Some of the beech trees are about 100 feet tall and have large girths.  There are a few younger trees growing underneath the larger ones, but their growth is being affected by low light levels.  The canopy of large beech trees prevents much of the sunlight from getting to ground level and there are few other plants growing here.  A large beech can have around 100,000 leaves on it during the summer.  During the autumn they will drop producing a deep carpet of dead brown leaves on the forest floor.   These will rot down, helping to produce a rich natural compost, home to many varieties of invertebrate.  Walkers crossing the footbridge over the stream below Beech Walk will enter Maple Walk.