As it turns out, you only have to cross the border from England into Wales for your shoulders to drop and to instantly feel calmer and more relaxed. That’s a bold statement having travelled for five hours here with two small children in the car from south London, isn’t it?
A few more hours (granted, good moods are wearing slightly thin at this point) and we reach Pembrokeshire, where we make a rainy pitstop in Narbeth. For a small town in the middle of Wales that happened to be a well-timed pitstop to our destination, it ticks a lot of boxes: it has a playground (the kids are happy), it’s awash with antique shops (I’m very happy, though I'm writing this still with regrets for the oil painting I left behind). The buzzy street food hall here, Hwb, keeps us all dry, warm and well-fed. That’s an understatement: I had one of the best Thai green curries here that I’ve had in years. Safe to say, the trip is off to a strong start.
Another hour or so in the car, and we’ve arrived in Fishguard, a small town on the coast where we’re spending the week. Fishguard is its English name. It’s Abergwaun in Welsh, and those well versed in British history might be familiar with it as the site of the last invasion in Britain back in 1797. In recent years, it’s gone through a bit of a renaissance, luring in more than just coast path ramblers (the 186-mile Pembrokeshire Coast Path National Trail runs right through the town) with the likes of a Nourish, a sourdough bakery that draws a London-length queue, and a handful of other galleries and good pubs that have settled in. Among the new wave of community staples to shout about is Ty Clai: a double-fronted townhouse on the highstreet with a moody dark facade. A pottery studio and ceramics store occupy the ground floor, and upstairs, a thoughtfully restored three bedroom home, one that’s crowned the title as My Favourite Airbnb.
Brought to life by ceramicist-architect duo, Emma and Luke Flynn, Ty Clai is a fusion of their worlds and passions. Commercial architects by trade, they left London for a calmer life with younger kids, familiar with this part of the country with family nearby, and set to work transforming what was once a tired old camera shop and above it, a dilapidated shell of a living space. Whoever got their hands on it beforehand had gone hell for leather with the gutting process but didn’t get so far, so when they took it on, it was a case of building back walls, repairing staircases and the rest.
Now, it reads like an ode to warm, Welsh hospitality, full of vintage treasures picked up from Pembrokeshire’s antique stores, a chunky slate fireplace, slouchy leather seats with cosy Welsh blankets, walls covered in watercolour landscapes picked up at auction, and of course, their own ceramics peppering space, with artisan mugs in the kitchen cupboards and tall vases and beautiful objects on the fireplace. Mousey-coloured painted wooden floors contrast against white-washed stone walls, and bright green vintage dining chairs give a pop of colour around a large, old wooden dining table. A run of kitchen units flows along one side and leads to my favourite feature, two bay window seats that overlook the high street: somewhere to sit with a coffee and soak up the slow and wholesome leisurely pace of life here.
Set over two floors, there are three bedrooms upstairs, which is ideal because we invited my parents along. Self-catering is the obvious way to go with young children, but even better is when there’s room for grandparents to tag along, so I’m always seeking out a three-bed. Ceilings are lofty and exposed stone walls feel rustic and calming. A giant copper bath steals the show in the bathroom and is the kind that’s so appealing you have to carve our space in your morning itinerary to factor in a bubble bath (another reason to bring grandparents along: those 20 minutes peace.)
On the subject of kids, few things feel more thoughtful than when kind homeowners leave toys (in this case a giant box of books, magnetic tiles and a fire station) for children to play with. A simple but warm thought that goes a mile in my book, because someone else’s toys are always better than your own, and makes everyone feel catered for and welcome.
We visited late summer and got to make the most of the garden, a hidden retreat tucked behind the house with an old brick path, a grassy space to run around, tall grasses and wildflowers and rustic furniture. Having your own outdoor space is always welcomed. We savoured a restorative cup of tea out there in the sun after an afternoon on the beach, and another day, had wine and crisps round the table outside one balmy evening, while my husband and father got to work firing up the pizza oven. Safe to say I’ve plenty of special memories from our time here.
Not just memories but keepsakes too. It would be rude to come this far without engaging in the pottery side of Ty Clai, since it’s at the heart of all. Emma runs a variety of sessions, from group classes to one-on-one lessons, and has the vision of it growing as a creative retreat. My parents took the kids down to see the boats at Fishguard Harbour one morning so, luckily and truly so rare for us, my husband and I got to spend three hours building Welsh cottages from clay. It was mindful, slow and quiet and felt therapeutic to be screen-free and creative (with a lot of much-needed guidance from Emma!). I did a design degree but, outside of writing, haven’t practiced creativity intentionally for the best part of 10 years since, and it really felt like it sparked something in me.
We fell into a nice rhythm for the rest of our days: slow starts, with a pastry or a loaf of sourdough from Nourish on the days it was open, and then off in the car to the beach. Now, we love the beach. We could happily go to the beach every single day for the rest of our lives, and the beaches around Pembrokeshire are just spectacular. Okay, we visited just after the school holidays were finished but still, barely a soul and giant sandy stretches all to ourselves. Whether you’re surfing, building sandcastles, swimming with seals (wild ones, of course), or just want a walk along the coast to blow away the cobwebs, there’s a stretch of coast here to please everyone. Whitesands has bumped its way to the top of my list, surpassing all my other faves in Cornwall as my top UK beach: amazing for kids, and great for a whole day of swimming, body boarding and playing in the waves. Freshwater West is another favourite, wild and rugged, and don’t miss the opportunity for one of the best lunches you’ll have around here at Cafe Mor at The Old Point House. St Davids is a sweet town for a stroll and Melin Tregwynt wool mill, home to the most beautiful Welsh blankets, is a must-visit just a few miles from Ty Clai.
Something about this trip — maybe the sea air, the daily cold swims, or the three hours of quiet pottery, probably the combination of the lot — felt like it rewired my brain. It was a reset, a reminder of what brings us joy, and so special to spend slow, intentional time with my kids and my parents. Abergwaun, you have my heart.