In a wood near us there is a badger hole just off the path. A couple of times we saw a lone badger living there. But that was a few years ago. The badger stopped using it, grass and weeds grew around it and all activity ceased. Then last spring a small hole appeared, extending on to the footpath. It grew and grew until it was badger-sized – and completely hogging the path. But even this, which gave us hope, wasn’t really used. Now, this autumn, we were walking in the wood down the path and, trailing off into the trees, was a trail of sandy dirt! I ran down to the hole and looked at the clear-as-day, spectacular prints embedded in the sand. You could see how the badger had dug out the sand last night and then walked back inside the burrow. The prints were so clear – you could see the shape, the claws, the pads and all the details of the paw. Also, the grass around the other hole had gone and been replaced with a pile of sand. At this time of year, badgers are eating loads of different fruits and other food sources, putting on weight ready for the winter. I am so happy that the sett is back in action and can’t wait to see more activity around the hole. It is a sight that has truly touched my heart! Hayden, 10