Our Guide to Hay-on-Wye (30-40 mins drive)
With lots of bookshops, this creative little bit of the borderlands is known as the town of books. It is now making a name for itself as a place for vintage shopping too. The weekly Market Day on Thursdays is a delight of creativity with food, crafts and vintage stalls.
With lots of bookshops, this creative little bit of the borderlands is known as the town of books. The weekly Market Day on Thursdays is a delight of creativity with food, crafts and vintage stalls.
Top on the list for many people is Richard Booth’s Bookshop, not only for books, but it also has a café - good for coffee and lunch - and a cinema out the back (Lion Street, HR3 5AA / www.boothbooks.co.uk). Almost next door is the Hay Deli where you can stock up on local cheeses and supplies (www.haydeli.co.uk).
The Cosy Café opposite the covered market does great coffee, tasty cakes and wholesome food / 5 High Town, HR3 5AE / 07968 783325 /
Don’t miss the Old Electric Shop on Broad Street selling an eclectic mix of clothes, homeware and books, it is also a café serving coffee, cakes and light lunches (10 Broad St, HR3 5DB / www.oldelectric.co.uk).
Stay on Broad Street and you’ll find a butchers and access on your left down to the bridge and river. Carrying along Broad Street will take you to The Globe, an arts centre with a kitchen serving lunch and dinners (check times) and films, music, talks, workshops and art exhibitions (HR3 5BG / www.globeathay.org).
Hay is also a good spot for wild swimming and canoeing - see Active adventuressection. The famous literary Hay Festival (www.hayfestival.com) takes place in May when 80,000 visitors descend on the town. Running concurrently is the How The Light Gets In, a philosophy and music festival (www.hay.htlgi.iai.tv).
Parking try Oxford Road Car Park (HR3 5AJ)
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A little further into Wales from Hay is Glasbury where you’ll find the Pit Stop Coffee Shop By The River (www.bytheriver.wales / HR3 5NP).
Further on the other side of the Black Mountains is Talgarth, a little market town with Talgarth Mill a working mill, bakery and café serving coffee and lunches (LD3 0BW / www.talgarthmill.com), and Crickhowell where the Book-ish Bookshop and Café is a good stop off (www.book-ish.co.uk / NP8 1BD).