I’ll never forget the drive up to Autograph Lodge in Northumberland last autumn – that crisp October weekend when the leaves were turning all shades of amber and gold, and the air had that proper nip to it that makes you glad you packed an extra jumper. We’d set off from Morpeth early Saturday morning, me at the wheel with a thermos of tea and my mate Dave fiddling with the sat-nav. Typical me, I took a wrong turn just outside town – nothing dramatic, just a daft loop down a leafy lane that added ten minutes and had us chuckling about my legendary sense of direction. “You’d get lost in your own kitchen,” Dave quipped, as we finally spotted the signs for the lodges nestled in that quiet spot near the River Wansbeck.

Pulling up to Autograph Lodge 2 Bed With Hot Tub felt like stumbling into a proper autumn postcard. The season was in full swing – those Northumberland hills glowing under a low golden sun, with mist rolling off the river like something out of a Brontë novel. The lodge itself sat there all cosy and inviting, its wooden exterior blending seamlessly with the surrounding trees that were shedding leaves in a gentle confetti shower. We’d booked it for its hot tub promise, and boy, was that a godsend in the cooling weather. After lugging our bags in (me cursing under my breath when I bashed my shin on the doorstep – comedy gold for Dave’s Instagram stories), the first impression hit us like a warm hug: pure, unpretentious comfort wrapped in seasonal magic.

Stepping inside, the open-plan living space was bathed in that soft, diffused light filtering through the windows – autumn’s way of turning everything golden without trying too hard. The wood-burning stove was already set with kindling, begging to be lit against the evening chill, and the kitchen was kitted out with all the bits you need for a lazy fry-up: decent toaster, cafetière for my morning coffee ritual, and a fridge big enough for a cheeky bottle of Northumberland ale. Upstairs, the two bedrooms were snug as a bug, with those plush beds screaming for a post-hike collapse. Ours overlooked the hot tub deck, and from the window, you could see the leaves swirling in the breeze – nature’s own wind chimes.

But let’s talk first impressions properly: that hot tub. We wasted no time firing it up, the bubbles churning as the sun dipped low, painting the sky in fiery oranges and purples. Slipping in as the temperature dropped – oh, it was bliss. The autumn air nipped at our faces while the water soothed every ache from the drive, steam rising like dragon breath into the twilight. Around us, the woodland rustled with that seasonal hush, squirrels darting about gathering nuts, and the odd pheasant calling in the distance. It was quintessentially Northumberland in October – not too cold to enjoy outdoors, but just brisk enough to make the warmth feel indulgent. We clinked beer bottles, laughing about my nav fail, as the first stars winked on.

Sitting there, bubbles popping around us, I had one of those gentle moments of reflection. Life’s been a bit hectic lately – work piling up, the usual grind – but here, in this little lodge bubble, autumn stripped it all back. The turning leaves reminded me how everything changes, but in the best way, like the season saying, “Slow down, mate, take it in.” No grand adventures yet, just that profound first-night peace, with the river murmuring nearby and woodsmoke from a neighbour’s chimney drifting over. Dave teased me for getting soppy, but even he went quiet, staring at the canopy overhead turning to silhouette.

By bedtime, with the stove crackling and the hot tub still humming invitingly outside, our three-day stay had already etched itself as unforgettable. Autumn in Northumberland doesn’t mess about – it wraps you up in its colourful embrace, and Autograph Lodge was the perfect spot to let it work its charm. Can’t wait to go back.