The town feels settled after the summer crowds. The castle still draws visitors but the streets are easier to move through. The Long Walk is busy with runners and dog walkers in the mornings. Shops on the high street report steady trade, nothing special. A few new coffee places opened near the theatre, decent but not worth a detour.
The river is still high from recent rain. The flood meadows are closed to walkers. The boat hire places have pulled most of their punts out for the season. The air smells of wet leaves and woodsmoke in the evenings.
The market is still running on Saturdays and Sundays. Fewer stalls than peak season but the cheese man is always there. The church has a craft fair next weekend, posters up in the window. Nothing major happening. No big events announced for the rest of September.
If you live here, it is a good time for a quiet walk along the river or a pint in a pub that is not packed. If you are visiting, you will have the town almost to yourself on a weekday. The usual traffic on the M4 and the bridge is still there. No change there.
Paul