apple pressing, misty hills and cider country in its element
Autumn in the Mendips
Somerset's favourite season
Somerset does autumn properly. This is cider country, and September and October are pressing season - orchards heavy with fruit, presses running across the county, and the smell of apples in the air. It's the county at its most itself.
At our house, the kitchen garden brings in its late harvest, the mists settle over the Mendip Hills each morning, and the fires get lit in the afternoon. Bath, eight miles away, swaps its summer crowds for golden light on golden stone. Everything slows down, in the best way.
Step outside
orchards and misty hills
Walk the Mendips as the morning mist burns off, visit a local orchard at pressing time, or head into Bath for its most atmospheric season - the Georgian streets in low autumn light are something special. Cheddar Gorge, dramatically quieter than summer, is well worth the trip.
Autumn on the plate
The Kitchen Garden's autumn harvest meets Somerset's orchard season on the 25 Mile Menu - expect apples in everything they belong in, roots and squashes from the beds, and local cider taking its rightful place on the drinks list.
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.
Deer at the window
Autumn is rutting season, and the estate's herd of Fallow Deer are at their most active and visible - stay in The Hide and you might catch them right outside the glass on a misty morning. No promises, but October is your best chance of the year.
Unwind in the Potting Sheds
Hidden among the veg beds and fruit trees, the Potting Sheds are made for autumn - warm, quiet and smelling faintly of the garden's last lavender.
