Hiraeth Beach occupies around a half of a Full region held by Philippe Bruraf – VOID (bruraf), the other half being taken up with his club THE BLOCK, of which more anon.
I came across it via the Destination Guide earlier in August, and decided to hop over and have a look. What I found was a natural expanse of coastline carrying with it memories of places I’ve visited in the physical world whilst itself remaining a place firmly rooted in the imagination.
Hiraeth Beach is a secluded coastal escape where sea, wind, nature and forgotten history meet. Wander along wild shores, explore ancient ruins and a mysterious temple, discover hidden places beneath the sea, or simply find a quiet spot overlooking the horizon. Hiraeth is a Welsh word for a longing for a place that feels like home, even if you have never known it. More than a beach, Hiraeth is a place to explore, photograph, or simply slow down and breathe. Some places are visited. Others are remembered.
– Hiraeth Beach Destination Guide Description
I’ve spent many a happy hour over the decades walking the sands of places like Bamburgh on the coast if Northumberland, on spring, summer, autumn and even blue-skied winter days when the tide had retreated to expose broad, wets sands, the wind is fresh and clean and the worries of the world are a lifetime away.
Whilst a castle is noticeably absent from Hiraeth Beach (unlike Bamburgh!), there was something about it which immediately put me in mind of those walks, particularly when taken in the early morning. At the same time the setting is suggestive of more far-off places; a feeling most likely heightened by the Kuromatsu pines growing along the back of the beach and out along its headlands and the presence of a stone Buddha’s head.
This is a place with a sense of both age and patience: ruins mark part of the coastline, casting a more Mediterranean feel to it (and hint at the temple remnants lying beneath the ebb and flow of the sea), whilst fishing nets are strung as if awaiting unwary fish carried inwards by an incoming tide.
There are numerous places to sit found scattered along the length of the beach whilst the temple ruins under the waves can be reached via a teleport board.
There are some small niggles with the setting; elements in the form of the privacy surround around the nightclub setting intrude into the western skyline. Whilst not a major inconvenience, once noticed, they do tend to distract when in view; given that he nightclub venue is wreathed in a darkness that largely hides them from within it, it’s hard not to question the necessity of their presence.
The other is that the above aside, Hiraeth Beach is ideal for photography, but the lack of rezzing rights (even with local Group membership and / or Auto Return enabled) might be a limiting factor some seeking to capture themselves using the setting as a backdrop.
Meanwhile, the nightclub – THE BLOCK, as noted above – is connected to Hiraeth Beach via a road tunnel at the northern end of the region. Passing through this tunnel in either direction will transition visitors through the two local Share Environments – and both of the locations really should be seen using their respective environment settings.
THE BLOCK is a world away from the tranquillity of the beach, being something of a post-apocalyptic setting, complete with a fallen Statue of Liberty. It is located in what amounts to a concrete compound guarding a fortress-like warehouse, the ruins of streets on two sides. Inside, the club is an almost psychedelic tour de force of lighting (hence the reason for viewing it under its Shared Environment) and industrial design, all of it highly effective. Events are held both within the club and in the courtyard of the compound Thursday through Saturdays – details via the local Group; and I gather some events are additionally held out on the beach as well.
I’m not a great person for clubs in SL, but I did find the lighting and design of THE BLOCK appealing. Camming around also suggested that some expansion to the club spaces is underway, if currently off-limits to public access. As such a return to see what else develops here might be in order.
Hiraeth Beach and THE BLOCK are two very different locations joined by a single designer / builder. Very different in looks and appeal, they equally work together as locations to visit and experience.
SLurl Details
Glendell is rated Moderate
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 