Hay-on-Wye (to differentiate it from the other towns of Hay, they include the name of the river it sits on) is a charming small town devoted to books and booksellers.
I have always wanted to visit this town, albeit the driving force is less important now that the internet has opened up used book sales everywhere and online. But it was still a draw. There is a literary convention twice a year that pulls in famous authors and thousands of fans from across the world.
Ed and I spent a fair amount of time wandering the streets and used book stores of the town, and visiting the Castle.
The story of Hay is surprising. Up until the 1960s, it was another small market town down on its luck. But in 1967, a Bohemian artist bought the castle, brought friends in to visit and make art, and promoted the city as a haven for used bookstores. He offered them low rents and old buildings to keep the town alive. It worked. Think of him as Britain's a more famous, but less talented Andy Warhol.
And I loved it. There were a fair amount of tourists, but the literary celebration had finished 3 weeks earlier, so it was quiet.
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| The Castle |
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| Early on a Sunday in town. |
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| Looking from the Castle Cafe. |
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| Parts of the Castle that were not improved by the artist. |
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| Parts of the castle have since been incorporated into a museum. |
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