Back to Dorset: Autumn’s Gentle Welcome

dorsetcountrylife
2 days ago
2 min read

Early autumn leaves — In just over a week I was surprised to notice how quickly the leaves are turning as autumn creeps in.

After a week basking in warm sunshine—bare feet, salty hair, and that deliciously lazy rhythm that only holidays bring—coming home to Dorset felt like stepping into a completely different kind of beauty. The moment I opened the front door, that familiar mix of cool air and countryside calm wrapped around me like an old jumper.

It’s early autumn now, and Dorset has started its quiet transformation. The hedgerows that were thick and green when I left are now tinged with gold and rust. Along the lanes, blackberry brambles are bowing under the weight of the last few fruits, and the first fallen leaves crunch underfoot. It’s that lovely in-between time—when summer hasn’t quite let go, but autumn is already clearing its throat.

The air feels different too. There’s a crispness that wasn’t there before—a little nip that makes morning walks extra refreshing. The light is softer, slanting through the trees in that honeyed way that makes even the most ordinary fields look like a painting. The oaks and beeches are blushing into shades of copper, and you can almost smell the change in the air: wood smoke, damp earth, and the faint sweetness of apples ripening in village orchards.

After the heat and brightness of the holiday, it’s oddly comforting to be back among Dorset’s rolling hills, where the colours seem to deepen by the day. There’s something grounding about it—watching the seasons turn, the landscape quietly getting ready to rest.

The evenings draw in a little earlier now, which feels like an invitation to slow down. A cup of tea by the window, a jumper pulled close, the sound of the wind teasing the trees—it’s a different kind of magic from the sun and sea, but just as lovely.

So yes, the tan might fade soon enough, but Dorset in early autumn has its own warmth—soft, golden, and familiar. It’s good to be home.