Hay-on-wye (Y Gelli)

Introducing Hay-on-wye (Y Gelli)

Hay-on-Wye, the world’s second-hand book capital, is a charmingly eccentric little town. Indeed, the town has many literary associations: Bruce Chatwin’s On the Black Hill is set in the Black Mountains, and both Tom Maschler of Jonathan Cape and singer George Melly claimed that Chatwin wrote the book while staying with them here. Some of the film American Werewolf in London was shot nearby, around Hay Bluff; and Iain Sinclair’s novel Landor’s Tower takes a poetic poke at local booksellers.

More recently Hay has become synonymous with its literature festival , which sees the small population swell to over 80, 000 and an influx of big-name stars come to read form their latest tomes. The former US president, Bill Clinton, was a high-profile visitor in 2001 and christened the event ‘The Woodstock of the mind’. Today the whole event is now sponsored by the Guardian newspaper and has become a major cultural event.

Hay is also now synonymous with self-promotion, thanks mainly to the efforts of Richard Booth, the colourful, self-styled King of Hay, who kick-started Hay literary aspirations when he opened the first bookshop in 1961. In 1971 Booth bought Hay Castle, complete with the Jacobean mansion built within its walls. The castle was damaged by a fire in 1977 and repair work is ongoing.

The small town centre is made up of narrow sloping lanes, peppered by interesting shops, and peopled by the differing types that such individuality and so many books tend to attract. Even outside of festival time, Hay has a vague Glastonbury-festival vibe, with more than its fair share of New-Age types attracted to soak up the alternative ambience. But while it’s busy during the day, the evenings tend to be library-quiet – everyone must be reading.

If books are not your bag, Hay is also a great base for exploring the stunning Black Mountains. Indeed, Offa’s Dyke and the Offa’s Dyke Path run right through the centre of town.

Last updated: Jul 22, 2009