown Forest – Broadstone Warren, East Sussex

Mid-October took me back to Ashdown Forest, exploring the woodland around Broadstone Warren on the High Weald. The plan was to capture a composition I’d been visualising—a cluster of Fly Agaric mushrooms in the foreground with mature beech woodland behind, using a wide-angle lens to draw the viewer in.

Although the Fly Agaric didn’t appear this time, the forest still offered striking autumn scenes. The beech canopy was turning deep gold and copper, the ground carpeted in fallen leaves, and the air perfectly still. This part of Ashdown Forest always feels timeless—old woodland, quiet paths, and just the sound of water trickling through the gullies.

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Ashburnham Place – Autumn Walk near Battle, East Sussex

Later in the month I revisited Ashburnham Place on the High Weald near Battle, hoping to find Fly Agaric again, this time among the mature woodland that surrounds Broad Water. The fungi still proved elusive—likely past their peak by late October—but the walk was worth it for the colour alone.

The beech trees were glowing in morning light, their leaves deep gold and bronze, carpeting the path. One of the most peaceful compositions came together around an old park bench beneath the trees, framed by the curve of the track and the low sun catching the canopy behind. A quiet, timeless autumn scene that felt more like a painting than a photograph.

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Return Ashdown Forest

A few days later I returned once more to Ashdown Forest, this time planning a route through 500 Acre Wood, part of the wider High Weald landscape. Parking can be a problem here—Ringo wouldn’t connect due to poor signal, so I moved higher up at Four Counties car park, where £4 covers four hours.

From there, I walked across the open heath toward the woodland edge. The lone Scots pines scattered across the landscape made perfect focal points against the rolling bracken and distant tree line. The sun had already risen, but the low morning light and broken cloud created contrast and texture that made the scene come alive.

By mid-morning, the light was soft and filtered, the bracken glowing orange-brown against the deep green of the pines. These compositions have become some of my favourites from Ashdown Forest—the balance between emptiness and structure is unique. The conditions that morning hinted at the approach of Storm Benjamin, which arrived later that day. I’ll return next summer when the heather blooms to see how this same scene transforms in colour and mood.

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Fly Agaric – 500 Acre Wood, Ashdown Forest

Parts of 500 Acre Wood within Ashdown Forest feel almost untouched, with pockets of ancient woodland and soft light filtering through the birch and pine. After the first wave of fungi earlier in the month, I finally found a perfect Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria) emerging after heavy rain—a single red cap among the fallen leaves.

I’ve become fascinated by this species, not just for its vivid colour but for its ecological role. Fly Agaric forms a symbiotic relationship (mycorrhiza) with the roots of birch, pine, and spruce trees. The fungus exchanges water and minerals for sugars from the tree, creating a mutual support system that sustains both through the season. They often appear where dappled light meets leaf litter, usually near woodland paths where soil moisture remains high but not waterlogged.

These fungi are most common from late September to early November, peaking after a spell of rain followed by mild, still conditions. The bright red caps are toxic but vital to woodland ecology, breaking down organic matter and recycling nutrients through the soil.

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Deer Wood – Woods Corner, High Weald, East Sussex

After several days spent editing indoors, I needed a long autumn walk to clear my head—walking first, photography second. I set out from Woods Corner, following the paths through Deer Wood on the High Weald, where the air was cool and still after recent rain.

I wasn’t expecting much, but near the stream I found a perfect autumn scene: a mature beech tree catching the low morning sun, its leaves glowing golden against the darker woodland beyond. The forest floor was carpeted in crisp brown leaves, with shafts of light breaking through the canopy. It felt like the season’s last full display before winter set in.

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Darwell Wood – Hidden Waterfall, High Weald, East Sussex

Continuing my route from Deer Wood, I followed the paths into Darwell Wood, an area I hadn’t explored for several years. The woodland was heavy with autumn colour and the air damp from recent rain. I was rewarded with an unexpected find—a small waterfall along the Darwell Stream, tucked beneath a canopy of mature beech and fern-covered banks.

I heard it before I saw it, and without the week’s rain it might have gone unnoticed. The low light under the trees allowed for a long exposure without the need for an ND filter, though a tripod was essential. Even small waterfalls make strong focal points, and this one—framed by autumn foliage and the soft swirl of the stream—made for a fitting close to October’s shoots.

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End of October 2025

October delivered everything I hoped for—misty hills, golden woodland, and a few unexpected discoveries deep in the High Weald. With the clocks back and daylight fading, the focus now shifts toward November. The leaves will soon be gone, the light colder and clearer, and the landscape stripped back to its winter form. It’s a quieter, more minimal season ahead, but often the most atmospheric for photography.