I first visited Hay when I was in the midst of GCSE revision hell. With my six lever arch folders, array of highlighters, flash cards and wall charts in tow, I didn’t have the best time and don’t remember being at all impressed by the lack of internet access in our little hotel or the high proportion of people over 50 compared to anyone my age I could talk to between bursts of Wordsworth and Hardy essays.
However, fast forward ten years and Hay has just offered the most perfect mini break a pair of book lovers could ask for. Two hours or so from Nottingham we were driving through luscious Welsh countryside and only passing the odd other car every ten minutes, when we arrived in the little town all of a sudden after turning a sharp bend.
Hay is known for its book shops, yes, and for its annual literay festival when it’s 2,000 strong population swells to over 11,000 with people travelling from all over the world to visit the many stalls, talks, performances and book signings. We didn’t visit during the festival but still went first and foremost to do some book hunting, and also to take a few days at a slower pace of life and enjoy some of the beautiful countryside surrounding the little town.
We stayed at The Bear, a gorgeous little B&B in the centre of the town, run by David and Andrew, a couple whose attention to detail is impeccable (for example, each day there was a new fresh treat left on our tea stand, from Welsh cakes to ginger snaps) and who gave us much appreciated tips about what to do and see each day.
We ate some delicious, rustic food while in Hay and the surrounding area, particularly at The River Cafe in Glasbury which we arrived at after a stunning walk in the sunshine along the Wye Valley river trail. The walk was about six miles and took us a couple of hours as we stopped several times to take photos and drink in the peace and quiet of the rolling hills and fields.
But food and books aside, my favourite part of our Welsh adventure was visiting Llanthony Priory, an Augustinian monks’ priory tucked away in the very heart of the Welsh valleys. The priory itself is now in ruins, but having been built in 1108 and having worn the elements, religious turmoils and general wear and tear of the centuries, it still stands proudly as a place of tranquil bliss. There is a little cave-style cafe in the priory alongside a tiny church, and the caretaker told us people are also welcome to stay there in the renovated wing – although there is no wifi, no televisions and no phone signal, so if you do chose to stay be prepared for total and utter isolation.
To get to the Priory, drive up onto Hay Bluff (a great place to stop and take photos of the view) and then carry on along the road – which at some points does narrow out to a very small track – for about 10 miles. The silence truly is golden once you’ve arrived and we could have happily spent several hours there wandering around the ruins and the beautiful surrounding hills.
Wales will always hold a special place for me as the country where my family came from, but in Hay I have found a new place now full of new memories which, without the dread of exams hanging over my head, really brought both Dan and I some much needed rest and relaxation in the midst of our busy lives.
Girl about Nottingham 