I’ll never forget the drive over to Anglesey last autumn – the leaves were just starting to turn that gorgeous coppery gold, and I was buzzing with that proper holiday anticipation, windows down, singing along to some cheesy 90s playlist. But typical me, about halfway across the Menai Bridge, I realised I’d left the sat-nav cable at home. Cue a frantic faff with phone maps and a detour down some winding lane that had me sweating more than the flask of tea I’d brought. Still, we made it to Benllech just as the sun dipped low, painting the sea in those moody oranges and pinks that only September seems to deliver.

Pulling up to the ground-floor apartment right in the heart of this cracking seaside village, my first impressions were spot on. It’s one of those modern spots finished dead nicely – stylish without being fussy, all bright and spacious with a sitting room that just invites you to flop down. The little enclosed patio out back was perfect for that first cuppa al fresco, and inside, the high ceilings and underfloor heating gave it a proper cosy luxe feel, especially with the autumn chill creeping in. Kitchen’s a dream too, granite tops and all, though I mostly used it for brewing pots of tea and toasting crumpets.

Autumn shaped the whole trip in the best way – no summer crowds clogging up the pavements, just us and a handful of dog-walkers on Benllech’s wide sandy beach. We’d wander down there each morning, boots crunching on the damp sand left by the high tide, watching oystercatchers dart about and seals bobbing offshore. The sea air had that crisp edge, invigorating rather than sticky, and the light was magic for photos – all soft and diffused, turning the dunes golden. One afternoon, we hired bikes from the village and pedalled along the coastal path towards nearby Traeth Bychan, leaves swirling around us like confetti. Stopped for fish and chips wrapped in paper (proper hot, none of your soggy-bottom nonsense), eaten on a bench with the waves crashing – pure bliss, and not a queue in sight.

Evenings were for huddling in the sitting room with a blanket and Netflix, the underfloor heating warding off the damp that autumn brings to these parts. I had a proper moment of self-reflection one night, staring out at the darkening sky from the patio. Work had been manic, and I’d been rushing about like a headless chicken, but here, with the wind whispering through the marram grass and the faint glow of village lights, I just felt… grounded. Laughed at myself for stressing over that sat-nav drama – small potatoes, really.

We popped over to Red Wharf Bay one day, barely a couple of miles up the road, for a bracing walk along the cliffs. The heather was still blooming purple, and the sea was that steely grey you only get in autumn, with frothy waves perfect for skim-throwing stones. Back at the apartment, I whipped up a stew in the high-spec kitchen – nothing fancy, but it hit the spot after a day outdoors.

Anglesey in autumn? Underrated gem. No battling for parking, just proper, unhurried days that recharge the soul. If you’re thinking seaside without the hordes, go now – before winter proper sets in. We’re already plotting a return.