What month is it?

There’s a cold wind blowing. There are dark clouds overhead. The ground is saturated, paths swampy. And the heather is just showing. Must be Autumn.
 
Oops! It isn’t yet August!!
 
Extra
   
Can anyone explain this – a brand new gate, presumably for pedestrians, especially those with dogs, so as to avoid the cattle grid. And yet someone has very carefully (very carefully!) tied barbed wire round the latch – so it cannot be used. Pointless, or something more sinister? (into the hills will know exactly where this is and may be able to provide an explanation)