Autumn on Exmoor

Autumn on Exmoor is a special time of year – the light on the moor is especially wonderful. The run of lovely weather we have this month has bought many visitors to our bed and breakfast home to enjoy the beauty of this area. Yesterday Derek and I took the dogs over to Cloutsham and saw a spectacular sight of a herd of about 70 hinds and calves lying in the evening sun on the slopes of Dunkery. It won’t be long before the stags start their autumn rut when they contest each other for the favours of the hinds. Behind us on Stoke Pero Common were a couple of herds of Exmoor ponies and their foals grazing, enjoying the last of the warmth of the day’s sun while the dogs pottered around sloshing about in the stream.

Today, I went over to Selworthy and walked towards Selworthy Beacon and Hurlestone Point. In just an hour, I walked through ancient woodlands, up onto open moorland on North Hill and looked over the coastline towards Wales and down over fields and the Vale of Porlock. There is always something different to see in such a short time – all of it beautiful and dramatic.

Most of the fields of corn have been harvested and some already ploughed and worked down for the next season’s crops. The tractor trimmers have been busy tidying up the hedges. I have been trying to beat them to pick the blackberries and get a few supplies in for the freezer! We popped down to Ashwick yesterday to get another load of wood for the wood burners. Its all lovely dry beech and ash – ideal for getting a good fire going. How my values have changed - I never thought I would be so contented to see 2 years seasoned wood ready and waiting (must be the squirreling instinct in me coming out)!!