Hay-on-Wye is a little town whose northern and eastern boundaries border England. The spectacular countryside which surrounds Hay is just a few steps away from wherever you are in town. Stroll along the banks of the River Wye or in the foothills of the Black Mountains and unwind in the tranquil setting. Crossing the border, over the Dulais Brook, will take you through the fertile fields of the Golden Valley.

Across the River Wye are the rolling green hills of Radnor. A short drive away from Hay, up a single track road, will take you to the base of Hay Bluff which rises 2,227ft, and rom where there are spectacular, uninterrupted views over the Brecon Beacons National Park, Radnorshire and Herefordshire.

Nestling amidst all this splendour is Hay-on-Wye, the jewel in the crown of Wales and known throughout the world as the ‘Town of Books’. Richard Booth, self-proclaimed King of Hay, opened his first second-hand bookshop in 1962 and proceeded to create the largest second-hand and antiquarian book-selling centre in the world. *

*Information from a 2018 Tourist Information booklet

Yasutani Roshi

Take a stroll along the path through The Pinewoods and you become part of a Harrogate tradition which stretches back decades.

A guide of 1891 describes what was then Harlow Moor as the ‘rough moor where furze, gorse and heather abound in profusion’. In 1898, the Corporation bought the land adjacent to the Valley Gardens and began the process of transforming part of the moor into the pure, pine-scented pleasure it is today. The rest was acquired in 1934, and what had been a large market garden was turned into a formal pine tree plantation soon afterwards.

The area became particularly popular amongst Edwardians, with ladies, gentleman and children alike striding out to take the air. It has remained a favourite to this day.

Now, the 75 acres of pinewoods are a living link of wonderful wildlife between the Valley Gardens of Low Harrogate and the Royal Horticultural Society Gardens at Harlow Carr.

The pines themselves are Scots pines. You will also see other species of tree including larch, beech, oak, ash, sycamore, birch, holly, rowan and hawthorn. There is eve a Rotary Centenary Woodland to explore.*

*From a signboard at the entrance to the woodlands

Japanese gardens have been built in Japan since the 8th Century. They were inspired by Chinese landscape painting and the spirit of nature.

Japan opened to global trade in the 19th Century followed by a greater interest in Japanese culture.

A Japanese Garden was created here in Harrogate’s Valley Gardens by 1930. Over the decades the Japanese character of the garden declined, leaving only a few Japanese maples, and was virtually forgotten.

Restoration work began in 2017 to bring the heritage of the garden alive again and finished in 2018.

The garden is called ‘Shijima’ the Japanese word for serenity and stillness. *

*from a signboard next to the garden

Valley Gardens, a grade II listed garden and the adjacent Pinewoods in the highly attractive North Yorkshire spa town of Harrogate. Valley Gardens comprise about 17 acres of park, woodland, and beautiful floral displays.

It is believed that a greater number of mineral springs come to the surface in Valley Gardens than in any other known location on earth. Thirty-six of Harrogate’s eighty-eight mineral wells are found within the area of the gardens.

The gardens were developed as an attractive walk for visitors to the Spa town, part of their health regime between taking the waters, and as a means of access to the mineral springs of Bogs Field.

Valley Gardens include attractive historic buildings, such as the handsome sun pavilion with its Art Deco glass dome and the colonnades. The floral displays at Valley Gardens are truly spectacular and include a magnificent dahlia garden and colourful seasonal bedding displays that are regularly re-planted throughout the year. The Cherub Fountain was created by a young Australian called John Robinson and was installed in the centre of the gardens on the 23 May 1972.