Autumn Breaks in South Devon: A New Season at Three Tree
- Rachel
- Aug 28
- 4 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
There’s something about this time of year that always feels like a bit of a reset.
Summer isn’t quite over yet, but the signs are starting to appear. The evenings are getting a little shorter, there’s a different feel to the air and I’m already starting to think about lighting the log burner again.
And, if I’m honest, I’m quite looking forward to it.
We’ve had such a lovely summer at Three Tree. Long sunny days, guests sitting outside late into the evening, plenty of time spent in the hot tub and lots of people heading down to the coast to make the most of what has been a particularly beautiful South Devon summer.
But I think autumn might secretly be one of my favourite seasons at the lodge, and it's easy to see why autumn breaks in South Devon are so lovely.
Why we love autumn breaks in South Devon
Three Tree changes as the seasons change.
In summer, it’s all about having the doors open, sitting outside and making the most of those long evenings.
Come autumn, everything slows down a little.
The log burner comes back into its own. Blankets appear. Mornings are made for coffee while looking out towards the sea, without any particular rush to get dressed and go anywhere. And the hot tub somehow feels even better when it’s chilly outside.
There’s something slightly ridiculous — but wonderful — about walking outside wrapped in a robe on a cold evening, climbing into hot water and sitting there while the steam rises around you. Especially now that there’s a roof over your head.
A little update to the hot tub
One of the biggest changes at Three Tree since last winter is the new pergola over the wood-fired hot tub.
We wanted to give the hot tub a little more shelter while still keeping that feeling of being properly outside — because that's such a big part of the experience.
It's not completely waterproof, so you'll still feel a little rain mist coming through (this is Devon, after all!), but that's almost part of the magic. There's something lovely about being tucked into a steaming hot tub on a chilly evening, hearing the rain around you and feeling the occasional drop while you're warm in the water.
It also makes the whole hot tub area feel a little cosier and more secluded, which I think is going to be particularly lovely as we head into autumn and winter.
BBQ season isn't over
There’s another new addition outside too.
We now have a gas BBQ at the lodge.
I know BBQs are usually associated with summer, but I actually love the idea of using it through autumn and winter.
Wrap up warm, cook something lovely outside, open a bottle of wine and then head into the hot tub afterwards — or retreat inside, light the log burner and settle in for the evening.
It feels exactly like the kind of slow, simple evening Three Tree was created for.
South Devon when it's quieter
One of the other things I love about autumn is that South Devon starts to feel a little different too.
The summer crowds begin to disappear, but everything that makes this part of the world special is still here.
The coast path is beautiful on a crisp autumn day. The beaches are quieter. There are plenty of lovely pubs and places to eat nearby, and you can wander around some of our favourite local towns and villages without quite so many people having the same idea.
And sometimes the best plan is no plan at all.
Go for a walk. Find somewhere for lunch. Come back to the lodge. Get into the hot tub.
That'll do.
A couple of days to disappear
I think that's probably what Three Tree does best.
You don't necessarily need a week away or a huge itinerary.
Sometimes two nights somewhere peaceful is enough.
Enough time to switch off from work, stop thinking about the never-ending list of things that need doing at home and remember what it's like to have nowhere you need to be.
Three Tree was always intended to be somewhere you could escape from normal life for a little while.
A place for two people to reconnect.
Or somewhere to come by yourself when you need a bit of peace and quiet.
No schedules. No pressure to do lots of things.
Just a couple of days to slow down.
Looking ahead to autumn and winter
Our September weekends are already fully booked, so we're now looking ahead to stays from October onwards.
There will be crisp autumn walks, rainy hot tub evenings, BBQs under dark skies, the log burner glowing and, eventually, those proper winter mornings when staying in bed for another half an hour seems like an entirely reasonable life choice.
And I can't wait.
If you've stayed with us before, we'd absolutely love to welcome you back and show you what's changed. And if you've never stayed at Three Tree, perhaps this is your season.
Autumn and winter stays are now available to book directly.
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