As the schools went back last week, many of us whose children are beyond that stage may nevertheless have had that end of summer feeling.

I seem to remember that much as we enjoyed the school summer holidays, there was, as a parent, always that slight sigh of relief when we got back to the daily routine – even if that meant greater demands on our organisational and time-management skills and the weather turning ever more autumnal.

At Leuchie House, we are looking forward to introducing our guests over the next few months to the delights of the changing scenery in Leuchie’s colourful grounds. The benefits of respite in a country house such as Leuchie are as obvious in autumn as much as summer.

In summer, we throw open the doors to the accessible grounds and woodland walkway for guests to sit and enjoy the sunshine, while in late autumn and winter we make great use of the lovely log fire in the drawing room, where guests like to sit by the windows and take in the antics of our wildlife visitors in the grounds.

As we approach the end of summer, it is also a chance for us to offer a change in focus as regards the trips and activities we offer. The past few weeks have seen our guests enjoying many of the summer events such as the Edinburgh Festival, Military Tattoo and Fringe By The Sea.

Closer to home, we also take advantage of the good weather to hold outdoor exercise classes and activities as well visits to the seaside and countryside of our beautiful county.

As autumn arrives, the focus will be on live entertainment, the ever-popular film nights and quiz nights at Leuchie, as well as trips to theatres, visitor attractions and museums. Our catering manager will also be devising tempting autumn and winter menus, providing warming meals and treats for the guests using the best of the season’s fresh, local produce.

We are fortunate in East Lothian to be able to experience the full diversity of the seasons, usually without the extremes of weather that increasingly seem to feature in so many parts of the world.

From my own perspective, I blame my family’s Outer Hebridean roots for my appreciation of the delights of a stormy, windswept beach. Having said that, I’m not giving up on the hope of an Indian summer just yet...