Hay-on-Wye, the book town of the world ...

 The river Wye winds its way across Herefordshire & after overnighting in Ross-on-Wye,  I really wanted to visit the well known YGelli Gandryll or Hay-on-Wye, known for its book shops & literary events. During May each year, writers, politicians, scientists, musicians, cooks etc all descend on Hay for the literary festival & it buzzes with excitement. 

Its border position on the river Wye & just in to Wales means it was always a contested space between various kings & Offa's Dyke borders Hay. King Offa of Mercia built a 177 mile dyke to separate England & Wales, the dyke stretches up in to Shropshire as well. 

 

Just our luck, the heavens opened & it poured down but if you decide on something, you have to just go for it. 

The maxim of there is no bad weather, just the wrong clothes applies.

Fortunately we had umbrellas & a waterproof jacket I had thrown in on a whim. 

The 400 vehicle car park was already filling up mid morning when we parked up & walked in to the little town. 

First stop was tourist information to get some background info on the town. 

It is evident that all things literacy are celebrated here - the 28  bookshops cheek by jowl with each other as well as a market in the square. 

The bookshop lists help to plan if you are after a specific book or genre of books. 

The town also an impressive array of printers.

There are a few charity shops too that sell only books, they understand the market in this town. There are also several music / record shops that attract people. 

Hay Castle has a prominent position above the town - solid & imposing with some book shelves under a slate roof cover at the walls, an honesty box close by. People are generally honest & this is a good introduction to the town.

Castles are always interesting & it offered a dry spot so we made our way up the wet, steep steps  to the castle & paid our entry.  

Hay Castle has a long & interesting history dating from 1091 when it was a manor house. 

It was built by William de Breos in about 1200 & he was known as a treacherous Norman Marches Lord who fell foul of King John in 1216 & the castle was destroyed. It was rebuilt later & this pattern continued for centuries in the border wars.  

The history is partly Welsh, some English, always brutal & destructive. 

It has a commanding view over the town from the viewing platform high up in the castle. 

   

A fascinating space with a long history. I did not know of the history of the book connection to Hay just that it celebrated books.

 Mr Richard Booth founded the connection to books in 1961, an eccentric person who declared himself as king with his own titles etc.  

Monied eccentrics have always brightened up life on our Isles & he was no different. It was good to get up to speed on his history in the castle displays about the founder of the literary connection to the town of Hay. 

The castle was restored with lottery money, a great deal of it, & it is definitely worth visiting. 

It was still bucketing down with rain when we descended from the Castle to the high street to the buttercross market & wandered around the many shops & stalls. 

It is an absolute joy to see so many bookshops & people celebrating reading.  

My first job in England was working in our local public libraries as an assistant, then later in a university library that I absolutely loved the academic buzz. I value the skill of reading very highly as an educator because it unlocks knowledge, & knowledge is power.  

I did not buy any books because I have several stacks of books that remind me that I am way behind on whittling them down ... 

My friend made this book carry pouch / bag for me for my birthday (we share a birthday) and I had a book with for my overnight trip that I had found some quiet time in a park to read a chapter or two in Ross-on-Wye. 

I am working my way through my stash of books  & like many others, I seek out a particular book online when I need it.  

We are spoilt in that way with most of the bookshops offering an online service so we have a world of books at our fingertips. 

The rain had eased by the time we returned to our car & gave our parking space over to a family that had been looping the 400 vehicle car park several times so they were relieved to take our space & a fellow antipodean stopped for a quick chat ... 

On our way over the river Wye, we spied a small café near the river & pulled in for a drink & a fabulous cake.  The Treehouse café had  a delectable array of cakes & treats to enjoy on the deck overlooking the river Wye. 

The canopy of trees & a babbling river were a pleasant break from the wet town & the clouds were slowly clearing after the heavy downpours earlier. 

I am so pleased to have been to Hay on Wye & to Hay Castle, it is good to visit new places, even just once. 

Do you have more books than you can read at one time? What is your strategy for whittling them down ... 

Dee 📚📘📕📓📗📖