Boasting stunning beaches and the opportunity to spot bottlenose dolphins, New Quay in Wales is a hit with holidaymakers for its links to poet Dylan Thomas and picturesque scenery. Last year, the town, nestled on Cardigan Bay’s shores, scooped the title of Britain’s “prettiest village” due to its largely untouched coastline.
However, locals face the flip side of its location’s charm.
Nicknamed England and Wales’ most isolated town, New Quay’s residents are a considerable distance from essential amenities. To grab groceries from Tesco or Aldi, the town’s 1,045 inhabitants endure a 20-mile journey, while the nearest railway station sits a 40-minute drive away in Aberystwyth.
Access to a GP, bank, or school averages out at approximately 6.8 miles, according to a study by The Telegraph.
David Burnip, who explores under his YouTube moniker ‘The Wandering Turnip’, delved into the daily grind of living in New Quay, often referred to as the ‘most isolated’ town. In his video, David was struck by the stunning locale: “It is absolutely gorgeous isn’t it? ” He also marvelled at the vibrant housing: “One thing you notice is the colour of the houses are so absolutely beautiful, each one is like individually painted and they clash so beautifully with the one next to it,” reports the Express.
David couldn’t help but note the sparse major road infrastructure around New Quay. The town is served by residential and B-roads, connecting through the A487 to larger towns such as Aberystwyth and Cardigan.
He remarked: “What you notice looking at Wales [on a map of UK motorways] and especially driving through it is there are barely any motorways there. And I noticed it driving from Manchester to Wales.
“I’ve never done this drive before and it was pretty much entirely done on country roads. No main motorways connect the very mid section of this country and that must add to the isolation that these towns on the west coast must feel, for good or bad.”
A local resident facing surgery later in the year shared his daunting travel plans with the YouTuber, saying: “They’ve got to pick me up in Aberystwyth and then they will take me and somebody else as well probably, drive us all the way to Swansea, I’ll have an operation there and then they’ll bring me back to Aberystwyth and I have to make my own way home.”
The YouTuber also discovered the town’s lack of essential amenities such as a proper bank, supermarket, and train stations, noting just one cash point on the map and adding: “There is literally nothing nearby at all, a lot of mid-Wales has no train stations, so unless you drive, you are getting everywhere by bus.”
New Quay’s origins as a small fishing village were highlighted, with herring being the primary catch historically. However, according to a local, the few fishermen left now rely on lobsters and prawns for their livelihood.
David was quick to uncover why famed poet Dylan Thomas may have been inspired to write ‘Under Milk Wood’ in the picturesque village, expressing, “You can see why this place would inspire you, there is just something so charming about it, so beautiful, so peaceful, so isolating. Maybe that isolation is what a lot of people actually want and being far away from stuff doesn’t scare people.”