We’d barely made it off the ferry when the satnav decided we were clearly in the mood for an adventure and sent us down a lane that got narrower with every hedge. By the time we reached Ty Landsker the car was coated in a fine film of Pembrokeshire red dust and I’d reversed into the same gatepost twice, much to the amusement of a passing dog-walker. Still, the cottage looked even better than the photos: a neat, whitewashed place tucked just back from the shingle, its little garden already catching the late-afternoon sun.

The key was waiting under a flowerpot exactly where the owner had promised, and within minutes we were kicking off shoes and letting the children race across the lawn to the low wall that separates the garden from the beach path. From there you can see right across the water to the old harbour walls of Milford Haven, and the tide was already on the turn, leaving long ribbons of wet sand perfect for rock-pooling. We didn’t even unpack properly; we just grabbed a bag of crisps and headed straight down, the boys in wellies, my partner carrying the smallest in the baby sling.

Back at the cottage an hour later, the kettle was on and the windows were thrown open so the smell of salt and warm grass drifted inside. The kitchen is small but perfectly arranged, with everything you need for simple holiday meals—big cafetière, decent frying pan, and a table that catches the morning light. We ate bacon sandwiches standing up, watching the last of the day’s walkers pass by on the coastal path.

Later, once the children were finally in bed, we sat on the bench outside with mugs of tea and listened to the gentle hush of the waves. It struck me, not for the first time, how little you actually need on a break like this: just somewhere comfortable to return to, a stretch of beach within shouting distance, and the luxury of not having to fill every hour. The mishap on the lane already felt like part of the story, the sort of small chaos that makes you slow down and notice what’s right in front of you. Tomorrow we’d explore properly, but for now it was enough to sit there, toes in the cooling grass, already feeling thoroughly at home.