Autumn colour
This had to be our number one. Seeing our wooded valleys turn a kaleidoscope of yellows, bronze and burnt orange is a beautiful gift of nature before winter draws in. It would be churlish of us to turn down the opportunity to appreciate it.
Basildon Park is a great place to see these colours. There is an ‘orange’ or ‘green’ walk through beech woodland to see the colours of guelder rose, maple, spindle and larch along the whole route.
Hughenden’s manor is surrounded by the beech woodland typical of the area with wide paths opening up to long vistas across sweeping Chiltern valleys.
Harvest
The wheat and barley has been gathered in and the blackberries were early this year but there’s plenty more harvest in the walled gardens, orchards and hedgerows.
Every day is an apple day at Hughenden this autumn, with the opportunity to learn about some of the 40 varieties of old English apple. Visitors can also help with the hay-making or head out on a fungi trail.
Golden light
The golden light of autumn afternoons gives everything a warm glow that’s tinged with nostalgia for the summer just gone and a tingle of excitement for the crisp days to come.
The slanting sun bathes houses, gardens, landscapes and faces in a honeyed light and your selfies will benefit from a naturally flattering filter that no software can reproduce.
Best places for golden afternoon selfies include the dahlia garden at Greys Court (nr. Henley-on-Thames, framed by the pergola with the Tower in the background, and on the balcony at Basildon Park with the light on your face and the house in the background.
Leaf swishing
This is entirely different to autumn colour, before you protest. Autumn colour is visual, something to notice while you’re doing something else, like going for a walk. Leaf swishing on the other hand, is a truly immersive activity. You need to commit, body and soul. Whether it’s the high-kick to watch the leaves tumble, or the flat-footed swish-swish to enjoy the rhythmic crackle and whoosh of the dry leaves, there are no half measures. It’s impossible to do it without a smile on your face.
The best places for leaf swishing include Hughenden, Greys Court, Maidenhead Thicket and Basildon Park.
Spooky stories and folklore
As the nights draw in, thoughts naturally turn to spooky stories and fireside tales. We’ve not had reports of ghosts in our manor but there are plenty of atmospheric places with interesting tales to tell in Bucks, Berks and Oxfordshire.
Stowe has a Hallowe’en trail in October half term which explores the lost village of Stowe with a few chants and spells along the way. There are also some rare opportunities to explore the spookiest of Stowe’s monuments, the Gothic Temple on September 17 and 18, and October 29 and 30.
Back to school
As in – try something new. Some people see new year as the time to try a new skill, but for many of us, the tradition of starting new things in September is ingrained from schooldays. After the long lazy days of summer, we often have an urge to be productive and get creative.
At Hughenden there are give-it-a-go workshops on watercolour painting, photography and floristry to try. There are also some visiteering opportunities to help out the rangers with hay-making and tree-planting, and the garden team with planting the winter bedding. Check the website nationaltrust.org.uk/hughenden for details.
Comfort food
When the days start with misty mornings and ripen with a nip in the air, treating ourselves to a warming lunch after a brisk walk is one of the pleasures of autumn.
For the bigger cafes, National Trust development chefs have come up with some new recipes to make the most of the season’s produce. Look out for squash macaroni cheese and Thai spiced squash soup, harissa roasted aubergine or apple and honey scones. The ever-popular pumpkin spice latte will be back for autumn along with a butterscotch milk steamer with sprinkles for children and the child at heart.
Conkers
There’s something so satisfying about popping a perfect shiny brown conker from its fleshy casing. They’re so wonderfully collectable, but don’t you get the feeling that they should have more uses than stringing them up and flinging them at one another? (Aside, obviously from their primary and very important job of propagating a new horse chestnut tree)
If you’re an inveterate conker-collector, you’ll find horse chestnut trees in the woodland at Basildon Park and Hughenden and around the garden at Stowe.
Heritage Open Days
Heritage Open Days is England’s largest festival of history and culture. Participating places are open for free entry on certain days throughout the festival, which is September 9-18.
Cliveden is running house and garden tours, history talks and nature-based workshops for under-5s on Tuesday, September 13, through to Thursday, September 15.
Hughenden, Basildon Park and Greys Court are also participating, check websites for dates.
Rainy days
Bear with us on this one. On sunny days in this country, we’re hardwired to ‘make the most of it’. This can mean that we’re so busy chasing the vitamin D that we don’t have the time or energy to explore the interior of a place.
A rainy day in autumn is a great excuse to leave the dog at home and prioritise an exploration of the huge variety of grand, stately, modest, rustic, domestic and quirky houses and buildings that we look after in Bucks, Berks and Oxfordshire.
Nuffield Place near Henley was the surprisingly modest home of one of the richest men of the 20th century, Lord Nuffield. The Arts and Crafts house and garden are domestic and cottagey in style, with a curious addition in the bedroom.
Nuffield Place is open Wednesdays to Sundays until October 30.
For more details, log on to: nationaltrust.org.uk
