I have just returned from a mini break in Hay-on-Wye, where we have been to celebrate our wedding anniversary. The drive to Hay-on-Wye took us through the Shropshire and Herefordshire countryside which was particularly beautiful with the sun shining on and through the lush growth of early summer. As we approached Hay-on-Wye we encounterd a rain shower which thankfully dried up as soon as we arrived in Hay.
First port of call after arrival in Hay-on-Wye was a cafe in order to have lunch. I opted for a healthy option of tomatoes and mushrooms on toast which was delicious. After lunch we visited our bookshops of choice, although unfortunately the one I really wanted to visit had a note on the door saying closed for vacation until the end of June!!
When our car park ticket was about to run out Mr C left me at another book shop whilst he went back to put some more money in the meter. This shop turned out to be closed for lunch so I took a few photographs and hovered around for a while whilst waiting for Mr C to return. He took longer than expected and while I was waiting the owner of the shop passed by and we had a chat. I said there was no need to open up the shop and that I would come back later. When I arrived back a little later the shop had closed for the day…
I had forgotten what it is like to be in a small town in Wales!!
When we had finished in Hay-on-Wye we retraced our journey back to Rhydspence where we were staying for the night. We had passed by the Inn on our journey earlier in the day. Rhydspence is a special place in lovely setting and location. After checking in, we enjoyed our room with a view whilst we freshened up before going down to the bar for a pre dinner aperitif. Sadly the Inn no longer provides evening meals due to lack of interest so we had booked a table at the Three Tuns (in Hay-on-Wye). We had chosen well, the meal was delicious. After we had eaten we returned to the Inn and sat chatting with the proprietor (mostly about history) and towards the end of the evening he kindly gave us a drink on the house.
Hay-on-Wye is a very pretty town, I love all the bookshops and baught three gardenbooks years ago!
Sigrun
The reason for our visit was the bookshops although I was good and only bought 1.
Happy anniversary and may you have many more!
The view of of your window is really spectacular. It makes me realise that I definitely need to visit Wales again soon. And can you imagine staying shut for a whole month? I guess they are reserving energy for the busy holiday season.
Thank you
I expect they are relying on their internet sales, but to me there is nothing quite like browsing around a book shop.
A fine place to visit ‘off-season’. When the literary luvvies decend on the place you get air-kissed into submission and bored to death with Fabian drivel. Hell with books of a certain age. But this time of the year they are all elsewhere and you can get to see the history.
They don’t build splendid clock towers like that anymore.
The visit was well timed, the festival was the weekend before our visit
The clock tower is splendid and there are some other fine building within the town.
congratulations on the occasion and it appears to have been a memorable visit to this place, CP
Thank you
Congratulations on your anniversary. I know Hay-on-Wye is in Wales but only just , I always think of it being in England . I think it must be very quiet up until June. How do they survive? I am happy that they have but it must be hard. I hope people go back to the shop that has shut for holidays . In Oxford we have an Italian deli and that closes for a month in the summer. (but of course they are Italian) !!!
Hi CherryPie , the reason I say that I thought it was in England is that the postcode area is HR which is Hereford, England.
Thank you
I expect the shop makes its money out of internet sales. I had not really thought about the post code before you mentioned it. But I just found this page on the Hay-on-Wye website:
http://www.hay-on-wye.co.uk/info/hay-on-wye.htm