THIS is a wonderful time for apples and especially British ones. My favourite read of the week is Gerb Gerbrands market news column in the Stroud News & Journal.

Every week he highlights the delights available at Stroud Farmers' Market. It is mouth-watering stuff and no column excited me more than that of October 9. I quote “bounteous harvests of true and ancient Gloucestershire varieties Tom Put, Sunset, Taynton Codlin, Stanway Kernel, Phelps Favourite, Peasegood Nonsuch and many more!”

These are ours, local, delicious and accessible. It is not just the farmers’ market that you can see a fine display.

You will have your own favourites. Next to where I write is a dish of russets. These are top of Mrs Light's list while I remember Blenheim’s and the first of the summer Beauty of Bath.

Apple pie and custard is a dining delight, but I remember baked apple and also apple dumplings.

Bramleys can be used for both. To cook a baked apple first remove the core and in its place put brown sugar. Put the whole apple in the oven until it is cooked through. An apple dumpling can be cooked by again removing the core but place a cover of pasty around the apple before placing it in the oven. Eat with custard.

Pears also abound this autumn and these seasonal delights add to the attraction of this wonderful season. As a child I was sorely tempted to go scrumping, but despite opportunities in Sheepscombe and then when we moved Filkins as well. Being somewhat of a young prig chickened out!

Happily my mobility problems are now behind me and I am now back to enjoying the delights of a Cotswold autumn. This was certainly the case when I accompanied Rev Penny to the Northleach Evergreen Club Harvest Festival. What a fine occasion it was. The cheerful and charming Northleach senior citizens were joined by Year 3 from the nearby primary school who sang a harvest song.

Northleach is so easy to miss. The A40 by-pass or the Foss Way means that most motorists speed past nearby, missing its many delights, especially the one concerning eating and drinking.

There is a wonderful pub as you enter. It is opposite the well-appointed Cotswold Halo. The Black Cat café is operated by community and church and there is a tempting wine bar. The shops include a wonderful butchers. If it wasn’t for the grandeur of Cirencester it could be the cathedral of the Cotswolds.