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Published: September 29th 2022
Gabby the motorhome - oops no that is not right , the car with no name AKA Clint was parked up on an almost empty, windswept sandy car park in Barmouth. The sea looked angry. Grey and dismal. Bashing itself against the rocks and then the tide went out again . Only to continue doing the same thing as the rain fell heavily. Not exactly the best of days to enjoy walking along the promenade in the seaside town that once would have been bustling . Perhaps it bustles in the summer season with all the day trippers. Today though it was feeling and looking not unattractive but unloved . As seaside resort that once would have been thriving on the summer holiday trade had long gone into decline . It was not the only seaside town that had lost its appeal since the 1960's when cheap holidays to the Costas became available and it was not going to be the last . Empty shops, a struggle to find the ty bach - the little house - the toilets. Cafes not open . The fairground quiet . The railway station combined with a shop . The owner who was selling train
tickets seemed bored. No trains on Saturday . Railway strike . No replacement buses . And the week after that - and the week after that one . It all sounded so depressing . Tat shops full of kiss me quick hats which no longer would sell this season and kayaks. Umbrellas and wellingtons , buckets and spades. So how did we end up here ?
I had been to Barmouth years ago when the kids were small. Perhaps it seemed prettier then. Perhaps I saw it through rose tinted before I began travelling in earnest . Perhaps my memories were blurred . Maybe it was just the weather today. Everyone had been in their wardrobes and found their winter jackets, scarves, hats and gloves. The wind was piercing .
So how did we get here with the car with no name AKA Clint ? Roll back the days . It is Saturday afternoon . We have found another BMW in Warwick . Right model . Different colour to what we normally pick . With a lot of extras it seemed worth a look at. The showroom staff were lovely . Completely different to Chester. Nothing too much
trouble . The salesman who obviously wanted a sale went into great detail telling us about the car and then sent a video where he walked round the car showing the exterior before going inside to show us the interior . A deposit was put down and we arranged a viewing . The drive to Warwick was fine . A route we were getting well used to on our trips down to the tunnel . The showroom was closed . What he failed to tell us was that they had moved . We were given his car to drive for the rest of day . Warwick on a Sunday was heaving . We stopped for lunch. A very expensive Sunday roast piled high on the plate . Then back to the showroom . OK the driver was hooked . Car was purchased and we were picking it up on the Wednesday.
Wednesday arrived and the journey back to Warwick was undertaken . This time a stone flicked up and chipped the windscreen . Not an auspicious start to the drive. Car picked up and more than a hour was spent linking phone to car , setting it up to
recognise the driver and his voice . More time was spent on the IT set up than we ever spent being shown the workings of the motorhome . Coming home a speed camera. I swear I was clocked coming round the corner .
So that was how we found ourselves in the car with no name - AKA Clint saying "Hey BMW"... She sprang to life - "Where do you want to go ?" "Take me to Barmouth " She set her own sat nag and off we went . At a top speed of 155 mph the car is fast . Not that the Welsh roads which are more suited to rallying allowed any great speed . He was a dream to drive according to the driver with the easy automatic gearbox and park assist . All in all the driver was extremely happy with Clint .
Lunch was spent in a fish and chip shop . £20 for two fish and chips and two coffees. I expected china cups and plates but got cardboard McDonalds type mugs and the fish and chips as nice as they were served in a cardboard box . After our lunch
we headed into town. It was lovely to see the sea . I envied those who could come down to the beach every day of the year . Our river is lovely all year round but the sea is something different . Perhaps living on a small island surrounded by the sea makes us love it and yearn to see it . The Lifeboat station was open, the boats in the harbour were stuck in the mud waiting for the tide to return . The sculpture of the dolphins told the story of the dolphins that lived and swam in the waters of Cardigan Bay. William Wordsworth visiting Barmouth in the 19th century said of it " a fine sea view in front , mountains behind, a glorious estuary that run for eight miles and then there is Cader Idris ". School brought us on a geography /geology field trip to climb the hills behind and to sit and watch the estuary . Mum loved Barmouth and made it a monthly trip on the local bus , getting off in the town , sitting watching the sea, eating fish and chips before coming home on the bus .
Before we returned to the car we stopped to admire the railway line with its bridge over the water . A grade 2 listed building it is a fine single track wooden railway line that crossed the estuary of the River Mawddach . It is impressive even if you are not interested in bridges . At 900 yards long it carries the Cambrian line on what is the longest timbered viaduct in Wales and one of the oldest in the UK still in use . It was designed to be used by the Aberystwyth and Welsh Coast railway on its line between Aberystwyth and Pwllhelli and work commenced in 1864. The bridge opened three years later in 1867. It has been a difficult structure to maintain and many times between 1899 and 1902 it needed restoration work to keep it open . By 1980 the marine woodworm were becoming such a problem there was a chance the bridge would have to be closed and demolished . A weight restriction was put on it and it was closed for some months . It is now used by the railway , cyclists as part of the Long Distance Cycle Route and as a walking trail . There is also a swing bridge incorporated as part of its structure . Whatever Barmouth has to offer this is one of the things you really should stand , look at and feel amazed at its construction and beauty.
We walked back to the car . Greeted him with "Hey BMW" " Take us to Criccieth " No response . " Take us to Criccieth " Slowly repeated and emphasised . Still no response . Tried the more English version - Criceth . In the end realised that the sat nav was having trouble with welsh place names . She would have to learn them and our voices over time . Popped it in manually and set the car with no name aka Clint on the road to see a castle .
Ok the car will get a name eventually but at the moment nothing is coming to mind that suits him . The car with no name - aka Clint is our obtuse joke . It may come to you easily if you are a film buff why we call it Clint. But if not then please feel free to ask me and I will enlighten you or at least give you a clue . Barmouth was a good day out and we decided we must do this sort of day out more often .
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Home and Away
Bob Carlsen
Clint...
I'm pleased that the driver loves his new BMW! I wish you both a great time touring. We will see how the satnav interprets French, German, Spanish, etc. Your description of Barmouth sounds like Bill Bryson's "Road to Little Dribbling" where he describes so many faded British beach towns. Perhaps your impression was enhanced by the miserable weather.