Return to Aberdyfi

I'm back home after a delightful, and highly nostalgic, birthday trip to Aberdyfi in mid-Wales. This was the seaside resort where we stayed as a family for many years while the children were growing up and we were accompanied by my mother, who was a key member of the party. After she died, I felt that Aberdyfi and the Trefeddian Hotel, where we stayed, were so closely associated with her memory that a break would be a good idea and this was my first time back since 2008. It was wonderful to revisit old haunts and the whole five-day experience brought back many happy memories.

Much has changed in my own life, and in a good way, since my last visit to Aberdyfi, but I'm glad to say that not a lot has changed about this lovely part of Wales, at least so far as I could tell; it is just as gorgeous and appealing as ever. One highlight was a trip on the world's oldest preserved railway, the Talylynn. This is an old favourite of mine, running through lovely countryside from Tywyn on the edge of Cardigan Bay to Nant Gwernol, with some pleasing stops in between, notably at the Dolgoch Falls. Next year sees the railway's 75th anniversary: an impressive achievement, and a great credit to all the volunteers who make it possible.

When I was working in the law full-time, I used to find my trips to Wales restful and therapeutic, and also positive in terms of giving me time and space to come up with fresh story ideas, sometimes connected with research in the locality. The same was true this time as we explored such places as Corris, Harlech, and Barmouth, as well as watching a kite festival on the expansive sands of Aberdyfi.

On my birthday itself there was a trip to Borth and Aberystwyth, including a return visit to the funicular railway and the camera obscura on the top of Constitution Hill as well as a wander through the ruins of Aberystwyth castle. And there was one memorable if weird incident, too. Whilst I was playing mini golf with my son at the hotel, a police car turned up and a woman police officer said that I bore a resemblance to a missing person and asked my name. It was quite surreal and unexpected. I'd like to think that the person who has gone missing is a George Clooney lookalike, but there is a deplorable counter-theory that he is suffering from dementia. But in terms of provoking ideas for mystery stories, this brief encounter was quite something!