I’ll never forget the drive to our holiday spot in West Wales – a proper faff from the start. We’d piled into the car in Cardiff, kids buzzing with excitement, me navigating via a dodgy phone signal, and halfway up the A4067, the satnav decided to throw a wobbly. “Recalculating,” it chirped, as we ended up looping through some narrow lanes that felt more like goat tracks than roads. A quick stop for a pasty in a layby sorted the grumps, and by the time we crested the hill into Cwmtwrch-Uchaf, the anticipation was electric. There it was, this gorgeous 5-star Visit Wales gem, all cosy and welcoming in the heart of the village, perfect for our multi-gen crew – nana, the little ones, and us in the middle.

First impressions? Blimey, it exceeded every hope. The place just wrapped you in that instant “ahh” feeling, like slipping into your favourite slippers after a long day. We dumped the bags and straight away claimed our corners: me with a book on the sun-drenched terrace, the kids giggling in the garden, and nana pottering about with a cuppa. It was one of those properties that screams family getaway without trying too hard – spacious, comfy, and with everything you need to properly switch off.

The joy of it all was doing sod all, and I mean that in the best way. Forget grand plans; we were here to slow right down. Mornings kicked off lazy: brekkie dragged out over endless toast and jam, then straight to the garden. It’s a proper suntrap, wildflowers nodding in the breeze, with space for the nippers to chase butterflies or just flop on blankets building Lego empires. I’d crack open a paperback – some daft crime thriller that had me chuckling at the twists – and let hours melt away. The Brecon Beacons are only four miles off, tempting with their trails, but we barely budged. One afternoon, we did amble a gentle path nearby, breathing in that crisp Welsh air, but mostly? Blissful inertia.

Nana took to it like a duck to water, knitting in a lounger while the kids invented games with sticks and stones. Evenings were pure magic: barbie on (weather permitting), or just cheese on toast if rain pattered down, followed by board games that descended into chaos and laughter. No schedules, no rushing – just that rare gift of time stretching out. I had a moment one evening, staring at the stars popping out over the hills, thinking how I’d been running on fumes back home. Work emails, school runs, the lot. Here, in this little haven, I realised slowing down isn’t lazy; it’s essential. Recharges the soul, reconnects you with the ones you love.

We did dip out once for a mooch to Henrhyd Falls, eight miles away – that thundering cascade is a stunner, and the short walk was just enough to feel virtuous without overdoing it. But honestly, the real thrill was the nothing. Lounging, reading, watching clouds drift. If you’re after a West Wales escape where the world shrinks to garden chats and lazy sunsets, this is it. Left us all fitter in the head than we’d been in years. Can’t wait to go back.