I only associate fudge shops with seaside destinations, so it was quite a pleasure to stumble upon one in little Hay-on-Wye. The Fudge Shop has been in business for over ten years. In addition to making 16 varieties on site, the shop also offers regional sweets and fine chocolates. I tried the crunchy peanut butter […]
Wales
Our first introduction to Wales was driving on terrifyingly narrow, windy (think hair-pin), hilly roads that were tightly walled in by foliage thick enough to preclude any glimpses of oncoming traffic. We crossed over a bridge so thin we had to pull our mirrors in. Every time we encountered another vehicle, we were almost forced […]
Lake Country House
When the Hay Festival is on, there’s no chance of finding an available room in Hay-on-Wye. We took this opportunity to stay about 20 minutes away at the Lake Country House in Llangammarch Wells, a luxury boutique hotel in the countryside (thanks, Google search!). This hotel nicely achieves old-fashioned country charm with modern touches. The […]
St. Mary’s Church Hay
St. Mary’s tower can be seen from many points in Hay-on-Wye, but it’s the old, weathered gravestones that caught my eye. The church was originally constructed in the 12th century. It was significantly renovated in the 19th century when a new nave, chancel and trio of Gothic arches were added. Today, the lower part of […]
Hay Castle
This is one of the last medieval fortresses still standing around the English/Welsh border. Centuries of pummeling, sacking, burning and destroying sufficiently eliminated most other structures. Hay-on-Wye was unique in that it had two Norman castles. This is the second one. It was built by Maud de Breos in the 12th century and remained in […]
Castle of the Hay
Hay-on-Wye was unique in that it had two Norman castles. This is the site of the first one. After William of Nomandy invaded England in 1066, he rewarded his supporters with land along the Welsh border. No matter that the land belonged to the Welsh; these lords were allowed to seize whatever land looked good […]
Hay-on-Wye Clock Tower
The Hay-on-Wye clock tower is another landmark in this book-filled town. It was built in 1884 in the then-popular High Victorian Gothic or Neo-Gothic style. This structure was designed by J. C Haddon. The concept was a legacy of Captain Brown of Hay, whose intent was a clock tower for the parish church. The executors […]
River Wye
Here it is: the Wye part of Hay-on-Wye. I’ve made a lot of fuss about the town, but haven’t said anything about River Wye. Well, its main feature is that it separates England and Wales. That Hay-on-Wye is situated on its bank it automatically made the town a popular war and military fortification target for […]
Hay-on-Wye
I’ve wanted to visit Hay-on-Wye, the tiny Welsh town (I now know there are no other kinds) filled with antiquarian and used book shops, ever since reading Sixpence House by Paul Collins. The book tells of Collins’ attempt to relocate from San Francisco to quirky, book-laden Hay-on-Wye. His impressions of the charming town and its […]
Hay Festival
Summertime brings an endless roster of arts festivals, and the Hay Festival is one of the biggies. For years, the international literary event has been at the top of my travel wish list and this year I finally went! Since 1988, the Hay Festival has attracted major international literary figures. It draws over 80,000 visitors […]
