The charming seaside town of New Quay in Ceredigion has become a magnet for tourists, drawn to its stunning beaches, dolphin-spotting opportunities, and connections to the famous poet Dylan Thomas. Last year, it was crowned Britain's "prettiest town" due to its pristine coastline. However, for those who call New Quay home, its remote location can be both a blessing and a curse. New Quay has also been labelled the most isolated town in England and Wales, owing to its distance from nearby amenities. The town's 1,045 residents face a lengthy journey to access a major supermarket, reports Wales Online.
While New Quay has a Costcutters and a nearby Morrisons Daily, the nearest major supermarkets, Tesco and Aldi, are a 20-mile trip away in Cardigan. Furthermore, the closest train station is a 40-minute drive away in Aberystwyth. Although New Quay boasts its own primary school and GP surgery, younger residents must travel outside the town to attend secondary school. YouTuber David Burnip, also known as the Wandering Turnip, visited New Quay to experience life in the "most isolated" town.
In one of his videos, he exclaimed: "It is absolutely gorgeous isn't it? " He also added: "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.". David found the limited major road network in Wales particularly striking. He realised that New Quay, mostly encircled by residential lanes and B-roads, depends heavily on the A487 to connect with Aberystwyth and Cardigan, as highlighted by the Express.
He commented: "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 facing surgery later this year told David about the ordeal of traveling first to Aberystwyth, then enduring a 116-mile journey to Swansea simply to undergo the procedure. The resident detailed: "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.".
On his visit, David noted New Quay's lack of fundamental amenities like a proper bank, supermarket, and train stations, underscoring the shortage of cash points: "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.". Once a charming fishing village famed for its herring catch, New Quay has seen its local economy evolve, with lobsters and prawns now being the mainstay for the remaining fishermen, as one local revealed to David.
The town also holds literary significance as the spot where poet Dylan Thomas crafted his renowned play, Under Milk Wood. David quickly understood the allure of the village, remarking: "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.
