Aberdovey, like most places that depend on tourism, cycles between a winter and a summer personality. The full-time residents, a medley of different accents and backgrounds, are here come rain or shine, braving it through the quiet winter months when the beach is empty and the shops and restaurants thin on bodies. The transformation in the summer months is staggering, when tourists overflow from hotels, b&bs and hired houses and swarm onto the beach and into the water, filling the sea front shops, and creating a happily dynamic and chaotic tornado of sound and motion. There are lots of events in the summer, aimed at tourists but benefiting local people too.
The character of the place is determined not just by the mad summer months but by the infrastructure of people, jobs and activities that make up the community on a year-round basis. Although many facilities close in the winter, many stay open, and it is a great place to come and mellow whatever time of year you happen to be here.
The whole experience of shopping and taking advantages of events in Aberdovey is of course a tale of two villages, because living on local resources is only feasible if you include Tywyn in the mix. The same comment applies to trades and services, but over a much wider area. It has been surprising to me how far people will come. When I needed roof work done, it was a company in Newtown that did the work (thanks to Yellow Pages, because I struggled to find anything on the Internet). But when I needed to source an electrician, I was luck enough to find one based in Aberdovey.
In the blog I talk about everyday aspects of living in London, special events held in Aberdovey, and some of the places I have visited whilst living here. Some of the posts on my blog in this category are as follows.
Eating and cooking
- Early investigations: Dai’s Shed and the Aberdyfi Village Stores
- Cooking with hake and samphire from Aberdovey’s Seabreeze
- Experimenting with Glamorgan sausages
- Cooking mackerel from Dai’s Shed
- Eating Out: Proper Gander, High Street, Tywn
- Glorious huss from Dai’s Shed
- Sea bass and grey mullet from Dai’s Shed
Events
- Aberdyfi Food Festival, 18th August 2018
- A splendid Bank Holiday fireworks display in Aberdovey
- The Devil’s Violin performing Stolen at the Deuadd Dyfi
Walks and Drives
- The Panorama Walk on a sunny day
- A splendid afternoon beachcombing at Aberdovey
- A walk along the Roman Road to and beyond Picnic Island
- A proper seaside walk – the beach, the sea, the waves, sun and even a sandcastle
- Autumn scenery around Castell-y-Bere on a perfect day
- Short walk along the Welsh Coast Path from Tywyn to the Tonfanau footbridge
- The woodland walks at Ynysymaengwyn, near Bryncrug and Tywyn
- A high tide walk along the beach at Aberdovey following the gales in January
- Walking in lovely February light from Aberdovey towards Tywyn along the beach
Day Trips
My garden
- Explaining the absence of birds in my garden in August 2018
- Video: the robin in my garden
- Speed eating: a close-up video of a blue tit eating at a feeder
- Pheasants, doves and all the usual suspects in my garden: feasting after Storm Bronagh
- A squirrel visitor in my garden – and a short history of squirrels in the UK
- Videos: A round-up of the birds on my feeders in September 2018
- Videos: Challenges to finding a bite to eat in an Aberdovey garden in winter
- Video: Goldfinches for the New Year
Other
- Giving it a whirl and going with the flow: Zumba and Tai Chi at the Neuadd Dyfi
- The RNLI station in Aberdovey 2018