I’ll never forget the drive down to Ross-on-Wye last month – our first proper family getaway in ages. The kids were buzzing in the back of the car, munching crisps and arguing over iPads, while I gripped the wheel a bit too tightly on the winding A roads through the Wye Valley. Typical me, I’d programmed the sat-nav wrong and ended up taking a detour through some sleepy village, missing the turning by a mile. We arrived an hour later than planned, with the little ones whining about needing the loo, but honestly, that mishap just built the anticipation. As we finally pulled up in the heart of town, the place looked like a picture postcard – all nestled in this gorgeous spot within the Wye Valley National Landscape. I could already feel the holiday magic kicking in.

It’s a stylish first-floor apartment in a listed building, dead central but with this lovely balcony overlooking the bustle below. Stepping inside felt like a warm hug after the road chaos. The sitting room’s got these soothing blue furnishings and a feature wall that instantly made us flop down with cups of tea (well, coffee for me). The kids claimed the sofa straight away, and I had a proper moment there, just breathing it all in and thinking, ‘Blimey, we’ve made it – no more school runs for a few days.’

The kitchen-diner’s a dream for family life – light and airy with stylish bits and bobs, plenty of space to rustle up brekkie without elbows in everyone’s breakfast. We cracked open some eggs and bacon that first morning, the littlest one ‘helping’ by scattering flour everywhere. Cottage life chaos at its finest, but that’s what makes it, isn’t it? No posh restaurants needed; we just pottered about, planning lazy days ahead.

Ross-on-Wye is perfect for that relaxed vibe. We wandered down to the River Wye, just a stone’s throw away, and let the kids skim stones while we picnicked on cheese rolls from the local market. One afternoon, we ambled up to the viewpoint on top of Ross Hill – a proper leg-burner for me, huffing behind the troops – and the panorama over the valley was stunning, all rolling hills and that fresh country air. Back at the apartment, we’d fire up a simple pasta dinner, spilling sauce and giggling over board games on the balcony as the sun dipped low.

There was this gentle self-reflection moment on the last evening. Sat out there with a GandT, watching the kids chase each other round the sitting room, I realised how these simple pleasures – muddy walks along the riverbank, fish and chips from the takeaway on Broad Street, the quiet hum of town life – are what recharge us. No grand adventures, just family potterings and a bit of lovingly chaotic bliss. Herefordshire’s got that knack for slowing you down, and this little bolt-hole made it unforgettable. We’re already plotting a return – sat-nav glitches and all.