In April 2024, Tony Burgess sailed over to Ynys Enlli with us for a week of nature writing, with tutors Elinor Gwynn and Jon Gower. Read on to find out more about his experience…
I had never been to Enlli before. That’s not to say I hadn’t wanted to, but circumstances had never given me the opportunity to visit this mythical and spiritual island. I live on the coast in Ceredigion, and on certain nights the beam from Enllis’ lighthouse is clearly visible. I felt a ‘moth like’ attraction to this light source and the island where it emanated from.
Tŷ Newydd offered me the opportunity not only to spend time there but also to stimulate or motivate my creative writing by offering hugely professional tutorials by Jon Gower and Elinor Gwynn. What truly inspirational teachers they are.
Ynys Enlli truly exceeded my expectations as the perfect writing environment. Enlli awoke and reactivated all my senses. It’s a living Art installation, its intrigue and interpretation change daily if not hourly. The environment on Enlli is alive and is constantly in movement. Its rhythmic perhaps even hypnotic. It has moods, drama, smells, sights, sounds and so much ever- changing colour and shades.
It can revoke memories whilst creating new ones. Your imagination combined with the seas intrigue create a harmonic unity. Enlli has raw beauty. For a writer it also has the tranquillity we all seek to enable our thoughts to translate through our pencils into notebooks. I left Enlli having done more writing than I had done for months. I must also comment on the flora, fauna and birds on Enlli which were truly mind-blowing and the experience of seeing them at first hand made me feel incredibly humble.
Tŷ Newydd’s organisation of the accommodation, food, company, tutors and the course was perfect and flawless.
Thank you all at Tŷ Newydd for your professionalism and offering me the opportunity to fulfil a lifelong ambition… I will never forget the whole experience.
Literature Wales is very grateful to Gwynedd County Council and the Llŷn AONB Sustainable Development Fund for grant funding towards this course.
