As the traineeship comes to an end, I find myself feeling alive from being outdoors. It’s given me a new appreciation for things I hadn’t noticed before: the golden hue of sunlight at the end of the day, rays dancing on the water; the sound of rain, whether from a window or out in the wetlands or woods, rolling off leaves illuminated green. The sight of tiny birds and butterfly wings—the red of a robin hopping on the fence at Woodberry, the speckled wood butterfly by the tool shed.

There were so many unique days and experiences over these four months—one long summer adventure, like one of those treasured childhood storybooks, perhaps Swallows and Amazons or The Famous Five. The training sessions run by Brimstones, our travels, Farthing Downs... it was magical, with yellowhammer song filling the air among long golden grass and distant hills. I remember an admiral butterfly resting in someone’s hand, newly emerged, its red stripe as vivid as strawberries.

At Walthamstow Wetlands, we saw islands of purple loosestrife reflected on the water like a painting, grebes with their chicks tucked into the mother’s feathers. Cormorants flew overhead, their jet-black wings outstretched. There were practical days working in the warmth, and education sessions where we sparked a passion for nature in the eyes of the next generation.

I remember baby newts cradled in pond-dipping nets, about to start their lives. Just the other week, we found a female newt ready to give birth, and now her offspring were in our hands. It reminded me that life is always moving forward, with seasons shifting and new life beginning, but memories remain the same.

Woodberry Wetlands was one of my favorite places. I think the volunteers really make a place special—and of course, there was a stash of biscuits. We’d sit on logs during lunch, looking out at the reservoir. Blackbirds flew above us, their songs mingling with those of other birds in the trees.

I loved going out in the boat to cut reeds. What I found most magical about the boat was the reflection in the water—a mirror of the trees and sky. Damselflies with sapphire-blue bodies and black-dipped wings danced at the tip of the boat. It reminded me of a film, the wish for summer to last forever.

Sydenham Hill Woods was another highlight, with ancient trees and a lost Victorian garden reclaimed by nature. There were remnants of a folly and bamboo, and on butterfly survey days, we’d wander the paths searching for wings—a marmalade-orange comma, a chocolate-brown ringlet, a meadow brown.

On one path, we had to climb over a fallen tree, where we found chicken of the woods mushrooms nestled in emerald ivy. Sunlight wove through the branches like spiderwebs, light trickling down like honey. Watching the other trainees walk ahead into the embrace of the wild, I knew I would cherish these times.

At Camley Street Nature Reserve, just next to Kings Cross with trains passing by, we encountered so much wildlife despite the small space—ermine moth caterpillars dangling from trees, herons in the shallows, coot chicks growing up from being fed by their parents to diving on their own.

I loved learning from others, each person showing us something new—the different trees, the variations between birds. This is the power of nature and connection. The story of the natural world is woven from our shared words and experiences. Each day, nature is never quite the same, though my favorite sight of all was the fox at Woodberry, just sitting by the gate in the afternoon sun.

What I loved most about the traineeship was feeling like I fit in. I hadn’t felt that in a long time, and I had wanted it for so long. My autism made it difficult; I often felt like an outsider, looking in. But here, I felt like I belonged, with the promise of friendship. I was nervous about the practical days at first but grew to love them.

A reminder from these four months: go for it; you never know what you’ll find. At the end of this summer, I’ve gained not only experience but memories that will last a lifetime.

Follow more of Caroline's content:

Discover the natural world through Caroline's eyes through her blog the Autistic Naturalist

Check out Caroline's miniature world through her Instagram @carolinesminiatureworld

Watch the reel Caroline created during the Keeping it Wild Traineeship, exploring nature on the reserves through her miniatures - video here