I’ll never forget the drive down to Pembrokeshire last autumn – that golden stretch of late September when the leaves are just starting to crisp up and the air has that proper nip to it. We’d piled the car high with wellies, dog leads, and enough wine to sink a ship, my lot and the mates for a big family do. Halfway through Carmarthenshire, disaster struck: the sat-nav decided to chuck a wobbly and sent us down a muddy farm track that had us sliding about like we were in a dodgy rally. Hearts in mouths, but we laughed it off – turned out to be a shortcut through the woods, all coppery ferns and that earthy smell you only get when summer’s properly bowed out.

Pulling up to the cottage near Ludchurch, I was buzzing with that pre-holiday glow, wondering if it’d live up to the pics. Blimey, it exceeded them. This cracking twelve-person, pet-friendly place was spot on for our rabble – hot tub bubbling in the garden like it was waiting for us, wood burner ready to roar, and a massive open-plan dining space that screamed feast central. First impressions? Pure magic under those autumn skies, with the sun dipping low and painting everything in that soft, amber light.

The season shaped every minute of it, honestly. Mornings kicked off misty and cool, perfect for wrapping up and heading out to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park paths right on our doorstep. We crunched through carpets of fallen leaves along the cliffs at Carew Cheriton, the sea crashing below in that moody grey-blue you get in early autumn – bracing, but alive. Our spaniel went mental chasing conkers, while us humans slurped thermos flasks of tea, feeling all smug about dodging the summer crowds. No queues at the sandy beaches like Freshwater East or Manorbier, just us, the dogs, and heaps of space to build epic driftwood fires as the tide pulled back.

Evenings were the real treat, thanks to that wood burner. We’d pile in from coastal walks, cheeks rosy from the wind, and crack on with a massive roast – lamb from a local farm, naturally. The hot tub became our ritual: steaming away under a blanket of stars, steam mingling with woodsmoke, while the chill nipped at our toes. One night, sat there with a cider, watching the last of the harvest moon rise, I had a proper moment. Life’s been a whirl lately – work piling up, kids growing too fast – but there, in that cosy bubble, I thought, ‘This is it, innit? Slowing down, proper connecting.’ Gentle nudge to myself: do this more, whatever the weather.

Days blurred into beachcombing at Amroth’s vast sands, foraging blackberries heavy with autumn sweetness for pud, and lazy pub lunches at the nearby Kilgetty arms, where the fire’s always going and the portions could feed an army. The cooler temps meant no sweaty hikes, just that invigorating stride that leaves you starving and satisfied. Our pup loved it too, rolling in leaf piles like a nutter.

Packing up felt bittersweet as the trees turned full fiery red. Pembrokeshire in autumn? Absolute belter of a holiday. If you’re after a rural Welsh escape that hits different this time of year, grab a big group, your furry mates, and go. You won’t regret it.