As anyone who has been within 6 feet of me recently will know, I haven’t had a holiday in a LONG time. I have been moaning about this so much it’s started to bore even me, so I have recently decided that if my schedule won’t support a break of any length, I can at least squeeze in a few decent mini-breaks. Which is how I found myself at a lodge in Otterburn this weekend with two of my oldest friends, drinking my own bodyweight in champagne while sitting in a hot-tub. As a way of passing your free time, I would highly recommend it.

The three of us rented a lodge near Otterburn Mill, and aside from the hot-tub (which was a new and fabulous experience for me, though I now feel I have more insight into what it’s like to be a lobster), the location meant we were ideally placed to go on a few jaunts.

The Saturday we went to Jedburgh. A picturesque little town dominated by the gorgeous Abbey, it was perfect for a mini-trip. We had a potter around Mary Queen of Scots house, a carb-heavy lunch at Simply Scottish, bought some locally made gin and had a gentle stroll around the remains of the Abbey, which remains quite the stunning structure.

Sunday was a trip to Amble, which I liked less – I got to see the sea, which is always a benefit, but we hadn’t realised it was market day and the place was utterly mobbed, so after a mini-wander and yet more carbs, we went back to the lodge so we could enjoy a chilled afternoon on the deck.

The weather wasn’t fantastic, though we avoided the worst of the rain, but we were well-supplied with movies, and sipping fizz in a hot-tub in the moonlight in the countryside isn’t an experience I’ll forget any time soon…