When the sun rushes through the forest of an October morning, leaves blink in metallic clarity, reflective of a palace’s gilded decor that pours over dwellers in a waterfall of colour .

The ball of autumn, for which the forest giants turn out in their most opulent finery, is a short-lived affair in England’s north. Too soon the wind will disrobe the guests and drape the earthy forest floor with the fabrics instead.