Zara Aitken

Park at Stackpole Quay and enjoy a day spent exploring the coast path, the endless, breathtakingly beautiful, untouched beaches, such as Barafundle Bay, and the pretty lily ponds at Bosherston Lakes. Whether you choose to get active and venture out to sea in a kayak, try your hand at coasteering, or simply enjoy a leisurely walk with the family, you’ll find plenty to keep you occupied for a day at Stackpole Nature Reserve. You’ll find a lovely little National Trust cafe, called The Boathouse Tearoom at Stackpole Quay, selling hot drinks, snacks and light breakfasts/lunches, and another cafe near Bosherston Lily Ponds, called Ye Olde Worlde Cafe. As well as exhibitions detailing the castle’s history, you’ll be able to enjoy sweeping views from the battlements across the town and grab a bit to eat in the onsite cafe.

If you’re considering a trip to Snowdonia, or anywhere else in the UK, it’s important to check the local restrictions before you travel and strictly adhere to any regulations and restrictions in place. We checked into Cut Cywarch on a grey, drizzly day and without even being able to see the surrounding mountains fully, we knew we were in for a treat when the weather cleared up the next day. In addition to Aran Fawddwy, Cut Cywarch cabins are just a short drive away from Cadair Idris and many other mountain hikes! This really is the perfect place to stay if you’re looking for a gateway accommodation to incredible scenery and walks.

You can pick up the Pembrokeshire Coast Path in both directions from Freshwater East Beach, but I’d highly recommend the walk between Freshwater East and Stackpole Quay, where you’ll find a lovely National Trust cafe, The Boathouse Tearoom, serving light lunches, snacks and hot drinks. The walk from Freshwater East to Stackpole Quay is approximately 3 miles each way, so allow at least 3-4 hours to complete this walk (depending on your pace and including a refuel stop at the cafe). There is a small pub, The Freshwater Inn, a short drive from the beach that I can recommend, but if you’re not planning to walk to the cafe at Stackpole Quay make sure to bring a picnic lunch with you. While Tenby is quite over-run with tourists these days, it’s still worth a visit to see the chocolate box pastel-coloured Victorian houses that surround the harbour, as well as many quaint shops and glorious beaches – including Castle Beach, North Beach and South Beach.

When we received an invite to enjoy an evening at The Pop-Up Kitchen in Lyme Regis with Jurassic Cottage Kitchen on their opening night, I knew it would be a welcome break from my ‘new normal’ routine of working from home and social distancing! We headed to the Jurassic Cottage Kitchen at The Pop-Up Kitchen in Lyme Regis, just a few miles from our home, on a dark autumnal evening and were immediately hit by the warm atmosphere as we entered the restaurant. As a final cherry on top, Jurassic Cottage Kitchen offer a selection of reasonably priced autumnal cocktails which includes a pear nectar and thyme mimosa, a sparkling autumn sangria and a non-alcoholic mocktail for the designated driver in the group. We thoroughly enjoyed the friendly reception we received at The Pop-Up Kitchen in Lyme Regis, as well as the home-cooked, comfort food, perfect for a glum autumnal evening.