We'd only just turned off the main road towards Broad Haven when the satnav decided we'd had quite enough of its company and sent us down a single-track lane that ended in someone's driveway. After a polite wave to the bemused chap mowing his lawn, we reversed out and found Golygfa Hafan five minutes later, tucked just back from the beach with that first proper view of the sea glinting in the afternoon sun. The cottage felt instantly welcoming, all light and space with big windows that made the outside feel part of the living room. We dumped the bags, changed into shorts, and headed straight out for a stroll along the coast path, convinced the forecast's promise of wall-to-wall sunshine would hold.

The path from Broad Haven towards Druidstone was every bit as lovely as we'd hoped, the cliffs dropping away to little coves and the sea breeze keeping us cool as we walked. We'd packed a picnic and planned to find a sheltered spot for lunch, but the British weather had other ideas. What started as a few harmless clouds quickly turned into a proper downpour, the kind that soaks you before you can even unzip your rucksack for a waterproof. We huddled under a stunted hawthorn, laughing as rain ran down our necks, then decided the only sensible thing was to turn back and make the most of the cottage instead.

By the time we reached the front door we were properly drenched, but it didn't matter. We changed into dry clothes, made tea, and watched the rain sweep across the bay from the sofa. Later, once it cleared, we wandered down to the beach itself, shoes off, toes in the cool sand, collecting bits of driftwood and watching a few hardy swimmers brave the waves. The evening light was golden, and we ended up walking a short stretch of the coastal path again in the opposite direction, just far enough to watch the sun dip behind the cliffs.

What struck me most, sitting on the little bench outside the cottage that night with a glass of wine, was how quickly plans can shift here. We'd come expecting long hikes and endless sunshine, but the weather reminded us that sometimes the best bits are the unexpected ones, the soggy picnics that never happen and the quiet evenings watching the sea instead.