I had been looking forward to our little break in Gotland for weeks, picturing quiet coastal paths and the sort of weather that makes you forget about everything back home. The ferry from the mainland was calm enough, but the real comedy started the moment we tried to follow the satnav into Visby. It confidently sent us down a narrow lane that turned out to be somebody's driveway, complete with a very surprised dog and an even more surprised owner waving us back the way we came. By the time we reached the house we were both laughing and slightly red in the face from the detour.

The place itself sat just outside the old town walls, a neat little cottage with a wooden deck that caught the afternoon sun. We dropped our bags, changed into walking shoes, and decided to stretch our legs along the coast path that runs north from the harbour. The plan had been a gentle stroll to a small beach a couple of miles away, but the forecast had promised cloud and instead we got full sunshine that made the limestone cliffs glow almost white. It felt too good to turn back early, so we kept going, stopping every so often to watch the ferries slide past on the horizon.

Halfway along the path the heat caught up with us. We had forgotten how quickly the Baltic sun warms up once the wind drops, and by the time we reached a little cove we were both ready for a sit-down. A couple of locals had the same idea, and we ended up sharing a bench while they pointed out where the path continued toward some old rauk formations further along the shore. We decided against pushing on; the return walk already looked longer in the bright light, and my shoulders were starting to tell me I had skipped the sunscreen.

Back at the cottage the deck felt like the best place on earth. We sat with cold drinks, watching the light change over the water and laughing again about our satnav adventure that morning. It struck me then how easy it is to over-plan these trips, rushing from one sight to the next, when sometimes the best part is simply letting the weather and a wrong turn decide the day. The coast path had been beautiful, the mishap harmless, and the unplanned slower pace had left us both relaxed rather than rushed. Tomorrow we might try the same route again or wander inside the town walls instead, but for now it was enough to sit and watch the sun slide lower, content that our first day in Gotland had already given us exactly the sort of easy, sun-filled walk we had hoped for.