I’ll never forget the drive to Cairnwood Premier in Ilfracombe – a proper North Devon adventure that started with me taking a wrong turn just outside Barnstaple, thanks to my sat-nav deciding to have a mid-journey sulk. Picture this: me, swearing under my breath like a proper muppet, as I end up on some narrow lane that looked more like a goat track than a road. Classic me, isn’t it? But honestly, that little mishap was the best thing that could’ve happened, because it kicked off three days of stumbling upon the most brilliant hidden gems, all within a stone’s throw of our cosy cottage. No tourist traps, just pure, accidental magic.

We finally rocked up to Cairnwood Premier late afternoon, the sun dipping low over the hills, and blimey, what a first impression. It’s this gorgeous pet-friendly haven tucked away in Ilfracombe, with stunning sea views that hit you right in the chest as you step out of the car. The place is all about that Premier vibe – think plush interiors, a cracking hot tub bubbling away on the deck, and enough space for us to sprawl out without tripping over each other’s wellies. My other half and the dog immediately claimed the garden patio, noses twitching at the salty sea air mixed with wildflowers. Me? I was already plotting how to get properly lost, because North Devon’s like that – one minute you’re on the A39, the next you’re in some secret cove that feels like it’s yours alone.

First morning, fueled by a fry-up in the cottage’s slick kitchen (that induction hob is a dream, by the way), we decided to wander. No maps, no plans – just follow the lanes that twist off the main drag. That’s how we found ourselves at this tucked-away spot called Hele Bay, barely a five-minute pootle from Cairnwood. It’s not one of those Instagram-famous beaches; it’s a proper locals’ secret, with a pebbly shore framed by jagged cliffs and a cave you can scramble into at low tide. We got there by sheer fluke, missing a signpost and ending up on a footpath that led straight down. The dog went mental chasing waves, and I spent an hour beachcombing for sea glass, laughing as my other half nearly twisted an ankle on the rocks. “You and your detours,” she said, but her grin gave her away. Hidden gem number one: sorted.

The real joy was in the getting lost bit. Afternoon took us weaving through the lanes behind Hillsborough, that hilly bit of Ilfracombe with its quirky funicular railway (we skipped the queue by accident, spotting it from a back road). We parked up randomly and hiked a barely marked path to this wildflower meadow overlooking the Bristol Channel – not a soul in sight, just gulls wheeling overhead and the hum of bees. I sat there with a thermos of tea from the cottage, feeling a proper moment of reflection. You know, in the rush of life back home, I forget how good it is to let go of the sat-nav and just breathe. North Devon’s off-the-beaten-path magic sneaks up on you like that, turning a daft wrong turn into something soul-recharging.

Evening back at Cairnwood was pure bliss – firing up the BBQ on the terrace, watching the sunset paint the sea gold, dog snoring by the hot tub. Next day’s wander led us to another accidental find: a secluded corner of Chambercombe Beach, reached via a forgotten coastal path from the cottage. Crystal-clear rock pools teeming with crabs, cliffs dripping with ferns – it’s like stepping into a smugglers’ tale, all within a couple of miles. We picnicked on pasties grabbed from a hole-in-the-wall in town, feet dangling in the shallows, chuckling about how we’d never have found it without my rubbish sense of direction.

Those first impressions at Cairnwood Premier? They weren’t just about the cracking digs; they were about the thrill of the unknown, the hidden nooks that make North Devon feel like your personal playground. If you’re after a holiday where getting lost is the highlight, this is it – wrong turns and all.