“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers” – L.M. Montgomery

The season of mists and mellow fruitfulness in Somerset

Flushing fruit, mesmeric colour. Apples abound – from the Parabola to the orchards and back again to the cyder press. October is the month to scrump, squish juice and ferment our county’s signature crop into delicious golden nectar. We have a host of events up our woolly sleeves, encouraging you to get outside, connect with the earth and soak in the magic of autumn’s fiery palette. Let’s drink cyder and make merry!

From blazing colour in the garden to edible fungi and appley antics aplenty, members are invited to share in the Somerset heritage we hold dear, from cyder making to orchard walks in the lead up to our joyous Apple Day Weekend.

See What’s On
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Our county’s signature crop – at the core of everything we do!

What’s on in October

Mushroom Masterclass
9, 17, 23, 29 October 9.30am – 3pm / £150

Join our fungi expert on a forage around the estate, before learning to sow oyster mushroom spores to grow indoors and set shiitake dowels to grow outdoors at home. More than just seasonal delicacies, these extraordinary forms are a crucial part of the natural world.

Dawn Walk: Orchards
10 October 7.15am – 10am / £45

Enjoy an early morning walk with our Head of Programmes to see the uplifting spectacle of the orchards bursting with colour and fruit during peak harvest season. You’ll discover some of our 70 varieties of cyder apples, capped off with a hearty breakfast at the Garden Café.

Home Ground Cyder Making
16 October 9.30am – 3pm / £150

Join our apple alchemists for a workshop on all things cyder. You’ll learn about the history of cyder making in Somerset, harvest apples from the orchards, press your own juice and start the cyder making process to take home – along with a tasting pack of Newt cyders.

Botany Watercolours (Autumn)
16 October 9.30am – 3pm / £150

This month’s session focuses on the colour and form of autumn. You’ll gather foliage, flowers and fruits and learn how to transfer what you see onto paper under the expert tutelage of established artist Camilla Clutterbuck.

Hort Shorts: Winter Colour
22 October 10.30am – 12.30pm / £25

Learn the secrets of great winter colour under the guidance of our experts. We’ll share insider knowledge on which cultivars to select, how to group plants, plant bulbs, and care for them. This short course covers growing techniques and all the tips and tricks to ensure success.

Apple Day Weekend
19, 20 October, 9am – 6pm / Included in Membership

One of the most hotly anticipated events on our estate calendar, Apple Day Weekend is a two-day celebration of our Somerset heritage and all things ‘apple’. Expect appley games, orchard tractor tours, apple-themed menus, tastings, live music, BBQs and lashings of cyder.

Join us for appley antics over the weekend of 19 & 20 October

Dawn Walk: Four Seasons Special – Autumn
24 October 7.45am – 10am / £45

Discover the Four Seasons Garden at this magical time of day and experience the spectacular sights and scents of autumn with our Head of Programmes and Head Gardener. Culminating in breakfast with a view at the Garden Café.

Farm to Knife Butchery – Lamb
31 October, 9.30am – 3pm / £275

Join our butchers for the full farm-to-knife experience at our new Butchery. Learn to identify the different cuts of lamb, sharpen your knife skills and break down a carcass for cuts to take home before an indulgent carnivorous lunch.

Half Term Activities
26 October – 3 November

We’ll have a host of activities running over October Half Term to keep the little ones entertained on any visit to The Newt. There’ll be family printmaking to pumpkin carving for a chance to get creative and celebrate the season, alongside our inspiring and educational interactive exhibits.

Keep your Newtlings entertained over October Half Term

Family Printmaking
26, 28 October, 10am – 4pm (45-minute slots) / £15

A chance for little ones to get creative with celebrated printmaker Liz Clayton. Taking inspiration from autumn leaves and flora, you’ll get hands on with stencils and rollers to make spectacularly colourful cards or artworks to take home.

Autumn Wreathmaking
30, 31 October, 9.30am – 3pm / £150

Create your own long-lasting seasonal arrangement using the changing flowers and foliage from the garden. Floriculturist, Maiko Ishida, will be on hand to inspire, talk you through the art of arranging and guide you in making a beautiful wreath to adorn the home.

Newtlings Workshops
31 October, 1 November, 9am – 12pm & 1 – 4pm / £25pp per session

Our experienced leader, Kevin Button, has conjured four half-day sessions on fire-making, wild-foraging, green woodworking and basketry for youngsters aged 6+ to connect with nature, learn new skills and embark on a fun-filled outdoor adventure.

Embark on a fun-filled outdoor adventure on a Newtlings Workshop

Join Our Cyder Club!

The dream gift for cyder lovers or treat for yourself, join our club for just £40 a quarter to receive exclusive and limited-edition cyders alongside our signature styles, all pressed, aged and bottled in small batches on our Somerset estate.

Sign up or gift to an apple afficionado in your life shop.thenewtinsomerset.com