golden valleys, log burners and 3,500 acres to yourselves
Autumn deep in the Devon countryside
The valley turns gold and the quiet gets deeper
Autumn suits THE PIG-at Combe. The ancient woodland surrounding the house turns every shade of amber and rust, mist settles in the Otter Valley first thing, and the 3,500 acres around us feel even more like your own private corner of Devon. The summer visitors have gone home. The valley exhales.
This is the season for long walks that end by the fire, for the log burners in the rooms to earn their keep, and for the kind of deep countryside quiet that autumn somehow makes quieter still.
Step outside
and into the valley in colour
Trails wind from the house through ancient woodland at its autumn best - golden canopies, quiet lanes and the River Otter running through it all.
The Jurassic Coast is fifteen minutes away and dramatically emptier than in summer; walk the cliffs at Branscombe or Beer with the coast almost to yourself.
Autumn on the plate
The Kitchen Garden's autumn harvest sets the menu - squashes, roots, orchard fruit and game as the season deepens. Dinner in the restaurant as dark falls early over the valley is one of the great pleasures of a Combe autumn.
Autumn here is best enjoyed in two parts.
Half the day out in it - boots on, cheeks pink, making the most of the golden light and the turning leaves.
Then spend the other half by making your way slowly indoors, where the fires are lit and nobody's in a rush to move you along.
Log burners and lamplight
Many of our rooms have log burners, and autumn is their moment. Come back from a walk, light the fire, run a bath and let the evening take its time. This is what the valley does best.
Unwind in the Potting Sheds
Tucked within the old walled gardens, the Potting Sheds are the warmest spot on the estate come autumn. A treatment here after a blustery valley walk is time very well spent.
