We’d been on the road since dawn, the A30 stretching out like it had a personal grudge against us, and by the time we finally turned off towards Porthleven the satnav had started sounding almost apologetic. Then came the tiny mishap: I confidently swung into what I thought was our driveway, only to realise too late that the low wall belonged to next door and the scrape of the exhaust on the kerb made a noise like a disappointed sigh. Nothing dramatic, just enough to turn three tired faces into sudden laughter as we reversed out again, cheeks burning.

Waves End sat right at the end of a narrow lane, its whitewashed walls catching the last of the light and the low slate roof looking as though it had grown there rather than been built. The front door opened straight onto a little flagged patio where a couple of weathered chairs waited like old friends. Inside, the cottage felt instantly welcoming; the living room was low-ceilinged and cosy, with a wood-burner already laid and a view straight through the kitchen window to the sea. We dropped our bags and stood for a moment just listening to the distant hush of waves on the harbour wall.

Stepping back outside, the smell of salt and frying fish from the pubs along the front drifted up the lane. Porthleven’s little harbour curved below us, fishing boats rocking gently against the stone quays, and the famous big waves that give the village its edge were already rolling in under a pinkish sky. We wandered the short distance down to the sand, shoes in hand, and watched a couple of surfers catching the last rides of the day while gulls wheeled overhead. Back at the cottage the patio caught the last warmth of the sun, and we sat with mugs of tea that tasted somehow better for the journey.

It was only later, when we’d unpacked and the fire was crackling, that I caught myself smiling at how quickly the long drive and the silly scrape had faded. Sometimes the best part of arriving somewhere is realising you’ve already started to unwind before you’ve even unpacked the cool box.