Where better to take stock when you realise that summer is starting to slip away?

When you notice that there is a slight sharpness to the day as you rise, an extra dewiness on the early morning grass and a hint of log smoke in the afternoon air, head over to Exmoor.

There’s something very dramatic about autumn on Exmoor. It should really be accompanied by sweeping classical music as clouds race across the sky, the long beech hedges turn russet brown, the fern covered moors rust over and perhaps the hills echo, just for a moment, to the distant roar of a red stag guarding his herd.

Look out for a clear day, wrap up warm and head for the moors, hills and valleys – perhaps Malmsmead where you can follow Badgery Water up the Doone Valley. Or trek high up on the Quantock Hills or Dunkery Beacon for sweeping views over the seasonally changing landscape.

If you are lucky, you’ll catch a golden early evening light reflected by myriad trees waving a last farewell as they hunker down for winter at Watersmeet or Nutcombe Bottom.

Along the coast the seas turn cold and grey and at night the skies put on a staggering show of a thousand stars.  Don’t miss it this year.