Autumn, THE PIG Way
golden days, log fires and the best of the harvest
There's a case to be made that autumn is when THE PIGs are at their very best. The Kitchen Gardens are giving up their final harvest, the fires are being lit earlier each evening, and the countryside around every one of our patches - coast, hills, forest and vineyard alike - is doing something rather beautiful with the light.
This is the season for slower mornings, longer lunches and walks that end somewhere warm. Whichever PIG you choose, autumn has a way of making the whole thing feel a little more like coming home.
From garden to table: what’s in season
As the beds slow down, the harvest speeds up. Our gardeners are hauling in the Gardener's Gold from the veg patches - pumpkins, purple sage, celeriac and cabbages - and the menus follow suit, turning to creamy risottos, roasted squash, jammy fruit tarts and golden crumbles. The kind of dishes that bring everyone together and make you linger a little longer.
And this is the season for treasure hunting, too. Earthy, fragrant truffles are at their best in the woods around several of our PIGs - along with the New Forest's centuries-old tradition of Pannage, where litters of pigs are turned loose to graze on fallen acorns beneath the oaks. A rarity found in only a couple of places in the world, and one that happens right on our doorstep.
Our gardeners and chefs work side by side, letting what's ready shape what's cooked - whether that's a hearty supper, a Sunday lunch that runs long, or a slice of something homemade with a pot of tea in the afternoon.
Our 25‑Mile Menu
kitchen garden cocktails
Find your autumn patch
Wrap up for a blustery seaside stroll, hike the headlands as the light turns gold, or wander through woodland at its russet best.
Escaping the city, chasing the last of the colour before it turns, catching up with old friends or curling up with your favourite person.
Whatever the reason this season, there's a PIG waiting for you...
turning leaves against golden stone
THE PIG-in the Cotswolds
A short, spectacular window each year when the colour of the leaves matches the colour of the buildings - and Westonbirt Arboretum close by to see it done properly.
harvest in the vineyard, stars overhead
THE PIG-in the South Downs
Watch the vines turn gold by day, then look up - the South Downs is an International Dark Sky Reserve, and autumn nights are the clearest of the year.
misty mornings over Old Harry Rocks
THE PIG-on the beach
Studland Bay wrapped in early mist, the Jurassic Coast at its quietest, and red squirrels busying themselves for winter on Brownsea Island.
golden valleys and log burners lit
THE PIG-at Combe
3,500 acres of Devon countryside turning amber and rust, with the Otter Valley at its quietest and most beautiful.
empty beaches and Atlantic light
THE PIG-at Harlyn Bay
The summer crowds have gone, the swell picks up, and the Cornish coast belongs to whoever's willing to wrap up warm.
when cider country is in full swing
THE PIG-near Bath
Apple pressing season across Somerset, misty mornings over the Mendips, and - if you're lucky - a Fallow Deer at the window.
hop harvest in the Garden of England
THE PIG-at Bridge Place
Orchards heavy with fruit, hop gardens freshly picked, and a brief window each year when Kent's green hop ales appear on local taps.
pannage pigs and golden woodland
THE PIG
Ancient oaks turning gold, mist over the heathland, and a centuries-old tradition that sees pigs turned loose in the forest each autumn.
Wake up somewhere else
Autumn is made for slipping away. A change of scene, a good bed, and nowhere you need to be in a hurry.
Whether it's a mid-week escape or a longer linger, waking up somewhere new feels even better when the mornings are misty, the fires are lit, and the gardens are winding down for the year.
Still to come…
As the nights draw in, there is plenty of magic to look forward to with the year’s finale and heaps of adventures waiting around the corner.
From evenings filled with live music and mulled wine, to festive feasting with your favourite people, and hand-picked, artisan workshops, there’s always something happening at our house. And you couldn’t be more welcome.
