We’d barely made it off the ferry at Holyhead when the sat-nav decided we were in the wrong county, sending us on a merry detour through lanes so narrow the hedgerows brushed both wing mirrors. By the time we pulled up at Too Hoots, the boot was half-open and a rogue carrier bag of snacks had exploded across the back seat. Still, the cottage’s little wooden gate and the smell of warm grass made the detour feel instantly forgivable.

Anglesey sun had been promised all week, yet the sky over the garden was already shifting from bright blue to a soft, undecided grey. We unpacked in record time and set straight out for the coast path that runs just beyond the lane, trainers still dusty from the drive. The first stretch took us along low cliffs where thrift and sea-campion clung to the rock, and the breeze carried that unmistakable mix of salt and warm earth. We’d planned a proper loop to the next cove and back, but the clouds thickened with every step until a fine, warm drizzle began to freckle our T-shirts.

Undeterred, we pressed on, laughing at how quickly waterproofs had been swapped for sun-cream in the boot. The path dipped and rose gently, giving sudden views of the beach below where a few families were still braving the shallows. When the rain settled into something steadier we ducked beneath an old stone wall for shelter, sharing slightly-soggy crisps while watching curlews pick along the tideline. It felt less like a ruined walk and more like an unplanned interlude; the sort of moment that only seems to happen when you’re not racing a checklist.

By the time we turned back the clouds had lifted, leaving everything freshly rinsed and smelling of wet gorse. Too Hoots welcomed us with its little patio still warm from the earlier sun, and we kicked off sandy shoes before the kettle had even boiled. Sitting there with tea and slightly damp maps spread across the table, I found myself thinking how often our best memories arrive sideways—via wrong turns, surprise showers, and the quiet decision to keep walking anyway.