I’ll never forget the drive to Bay Tree Lodge 1 in Pembrokeshire last autumn – that crisp October weekend when the leaves were turning all shades of amber and gold, and the air had that proper Welsh bite to it. We’d set off from Narberth early Saturday morning, the SatNav promising a swift 10-minute jaunt, but wouldn’t you know it, I took a wrong turn onto some narrow lane that twisted through blooming blackthorn hedges heavy with sloes. Classic me – the man who once got lost in his own postcode. Fifteen minutes of reversing past bemused sheep later, we emerged giggling onto the right road, the sea mist rolling in from the coast like a soft blanket, turning the whole landscape into a watercolour painting. Autumn in Pembrokeshire does that, doesn’t it? Transforms the ordinary into something magical.

Pulling up to Bay Tree Lodge 1 just outside Narberth felt like stumbling into a hug from an old mate. Tucked away in a peaceful spot amid those autumnal woods, the lodge is this cosy wooden haven, all warm cedar exterior glowing under the weak October sun filtering through the branches. The seasonal shift was everywhere – the garden rustled with fallen leaves carpeting the decking, and the air hummed with that earthy, damp scent of decaying foliage mixed with the faint tang of the nearby sea. We unloaded the car in minutes, boots crunching over crisp beech nuts, and stepped inside to a space that screamed “relax, you’ve arrived.” The open-plan living area was bathed in that golden afternoon light slanting through the big windows, picking out the plush sofas and the wood-burning stove already laid with kindling – perfect for the evenings when the chill creeps in after sunset.

First impressions? Blimey, it was spot on for an autumn getaway. The kitchen was a dream, gleaming worktops stocked with everything from cafetière to spice rack, and I couldn’t resist brewing a pot of tea straight away, steam curling up as we unpacked. Outside, the private hot tub beckoned from its sheltered nook, bubbles ready to chase away the drive’s stresses, surrounded by ferns turning rusty and the last hardy blooms clinging to life. We didn’t hop in right then – too busy marvelling at the view. Just a stone’s throw from Narberth’s high street, yet it felt worlds away, the lodge’s deck overlooking a wooded valley where squirrels dashed about hoarding acorns. That’s Pembrokeshire in autumn for you: not the blistering summer crowds, but a quieter, more introspective beauty, where the slowing pace of nature mirrors your own.

We wandered down to the nearby Canaston Bridge for a pint that first afternoon, the River Cleddau swirling brown and frothy below, lined with oaks shedding their coats like confetti. The pub was toasty inside, locals chatting about the recent gales that had stripped the coastal paths bare – a reminder that winter’s knocking. Back at the lodge, as dusk fell early (that’s the thing with October, innit? Twilight by half four), we lit the stove. Crackling flames danced, casting flickering shadows, and we tucked into a homemade stew, the windows fogging with condensation. It was pure bliss, that first evening – no TV blaring, just the rustle of leaves and the hoot of an owl starting its night shift.

Sitting there, mug of tea in hand, I had a bit of a moment. Life’s been a whirlwind lately – work piling up, the usual chaos – and arriving here in the heart of Pembrokeshire’s autumn hush made me pause. Why do we rush so? This lodge, with its seasonal embrace of slowing down, reminded me that sometimes the best holidays are the ones that let nature set the rhythm. Bay Tree Lodge 1 nailed that first impression: a perfect autumn bolthole, intimate and inviting, shaping our three days into something restorative. Can’t wait to go back when the frost sparkles.