Bizarre

This seaside town is one-of-a-kind

Despite its popularity, this bustling seaside town has somehow eluded me and my family. Its position on the west coast of Wales and nearly equidistant between its north and south means it’s not exactly the most convenient spot for a day out for most folk.

That’s not to suggest it’s overlooked by visitors. Frequently dubbed the ‘culture capital’ of Wales, the town ranks among the nation’s most-visited locations and boasts the nation’s oldest pier, which launched in 1865.

Now a truncated version of its original span, the Royal Pier is currently marketed as ‘a one stop destination for food, drinks, socialising and family fun’, featuring an arcade, a pub, a chippy, a nightclub and more.

On one flank of the pier stands Aberystwyth Castle, a Grade I listed Edwardian fortress constructed in the late 13th century. But it was the attraction at the northern tip of the promenade that captured our interest: the extraordinary Aberystwyth Cliff Railway.

Britain’s longest electric funicular cliff railway, it’s been ferrying visitors to the top of Constitution Hill since launching in 1896 and ran on a water balance system until electrification in 1921, reports WalesOnline.

The carriages are pulled to the summit at merely 4mph, driven by a motor and steel cables. And the leisurely pace ensures you have ample opportunity to absorb the breathtaking landscape below, with magnificent views of the town, Cardigan Bay and, on a clear day, 26 mountain peaks stretching across much of Wales’s length.

It’s not simply a journey up and down either, as there’s plenty to enjoy at the summit, including a modest crazy golf course, frisbee golf, a games room with pool, air hockey and 10-pin bowling, and one of the world’s largest camera obscuras, which provides a live aerial view of 1,000 square miles of land and seascape below. Having paid £1 each, we couldn’t make out much, though we were informed the vista is considerably better on a clearer day.

There’s a compact gift shop and some historical displays chronicling the heritage of the hill, once known as Luna Park (a Victorian forerunner to modern theme parks) which boasted a helter skelter and an early version of a roller coaster called a ‘switchback railway’. There’s also the well-loved Consti café serving meals, snacks and drinks — and it even has its own pick ‘n’ mix stand.

Saving ourselves for fish and chips, we enjoyed a coffee and a cider, with the weather mild enough to sit in the covered outdoor seating area. You can stroll back down if you fancy, but at just £1 extra for a return ticket (adults £8, children £7), we opted for the easier route and grabbed a standing spot at the front of the carriage for an unobstructed view.

Dogs are welcome in the carriages, though the whimpering pooch in ours appeared far from impressed with the experience. Back on solid ground, we had plenty of time to discover more of the town, which has scooped awards for both its beaches, regularly celebrated for their strikingly clear turquoise waters.

While some visitors were bold enough to take a swim, we cooled down with ice cream sundaes from Prom Diner, a much-loved spot along the seafront serving Italian-inspired luxury Welsh ice cream Mario’s.

Also situated on the main promenade, lined with charming pastel-hued buildings, is The Original Tram Company, doing a brisk trade offering the likes of crepes, waffles, donuts and drinks. Set further back from the front are rows of shops boasting some independent gems, including the delightful Bookshop By The Sea and no fewer than three outlets from independent clothing label Polly, established in the town over 30 years ago.

The seaside atmosphere fades as you venture further from the shore, where familiar high street names such as Betfred, Savers and JD, alongside banks and mobile phone shops, begin to dominate.

With a swift change of direction, it was finally time for our much-anticipated chippy tea, and we made our way back to the Royal Pier.

Tempting as it was to enjoy ‘a chipnic on the pier’ – where numerous picnic-style tables offer spectacular views – it was simply too windy for that, so we opted to grab and go.

Much as I adore a seaside vista while tucking into fish and chips, I must confess that with hordes of seagulls swooping overhead, we thought it wiser to retreat to the car to enjoy our meal in peace. Being charged 25p for a tray to eat from felt somewhat unusual.

Given the sauce and gravy we’d purchased to accompany our meal, managing without them would have been rather tricky. Nevertheless, the food was absolutely delicious and our impromptu ‘chipnic in the car’ proved to be the ideal conclusion to an action-packed day.

YOU’D expect delays at an airport this summer because of EES checks or bad weather, but what about turtles?

On the island of Zante in Greece, the conservation of its loggerhead turtles has seen passengers ‘stranded’ due to a night-time flight ban .

The summer months in Zante are the most important for the island’s loggerhead turtles which are also called ‘Caretta caretta’.

The turtles nest on the beaches between May and August during the night.

But this can be easily disrupted if there are loud noises and lights from aircraft nearby.

So to safeguard the turtles, a night-time flight ban is in place between 10PM and 5AM.

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While this is great for nature, it can mean some passengers can find their travel plans disrupted.

The woman found that when her flight was suddenly cancelled late at night, she had to wait until the following morning for it to be rescheduled.

She previously said on TikTok: “Basically, my flight home was meant to be at 10pm, and at five to 10 I knew we’d be delayed as we weren’t boarding the flight.

“But at literally five to 10 they announced on the speaker ‘sorry everyone, flight has been delayed until tomorrow.”

She added: “Basically, pretty much everything at Zante Airport shuts at 10pm. So if you have booked a really late flight and it gets delayed for whatever reason, past 10pm, they will just delay you to the next day.”

Her journey home was delayed all-in-all for 24 hours.

It’s well known by airlines and Skyscanner even has a warning on its website about the restriction.

It says: “Do take note that during the summer, flight operations are purposefully paused between 10 PM and 5 AM to safeguard the sea turtles nesting near Kalamaki beach, ensuring minimal disruption to nature while maintaining an efficient travel experience for you.”

The restriction isn’t new and was first brought in during the early 1990s to safeguard loggerhead sea turtles.

The turtles are strictly protected under EU law and the species is considered ‘vulnerable’ across the world.

Zante is an important place for the animals as 80 per cent of loggerhead sea turtles in the Mediterranean nest on the island.

For visitors who head to Zante, they’ll find that aside from its famous Shipwreck Beach, one of the other most popular attractions is seeing the loggerhead turtles.

Your best chance of seeing them is by heading to the Marine Park and going on a diving excursion.

Laganas Bay is a prime spot for turtle-spotting as many of them nest on its shores.

They’re easily seen in the waters too because it’s so shallow.

All six episodes are available to binge in one go via Channel 4’s catch-up service after the series premiere this week

A brand new Channel 4 comedy series premiered last night and audiences are split.

Surreal six-part sitcom Make That Movie aired its first two episodes on Channel 4 on Thursday evening (May 28) with the entire series also made available to binge in one go on the broadcaster’s catch-up service.

The mockumentary follows a director named Sam (portrayed by Australian comedian Sam Campbell) who scours the UK in search of weird and wonderful ideas for feature films from the general public. He and his team then bring the ideas to life in just three days, though the quality of the finished product is always slightly questionable.

The official synopsis reads: “Hotshot director Sam and his elite team of filmmakers race against the clock to turn ordinary people’s extraordinary, chaotic and surreal ideas into hit movies.”

Alongside show creator Sam, who plays an exaggerated version of himself, the cast also includes Michell and Webb Are Not Helping’s Lara Ricote as runner Jess, and Am I Being Unreasonable’s Helen Bauer, cast as sound engineer Pat. Meanwhile, Aaron Chen (Fisk) takes on the part of intimacy coordinator Sebastian, and This Country’s David Hargreaves assumes the role of cinematographer Winnie.

In the wake of its release, reviews have ranged greatly with some declaring it the best thing on TV and others calling it the worst, something Sam had been wary of. He admitted in a chat with Metro: “It’s really hard making a show. It’s better to watch a show,” adding: “There’s a big, serious threat of it being t**d of the year.”

Professional critics appeared to enjoy the series, with The Guardian calling it “the funniest TV show of the entire year” in their five-star review. Meanwhile The Times offered it a more meagre three stars, branding it “just so weird.”

While it is still lacking a Rotten Tomatoes rating, viewers at home that dove straight into it have been vocal with their thoughts. One disgruntled viewer commented: “That make that movie programme with Sam Campbell is absolutely HORRIFICCCCCCCC.”

“A few episodes in on #MakeThatMovie (love Sam Campbell) and while it’s genius to cast Aaron Chen in roles such as intimacy coordinator and stunt coordinator, he just feels very underused,” another remarked.

A third urged “everyone watch Make That Movie by Sam Campbell,” while a fourth was unsure, commenting: “Hmm… Sam Campbell is great at spontaneous weird ideas but I’m not sure it works so well committed to a script… And Sam won’t be winning any Oscars for his acting.”

Make That Movie is available to stream via Channel 4’s catch-up service.

A UNUSUAL temporary ban is being rolled out in days at a popular vacation hotspot.

The law will impact all residents, tourists, and even cruise lines.

Alcohol sales will be completely banned across all islands in the Bahamas due to the general election, officials have confirmed.

Polls open on May 12 and between the hours of 8am and 6pm, no alcohol will be available for purchase, per a government notice.

This includes even on private islands that are owned by cruise lines.

Royal Caribbean said it will be abiding by the local laws at Coco Cay, it’s private island in the Bahamas.

“Royal Caribbean is respecting and complying with all local laws and regulations, as we do with every destination we visit,” a Royal Caribbean spokesperson told PEOPLE.

Both the Wonder of the Seas and the Oasis of the Seas ships will be visiting the island on that day.

It’s beach bars Perfect Day and Royal Beach Club Paradise Island will still be open, the cruise line confirmed, and noted that passengers will still be able to get alcohol on board the ships.

Despite this, passengers are fuming about the sudden announcement.

“We scheduled a trip with stops in the Bahamas for our 40th anniversary,” one customer wrote on X.

“We are going with 26 of our friends. Planned activities at CocoCay and Nassau.

“The general election has banned all alcohol for the two days we are there. And we find out only two days before we leave? Not a way to treat customers who cruise four times a year.”

HEIDI Klum left onlookers and fans completely stunned by her creepy yet on-point Met Gala look.

The 52-year-old model and TV host arrived at the event in New York as a living statue in a very bizarre costume.

For the theme Fashion is Art, Heidi transformed herself into a literal sculpture.

Looking as though she was crafted entirely from marble, the America’s Got Talent judge looked unrecognizable in the ornate costume.

The costume looked like a naked body draped in a fabric, but sculpted out of marble.

Fans reacted to Heidi’s look on social media, with many divided over the look.

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Several thought the look was to “scary” and “creepy” for the glamorous event.

One took to X to say: “She looks a bit scary but this is gorgeous idc.”

“This isn’t Halloween honey,” slammed another.

“This looks more creepy than creative,” penned a third.

“Ok, I’m going to admit that it fits the theme, but I’m also going to admit that it scares me a lot,” said a fourth.

While a fifth added: “Costume vs fashion trips people on here who think the gala is a costume party. this is a costume. and not a good one.”

But despite how some people were freaked out by the look, there was much praise for Heidi’s look.

Many fans said she was on point with the theme and were blown away by her outfit.

One person praised Heidi on X saying: “Finally someone who understood the assignment Heidi didn’t just wear the theme she became the art. Living marble statue is insane commitment.

“She’s the one who got the theme right,” said another.

“This is definitely the coolest outfit at Met Gala,” penned a third.

While a fourth said: “Lifetime access to the MET for this one @annawintour write that down.”

And a fifth added: “Love this. The draping is exquisite.”

ACTRESS Zendaya goes against the grain — with a bizarre sand-like outfit.

The US star, 29, dressed the part to promote upcoming flick, Dune: Part Three.

She was joined at CinemaCon by her co-star Timothée Chalamet, 30, and director Denis Villeneuve, 58, for a first look at the sci-fi sequel, which is out in December.

Last month the US actress, wore abridal-style gown at the Los Angeles premiere of her film The Drama.

The movie is about a couple unravelling on their wedding week.

Zendaya has been dating her Spider-Man co-star Tom Holland, 29, since 2021.

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She also stars in the recently released third season of TV series Entourage alongside Sydney Sweeney.

Nicole Kidman, 58, and Sandra Bullock, 61, were also at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas to promote their new film Practical Magic 2.

Sandra also joined Instagram for the first time — gaining over three million followers in under an hour.

She took a step back from acting in 2022 to spend more time with her family, and has now returned to Hollywood.