Cambrian Line art trail
Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth
Connecting landlocked, river-hugged Shrewsbury in Shropshire with outwardlooking Aberystwyth in Ceredigion is the southern branch of the Cambrian Railway. It cleaves its way between the hills, presenting the chance to view some of the art displayed in the market towns through which it passes. An art journey that could itself be described as advancing from insular to international, local to global.
1 THE LOCALS
Start slowly. The Gateway Arts and Leisure Centre is a twominute walk from Shrewsbury station and opens at 8.30am, giving you ample time to view contemporary work by local artists in Gallery3. The café opens at 9am, enough time for a cuppa overlooking the River Severn before the train leaves.
2 INLAND SEASCAPES
There are no galleries in Welshpool, but there is art in the Town Hall. Contact the town clerks in advance to see large portraits of local dignitaries, and colossal seascapes after Turner (two of them by Turner, according to the clerk) hanging almost incongruously but entirely appropriately in the opulent yet unpretentious Assembly Rooms. There’s time before your next train to walk up the Welshpool and Montgomery Canal and back to appreciate the sculptures outside Powysland Museum, each commissioned to accompany an exhibition within, such as The Queen’s Handbag by Llanfyllin-born chainsaw artist Andy Hancock.
3 ATLAS OF WALES
Alight next in Newtown. Rather than following the town centre waymarks, pass the PryceJones building then walk through the town centre to Oriel Davies. This is a chic gallery exhibiting innovative national and international art. It has a shop, an education programme and a great café. Walk off lunch along the River Severn – capricious, brown and tumbling beneath spreading horse chestnuts. Return via the river path to the station.
4 SOUND OF WATER
Machynlleth is stuffed with good cafés, such as Caffi Alys in Y Canolfan Glyndwr. If in need, seek one out before visiting MOMA (closes at 4pm). Y Tabernacl is an inspirational venue for this Museum of Modern Art. It has a permanent collection, a sculpture gallery, and showcases work by contemporary Welsh artists. A few doors along is Ffotogaleri y Gofeb (open until 4.30pm three afternoons a week; plan ahead) to which you must scurry past the perilously excellent Pen’rallt Gallery Bookshop without a glance – unless you want to miss your train! Ffotogalleri y Gofeb features a discerning collection of landscapes by five important film photographers; John Blakemore, Peter Cattrell, Pete Davis, Marian Delyth and Aled Rhys Hughes. It’s an immersive experience. You can almost feel the caress of salt-wind, and hear the sound of water.
5 DOWN BY THE SEA
Aberystwyth. In evening light, take the path up the hill through Penglais Nature Reserve, an oak woodland redolent with wild garlic and bluebells, then cross the road to Aberystwyth Arts Centre. With views across town and out to sea, the setting is apt for national and international exhibitions. Some of its galleries close early – a timely reminder that the wonder of this journey is not how much art there is to see, but how much you’ll miss. Other notable omissions include the Andrew Logan Museum of Sculpture near Welshpool and the National Library of Wales just down the hill.