Stories

Celebrate the Autumn Harvest with the National Trust

Whether you’re hoping to taste delicious apples or discover harvest traditions, there are plenty of ways to celebrate autumn with the National Trust.

Have a go at apple identification, try your hand at picking and pressing, or simply indulge the taste buds with delicious crumbles and pies.

Here are some top apple day and harvest festival events from around the country, where every visit helps the National Trust care for special places for seasons to come:

South West

Hardy’s Cottage, Dorset

Autumn Apples
1, 8, 17 & 22 October, 11am – 4pm
Apple season has arrived at Hardy’s Cottage in Dorset, so why not celebrate by joining in with the harvest and pressing? There’ll be apple-themed cooking demonstrations, as well as displays that explore Thomas Hardy’s references to apples in his poetry and writings. Why not have a go at writing your own poem and add it to the poetry tree?
N.b. Apple pressing and cooking on selected days, see website for details.
Price: Normal admission charges apply
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hardys-cottage

Barrington Court, Somerset

Apple days
26 & 27 October, 10.30am – 7pm
Barrington Court’s ten acres of orchards are home to 140 types of apple, so it’s the perfect place to go for a weekend of apple-y fun. Join in with picking, pressing, identifying and tasting – all within the picturesque orchards and barn. There’ll also be plenty of apple-themed games, activities and orchard walks to suit the whole family. Don’t forget to try Barrington’s award-winning apple juice, or the craft cider which won the Overall Drinks Award at this year’s Fine Farm Produce Awards.
Price: Normal admission charges apply
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/barrington-court

Dyrham Park, near Bath

Pear Pressing
5 – 6 & 12 – 13 October, 11am – 3pm
Dyrham has a long history of making pears into perry: the pear orchard you can see today is a re-creation of the one that existed here in the 17th century. This year you can continue the tradition by trying your hand at pressing pears to make refreshing juice.
Price: £1.50 for 5 pears. Normal admission charges apply
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dyrham-park

Avebury, Wiltshire

Apple Celebrations
19 & 20 October, 11am – 3pm
Why not visit Avebury and celebrate the apple harvest? Head to the orchard to have a go at pressing apples into juice, which you can then taste-test. The National Trust gardeners will be on hand to give advice about growing your own, plus there’ll be plenty of fun family activities – including demonstrations of how to make a bird feeder using apples.
Price: Bird feeder activity £1 per child. Normal admission to the garden applies
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/avebury

South East

Ham House and Garden, London

Tastes of Autumn
Throughout September and October, see website for details
Head to Ham House this September and discover a riverside estate awash with autumnal delights. Inside the house you’ll learn about the seasonal treats enjoyed by the Duke and Duchess, while in the Kitchen Garden visitors young and more seasoned will enjoy the edible flower plot and our autumn harvest of pumpkins, squashes and late fruit. The kitchen garden is bursting with fruits and vegetables which the chefs use to make delicious treats in Orangery Café, or you can take some Ham-grown veg home with you.
Price: Normal admission charges apply
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ham-house-and-garden

Hughenden, Buckinghamshire

Autumn Celebration, 1 – 31 October, 10am – 4pm
Apple Weekend, 12-13 October [10am – 4pm]
Early October is peak harvest time, and there’ll be plenty of celebrations happening at Hughenden. Drop by and meet the National Trust gardeners to pick up some top tips for growing your own fruit and veg at home on weekdays through October or have a go at apple pressing and try heritage varieties at the dedicated apple weekend. If you need to refuel, head to the café for some tasty dishes made with local, seasonal produce or get into the Halloween spirit with spooky treats.
Price: Normal admission charges apply
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hughenden

Mottisfont, Hampshire

Harvest Month
21 September – 1 November, 10am – 5pm
At this fun-packed celebration of harvest, you’ll discover beautiful seasonal displays and a chance to find out more about estate activities, from cider-making to charcoal-burning. Join a guided walk to the village’s apple orchard or celebrate the first anniversary of the new Kitchen Garden by following the country’s longest gourd walk. Mottisfont’s popular scarecrow trail is a highlight for all ages, or you can create large-scale natural artworks during the Land Art weekend, try a spot of pumpkin bowling or make a green man mask to take home. Budding gardeners can even lend a hand with making compost.
Price: Normal admission charges apply
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/mottisfont

Ightham Mote, Kent

Apple & Orchard Day
Sat 28 September, 10am – 4pm
Celebrate the bounty from the garden of England with Ightham Mote’s apple and orchard day. Taste the different types of apples grown on this ancient estate, including local Kent varieties. There will be craft and produce stalls showcasing local producers and makers, plus tasty apple-based treats available in the tearoom.
Price: Normal admission charges apply.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ightham-mote

Midlands

Belton House, Lincolnshire

Autumn Fayre
12 & 13 Oct, 9.30am – 5.30pm
Harvest is a time for celebrating all things seasonal and local, so why not head along to Belton’s Autumn Fayre to see what you can find? Browse stalls with handmade arts, crafts and food that celebrates the best of regional produce, as well as enjoying music and activities to celebrate autumn’s bounty.
Price: Normal admission charges apply
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/belton-house

Brockhampton, Herefordshire

Damson Harvest
1- 30 Sep, 11am – 4.30pm
Brockhampton’s famous damsons should be ready to pick come September, so why not bring the family get stuck in? As well as gathering delicious fruit to take home, you’ll also be helping out with some essential orchard maintenance. You can also find out more about the garden team’s work to plant some new orchards, in order to ensure that Brockhampton has lots of delicious fruits for generations to come.
Price: £3.50 per kilo (ready picked), £3 per kilo (pick your own)
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/brockhampton

The Workhouse, Southwell

Apple Day
19 Oct, 12pm – 5pm
This autumn The Workhouse will be joining the local Southwell Bramley Apple Festival to celebrate this famous local apple variety. Come along to have a go at apple-themed activities, test your skills at creating the longest apple peel and hear about the history of apple trees at The Workhouse. Little ones can also have fun following the apple-themed trail.
Price: Normal admission charges apply
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/the-workhouse-southwell

Greyfriars’ House and Garden, Worcestershire

Quince Day
12 Oct, 11am – 4.30pm
This harvest season, why not head along to Greyfriars and celebrate with the whole family? The garden here offers an oasis of autumn colour in the middle of the city, and they also happen to be brimming with quince fruit at this time of year. Come along to try some for yourself, as well as a variety of other local and seasonal produce.
Price: Normal admission charges apply
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/greyfriars-house-and-garden

East

Blickling, Norfolk

Apple Weekend, 28 – 29 September, 10am – 5.30pm
The apple harvest is always a highlight of the season at Blickling. Head along to the orchard to lend a hand picking the apples ahead of the annual Apple Weekend. Why not come back for the weekend celebrations too to enjoy the fruits of your labour, with tastings, apple pressing, treats in the 1930s kitchen and produce for sale.
Price: Normal admission charges apply
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/blickling-estate

Ickworth, Suffolk

Wood and Craft Fair
5 & 6 October, 10am – 4pm
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Ickworth’s Wood and Craft Fair – so make sure you come along and take the opportunity to celebrate craftsmanship, forestry and woodwork on the estate. Browse craft and pottery stalls, learn about the different techniques of transforming wood and let the little ones take part in some children’s activities. You can also make the most of the rare chance to buy quality Ickworth wood milled from the estate, plus enjoy live music and locally brewed ales.
Price: £2.50 per adult, £1.00 per child. Normal house admission applies
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ickworth

Dunstable Downs, Bedfordshire

Apple Day
20 October, 12 – 3pm
To celebrate National Apple Day there’ll be plenty of fun on offer at Dunstable Downs. Bring along a bottle and watch Dunstable’s apple press in action before taking some freshly pressed juice home with you. You can also find out how to maintain your own orchard (or single apple tree), or learn how to properly prune fruit trees.
Price: Free event
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunstable-downs-and-whipsnade-estate

North

Dunham Massey, Cheshire

A taste of autumn
7 September–3 November, see website for details
Celebrate the autumn season and all its colours, tastes, smells and sounds with a calendar of walks and foodie offers at Dunham Massey. Look out for special ‘Taste the Estate’ walks where you can discover the food and drink producers on the Dunham Massey estate, and treat your taste buds. There’ll also be costumed servants in the historic kitchen making butter, lavender bags and household items the old fashioned way.
Price: Normal admission charges apply plus additional charges for some activities.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunham-massey

Gibside, Tyne & Wear

Applefest
5 & 6 October, 11am–4pm
Celebrate the almighty apple at Gibside’s Applefest this autumn. Across the weekend there’ll be lots going on – why not challenge your friends and family to an apple bobbing competition, or take part in other apple-themed games? You’ll also have the opportunity to try a variety of heritage apples, as well as harvesting and juicing. Come along and show your love for the humble apple.
Price: Normal admission charges apply
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/gibside

Nunnington Hall

Autumn festival
17–20 October, 11am–4pm
Come and celebrate nature at its most bountiful time at Nunnington Hall. There’ll be plenty of nature displays, flower arranging, willow basket weaving, apple juicing and tasting, and a huge variety of talks and tours from the experienced gardening team. Find out more about how they manage the organic garden, and take inspiration for favourite warming autumn recipes.
Price: Normal admission charges apply.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/nunnington-hall

Acorn Bank, Cumbria

Community Juicing Day
9 November, 11am 3pm
If you’ve got a crop of apples at home and don’t know what to do with them, why not turn them into tasty apple juice? North Cumbria Orchard Group will be bringing a press to Acorn Bank, so you can bring along your harvest for pressing. Make sure to wash your apples at home first and then you can get juicing. Don’t forget to bring plenty of clean bottles so you can take your unique juice home with you.
Price: Normal admission charges apply.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/acorn-bank

Wales

Erddig, Wrexham

Apple Harvest
5 – 27 October, see website for times
With 180 varieties grown in Erddig’s orchards, there’s no better place to savour the delights of the humble apple. Come along for the 29th annual apple harvest, with apple displays, talks and walks on offer during weekdays. Over the weekends the October celebrations get even bigger including storytelling, live music, bushcrafts, demonstrations and apple printing to name but a few.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/erddig

Llanerchaeron, Ceredigion

Apple Day
6 October, 11am – 4pm
Llanerchaeron has a long history of apple-growing, and some of the ancient espalier apple trees you see today actually date back to the 1800s. Come along to enjoy behind-the-scenes guided walks, food and craft stalls and kids’ activities. If you’ve got an unknown variety that you’d like to identify bring it along, so it can be tested by experts.
Price: Normal admission charges apply. Extra charge for Apple variety testing
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/llanerchaeron