LAST OF THE SUMMER WIRES

Fiona Cullinan

27 September 2021

Tywyn town walk

Steps: 10,000

I saw that Tywyn had a skate park so I go in search. Past Pier Rd – there is no pier – and along the 19th century Victorian seaside promenade, the road bends sharply left at Neptune Caravan Park. Just before the restored Talyllyn Steam Railway, a strange floating orange bench shelter graffitied with the word ‘Bum’ catches my eye.

Three large yellow rectangles are painted on the concrete, each one containing a decomposition of inadvertent artworks.

The tiniest leftover sign says ‘Tywyn Skate Park – Do not use when wet’. The trio of patches are where ‘a quarter pipe and flat bank either side of a funbox’ used to be. What happened here from a 2012 video so full of life? All that remains is a 2021 Crowdfunder calling for a resurrection. A heritage rail line restored for tourists next to a derelict but popular site for the town’s youth seems a poignant juxtaposition.

After two long walk days it was a relief to be confined by a downpour of Welsh ‘liquid sunshine’. Brummies started texting me about it with glee later in the early evening, at which point Tywyn was awash in a perfect inky canned salmon sunset – see video link.

Thankyou for all the newsletter responses. It’s been good to hear back. Especially as this has been more work than I thought – about two hours on top of half day walks. To quote the line Dorothy Parker didn’t actually say: “I hate to write, but I love having written.” 

Wish you were here.

Fiona

One-minute video: After the storm, an unexpectedly clear horizon sunset

Main image: the Corbett Arms Hotel, a key grade II listed building in Tywyn that is being slowly subsumed by ivy (here's what it used to look like)