Skip to content

Trees at Tughall: Minimalist Heaven on the Northumberland Coast

Along the Northumbrian Coast near Beadnell you’ll find the most stunning cabins of all; Trees at Tughall. Trust me you don’t want to miss this one!


I’m very excited to be writing about what I assure you is one of the best cabin experiences in the entire United Kingdom. I’ve had a trip away to Trees at Tughall at the top of my list ever since it opened in 2022.

A few weeks ago, in January, I treated my wife and I to two nights away before Emma’s maternity leave came to an end. Now it’s not that I don’t absolutely love our daughter Evelyn and little dog but two nights child and dog free are such a rare luxury that they need to be made the most of.

With that in mind, the Willow cabin at Trees at Tughall was the place we’d be taking some time to relax amidst the stunning Northumberland countryside.

The Concept

The trio of cabins at Trees at Tughall lie within ancient woodland just a few fields the Northumbrian coastline, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and the beautiful little town of Beadnell. The cabins are aptly named Ash, Hawthorn and Willow after the trees that make up the woodland and are simply stunning. Inspired by the time that the owners have spent in Scottish bothies along with the Northumbrian fishing industry, you’ll discover that the cabins are ultra-modern, beautifully simple with clean lines invoking a Scandi minimalist vibe. The exterior blackened timber contrasts significantly against the soft green surroundings yet somehow blend into the scenery effortlessly.

The entire concept behind Trees at Tughall is to offer those that stay everything they need and nothing more. It becomes a place where you visit just to ‘be’. I know that might sound strange but, whilst we did a little bit of exploring, it was lovely to sit with no distractions and just listen and observe.

The Willow Cabin

Let’s talk about our cabin, the Willow, which oddly I’ve just this second realised is the design name of our own new-build home. It was a tough choice on the Trees at Tughall website knowing which cabin to pick but ultimately it boiled down to the view from the huge picture window; the main feature of each cabin.

It turns out, in my opinion, that I chose well. Willow’s picture window is south facing meaning that soft natural light fills the cabin all day long. I can’t think of many more places I’d rather be than sitting in that window watching the world go by (or playing my guitar…). Put the log burner on and you’ve got the most perfect afternoon imaginable.

In the cabin you’ll find a small kitchen area with an oven, induction hob, fridge and all the utensils you’ll need. Tea and coffee are provided so I attempted to make a lovely strong coffee in the provided cafetiere; the first time trying that after my new found love for coffee. Now, I’m used to my Nespresso machine at home so let’s just say I need some practice as the coffee I made was weak as…well you know. The homemade blondies left for us by the owners more than made up for it.

Working our way through the cabin, from the main room (with the kitchenette, picture window and dining area) you’ll walk through to the bedroom area which contains a king sized bed on your right plus more storage that you’ll ever need. At the end is a bathroom with full-sized sink, toilet and a walk-in shower; nicer than at many hotels I’ve stayed in.

As I said earlier, the interior of each cabin is simple and clean with the walls lined with light ash wood sourced locally and sustainably. If I could re-design my home immediately, it would look like this.

Outside are two seats and a fire pit where you can sit and listen to the sound of the small stream gently flowing by. After nightfall, it’s the perfect location to stargaze especially with Northumberland boasting some of the darkest skies in Europe. We were lucky with the weather and, once our eyes adjusted, there were billions of stars above us. Not quite as insane as what we could see in the Australian outback but, nevertheless, you won’t find a much better place to stargaze in England.

Close to Trees at Tughall

For those that fancy doing a little more exploring whilst staying at Trees at Tughall, here a few places to check out. We have already spent many a weekend up in Northumberland so this time we were keen to explore Holy Island and Beadnell.

In Beadnell, I’d highly recommend the food from both The Craster Arms and Beadnell Towers and coffee from The Landing. If you’re heading north to Holy Island which you should definitely do (it was my first time – expect a full guide soon) you must check the tide times as the island will get cut off by the tide and no-one wants to be stranded! Other than that, you can’t miss Bamburgh Castle for obvious reasons nor can you miss grabbing some fish and chips in Seahouses.

Final Thoughts

Before I wrap this up, I need to say that staying at Trees at Tughall exceeded my high expectations. It was perfect. We were treated by mother nature to burnt red sunrises and sunsets; winters not bad after all in the wilds of Northumberland. I know that here on my blog I only really share positive experiences but this stay was right up there; possibly one of my favourite places to stay not just in the North East but the whole UK. It’s not a surprise that the Telegraph listed it as one of the best places to stay in the UK.

Please book a few nights away at Trees at Tughall I promise you’ll not regret it. Everyone needs a place to switch off from the world and this is now my place to do so.

IF YOU ENJOYED ‘TREES AT TUGHALL: MINIMALIST HEAVEN ON THE NORTHUMBERLAND COAST’ WHY NOT PIN THE IMAGES BELOW?


CHECK OUT MORE OF MY NIGHTS AWAY BELOW

2 thoughts on “Trees at Tughall: Minimalist Heaven on the Northumberland Coast”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *