“There is a shocking, proven connection between the decline in natural play and the decline in children’s wellbeing,” a group of well-known authors wrote in 2015, in protest at the disappearance of around 50 words associated with the natural world from the Oxford Junior Dictionary.

But many adults still treasure memories of their own childhood games of conkers and take pleasure in the abundance of horse chestnut trees. In this handy autumn walks guide for all the family, Herald staff members share their favourite horse chestnut/conker locations and memories.

SUSAN SWARBRICK 

Strathclyde Country Park, Lanarkshire

Although I have been visiting Strathclyde Country Park, Lanarkshire, since childhood, it was only last autumn that I stumbled across this cracking spot to find conkers in a tucked-away corner. It’s across the road from the hubbub of M&Ds theme park, but unless you knew it was there, chances are you may miss it.

Following the path alongside the north-western side between Strathclyde Loch and M&Ds, keep an eye out for the stone cairn and war memorial that belongs to the former mining village of Bothwellhaugh. Just a few metres away stands a cluster of mature horse chestnut trees.

Last year Herald photographer Kirsty Anderson and I filled our pockets (and her camera bag) with giant, shiny conkers. I dried some out and have them sitting in a jar on a shelf at home.

It is a location that is special to me because my mother grew up in Bothwellhaugh, which once stood in what is now the Park. Built to house the workers of the Hamilton Palace Colliery, and affectionately known as the “Pailis”, in its heyday it was home to a thriving community of 2,500 people.

After the pit closed in 1959 – the last of the tenement rows were demolished in 1965 – those who had worked and lived here were scattered as far afield as Australia, Canada and the US.

Stooping to pick up conkers, in my mind’s eye I can visualise my mother as a child. These trees weren’t there then (they most likely date back to the late 1970s or early 1980s when the park was newly opened) but chances are she would have run and played on this spot.

Her own conker-hunting adventures would take her towards Bothwell, or in the opposite direction across the humped stone bridge over the South Calder Water and up the glen towards Bellshill. Holding the smooth, hard conkers in my hand, I feel a strong connection to my roots.

Handy for: blowing away the cobwebs with a walk or cycle around Strathclyde Loch.

MARIANNE TAYLOR

Beveridge Park, Kirkcaldy​

It’s autumn in the late 1970s and the four-year-old me is in red wellies and a bright yellow raincoat, splashing my way through Kirkcaldy’s Beveridge Park, arguably the best of the Lang Toun’s three green spaces, with my grandparents and brother.

Being Glaswegians, Nanna and Pappy talk nostalgically and evocatively about the parks of their beloved home city: Kelvingrove and the Botanic Gardens, Glasgow Green and Rouken Glen.

They moved to Fife to be near us, and admit they actually like Beveridge Park, especially the magnificent avenue of chestnut trees that leads to the boating pond. We’re here to collect bags of conkers, to take home for soaking in vinegar and baking in the oven before Nanna threads the strings and the ever-competitive Pappy takes on the children in his Glenrothes street at conkers.

He was class champion in 1922, he repeatedly reminds us and the other children he never allows to win a game. It’s all great fun, though, and the hand-eye coordination skills I now rely on while playing tennis were undoubtedly honed during these early conkers bouts, which often featured Pappy shouting from the sidelines like Alex Ferguson.

On a recent visit to Beveridge Park with my mother, almost 40 years later, we hoot with laughter at the memory, while admiring the still resplendent avenue of chestnut trees. And we collect a handful of fallen conkers in honour of Jimmy Taylor, conkers champ and champion grandfather.

Handy for: enjoying a row on the park’s lovely boating lake.

MARK SMITH

Seaton Park, Aberdeen

Seaton Park, in Aberdeen, may not be as famous as that other great city institution, Duthie Park, but Seaton Park on the banks of the Don is just as beautiful and a fine place for conker hunting. There are several handsome horse chestnut trees on the path leading up to St Machar Cathedral, which is near the park along Cathedral Walk, whose famous floral displays are still retaining some of their colour.

And once you’ve collected your conkers, discover your inner train driver on the newly-renovated steam train which sits incongruously in the middle of the park. If you keep on for a bit, there’s another fine horse chestnut tree in Humanity Manse a few minutes’ walk away near the university. Your pockets should be bulging by the end of the day.

Handy for: Kilau cafe, 57-59 High St, Aberdeen – the salads are superb. PS: Victoria/Westburn Parks and Hazlehead Park are also good for horse chestnuts.

Castlehill Estate, Ayr

Castlehill Estate, a small but beautiful park in Ayr, is one of the less well-known hotspots for conkers. The park is full of beech, sycamore and holly, but keep looking because there are plenty of horse chestnuts that are generous with their conkers. The park is on the site of a mansion house that was built there in the early 19th century so the trees are mature – and some of the best of the horse chestnuts are up in the highest part of the park. Once you’ve collected your conkers, hang around until dusk and wait for the bats to come out – there is a healthy population here and they put on an impressive display every night.

Handy for: Cafe Ginger, 57 Fort Street – good, traditional, Scottish food and friendly staff.

LINDA HOWARD

Woodland near Largs Road, Kilbirnie

A popular conker spot with locals is located across from the second fairway at Kilbirnie Place Golf Club on the A760 heading towards Largs. The woodland walk running adjacent to the Paduff Burn – known locally as Jock’s Burn – is lined with horse chestnut trees and there’s no branch-shaking required here as the ground is peppered with spikey green shell casings.

The trail can be muddy and if it’s just a few you’re after, the entrance to the old Garden Park estate usually has a handsome bounty lying on either side of the driveway. The woodland trail is a popular haunt for dog walkers.

Handy for: The nearby Lime Tree Larder, which specialises in artisan ice cream and handmade chocolates.

GARRY SCOTT

Pollok Park, Glasgow

Pollok Park is one of Glasgow’s top conker spots with enough trees to make sure there are plenty of the brown beauties to go round. The easiest one to find is off the path between the First World War trenches and the children’s play park, just down from the Burrell Collection (which is closed for refurbishment).

My favourite, though, is tucked away on a muddy path around one-quarter of a mile up from the pond near the Haggs Road entrance in the North Woods. There’s never anyone else around and it’s a lovely peaceful spot where you’ll get your pick of the conkers.

Handy for: Pollok House cafe where you’ll get a nice warming mug of hot chocolate.

Other locations include Dundee’s Camperdown Park, Balgay and Victoria Parks and Baxter Park; Falkirk’s Callendar Park Woodlands, and the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links in Edinburgh (treesmeadows.blogspot.co.uk).

VisitScotland point to Dalkeith Country Park, just a few miles from Edinburgh, and the Gardens at the city’s Lauriston Castle, “a hidden gem with beautiful free grounds cradling the sea and with stunning views.”

(www.visitscotland.com/see-do/landscapes-nature/forests-woodlands/autumn/). And don’t forget the Scottish Conkers Championships, part of the Tweed Valley Forest Festival, at Tweed Green, Peebles, on October 21.