golden stone, golden leaves and the cosiest season of all
Autumn, in the most autumnal corner of England
When the leaves match the stone
There's a short window each autumn when the Cotswolds achieves something close to perfection - when the turning leaves match the honey-coloured stone and the whole landscape glows the same shade of gold. It usually runs from early October to mid-November, and it's worth building a stay around.
Westonbirt, the National Arboretum, is a short drive away and home to one of the world's great autumn colour displays - over 2,500 species of tree, with the famous maples of the Acer Glade at their fiery best in late October. Batsford Arboretum is within reach too. Between the two, this corner of England does autumn better than almost anywhere.
Step outside
and into the greatest show of leaves in Britain
Westonbirt in October is genuinely world-class - the treetop walkway gives you the canopy in full colour from above. Closer to home, the beech woodlands and quiet lanes around Barnsley are at their most beautiful, and villages like Bibury and Burford regain their calm once the summer crowds thin.
Autumn on the plate
Rosemary Verey's gardens turn russet and gold outside the restaurant windows while the Kitchen Garden's autumn harvest shapes the menu.
Long lunches, earlier dinners, candlelight - the season does half the work.
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.
The Village Pub across the road
Autumn is proper pub season, and having The Village Pub across the road feels like cheating. A fireside pint after a leafy walk - it's all very much the point.
The Fieldhouse in autumn
This is arguably the best season for our Cotswolds spa. The outdoor heated hydrotherapy pool steams gently against the cooling air, the sauna earns its keep and the fields beyond the windows turn gold. Come for a treatment or just the facilities - either way, autumn is Fieldhouse weather.
