I’ll never forget the drive to Plas Cottage in Anglesey last autumn – that crisp October weekend when the leaves were turning gold and the wind had that proper Welsh bite to it. We’d set off from the mainland early, crossing the Menai Bridge with the sea sparkling below, but about five miles from Ty Croes, disaster struck: I’d packed the wrong boots and stepped right into a muddy puddle at a layby, soaking my trainers through. “Brilliant start,” I muttered to my mate Dave, who was stifling laughs as we squelched on. Typical me, always rushing. But honestly, that little mishap just made the arrival feel even more real, like we were properly immersing ourselves in Anglesey’s moody, seasonal charm.

Pulling up to Plas Cottage just as the afternoon light was fading – around 4pm, with the sun dipping low and fast the way it does in October – was pure magic. The cottage sits in that quiet spot near Aberffraw, tucked amidst rolling fields that were dotted with sheep eyeing us suspiciously from behind drystone walls. Autumn had painted everything in those rich, earthy tones: russet ferns, golden gorse still clinging to the dunes nearby, and the odd splash of fiery red from rowan berries. No harsh summer crowds here; just the gentle hush of off-season Wales, where the air smells of damp earth and sea salt. We unloaded the car in a flurry, my soggy feet forgotten, as a light drizzle started – not the torrential stuff, but that fine Welsh mist that makes everything glisten.

Stepping inside for the first time was like being wrapped in a cosy hug. The cottage is one of those classic stone-built beauties, all low beams and slate floors, with a wood-burning stove already begging for logs. October’s chill made that stove an absolute godsend; we got it crackling straight away, flames dancing as the windows steamed up from our kettle-boiling frenzy. First impressions? Compact but spot-on for two lads like us – a snug living room with squishy sofas facing a telly (barely glanced at), a kitchen kitted out with everything from cafetière to toaster, and those bedrooms upstairs with views over the fields. Mine had a super-kingsize bed piled high with quilts – perfect for shrugging off the season’s nip. Dave claimed the twin room, joking it was “cosier for his snoring.”

We didn’t venture far that first evening; the autumn dusk closed in quick, turning the sky that deep indigo by 6pm. Instead, we cracked open a bottle of red and rustled up supper from local bits – crab sandwiches from the Aberffraw shop we’d nipped to en route (their seafood is legendary this time of year, fresh as can be). Peering out the window, we watched the mist roll in from the coast, maybe a mile off, blurring the Newborough Forest edges. It felt timeless, you know? No pressure to dash about; just the seasonal rhythm dictating a slow unwind.

That first night, as the wind whispered through the eaves and the stove popped away, I had a quiet moment of reflection. Sat there with my feet up (dry socks now, thank goodness), mug of tea in hand, I thought about how autumn strips things back. Summer’s bustle fades, leaving space to breathe, to notice the little things like dew on spiderwebs or the way the cottage’s warmth fights the creeping cold. I’m usually a city rush-about, but Plas Cottage in October forced me to pause – properly savour the stillness. No regrets about the muddy trainers; they were the perfect icebreaker to this gem of a spot.

Next morning dawned misty but bright, with low sun piercing the clouds over the dunes. Our first proper wander was just a short stroll to the beach – Porth Aberffraw, footsteps away, where autumn waves crashed with that invigorating roar, and rock pools teemed with crabs scuttling in the chill shallows. We crunched over empty shells, the sand firm and cool underfoot, no sandy-toe stickiness of summer here. Back at the cottage by lunch, we lit the stove again, brewing coffee and planning nothing much – maybe a pub hop to the local in Ty Croes later, where the fire’s roaring and the ale’s dark for the season.

Those first 24 hours at Plas Cottage set the tone: autumn’s embrace making every moment richer, from the golden-hour glow on arrival to the fireside glow within. If you’re after a Welsh getaway that lets the time of year shine, this is it – mishaps and all.