Hay-on-Wye

Frequently described as "the town of books", Hay-on-Wye is a small market town located within the county Powys, Wales. The town lies on the east bank of the River Wye and is within the beautiful surroundings of the Brecon Beacons National Park.

The town is situated just within the Welsh side of the border with Herefordshire, England, and is easy to access from England by a number of roads. The town has over thirty bookshops, many selling specialist and second-hand books and is a haven for book-collectors across the United Kingdom.

Besides these quirky and quaint shops, Hay-on-Wye also has two Norman castles that lie within a short walking distance of each other. There is also a well-preserved motte near St. Mary’s Church that overlooks a gorge and small stream leading to the River Wye. Many of the visitors to the area also enjoy the many beautiful views in the area, as well as the great opportunities to view wildlife in the surrounding countryside.

Hergest Croft Gardens, Kington, Herefordshire HR5 3EG (01544) 230160
Set in four distinct gardens and created over a 100 year period by three generations of the same family, Hergest Croft Gardens offer visitors hidden valleys, open parkland and stunning views of the Black Mountains.
Extending over 50 acres, the gardens contain over 4000 shrubs and trees, including an avenue of cedar trees and a Kitchen Garden containing an avenue of apple trees.

Hay Festival of Literature & The Arts, The Drill Hall, 25 Lion Street, Hay-on-Wye (01497) 822629
Started 23 years ago, the Hay Festival of Literature & The Arts has been described by former US President, Bill Clinton, as ‘the Woodstock of the mind’.

Convened in a tented village on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park; writers, comedians and musicians perform over a ten day period between May and June each summer.