Tuesday, 16 June 2015

Hay-on-Wye



We've had three lots of visitors over the last couple of weeks...Even Hannah managed to squeeze in a late night visit and stop over on her way to celebrate a friend's birthday in the cutest mother earth eco cottage complete with grass roof in a tiny hamlet nearby.

 It was close to our lovely Hay on the river Wye and so we all spent time there rooting around the book and vintage shops,  ended up having lunch at Richard Booth's Bookshop like a mini version of my all time favourite Shakespeare & co...

 When everyone had gone home we even returned next day to collect a forgotten umbrella and spied two brides dancing to buskers in the street...only at Hay...

 These are some of my favourite places to visit:

 For really unusual quirky vintage items: The End, 20 Castle street,07779 788520 , only opens Thursday, Friday and Saturday but the owners Marina Rendle and Sally live close by and if you ring may be able to open up for you. 

 Next door you'll find Great English Outdoors where saddler Athene English makes and sells beautiful hand made leather items, vintage welsh blankets, artisan wooden items...amazing hand stitched utilitarian vegetable brushes, hand-knitted socks, tailored tweed clothes...all sorts of beautifully made items... 

 The old Electric Shop shop, cafe, new and vintage...live music...

 Lots of fun books shops including Hay Castle with outdoor bookshelves and an honesty box or Richard Booth's Bookshop, it's the biggest bookshop in Hay, covering three floors has big old comfy sofas and armchairs to sit and read, an amazing small cinema showing independent films and best bookshop cafe. 

 ps I'm not advertising or anything...just telling you about some of the lovely places we like to go to...

 Do you have any favourite haunts you'd like to share too?
debx

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12 comments:

  1. Tracey ~ Clover16 June 2015 at 04:56

    Such a great place you call home Debby. I love poking around old bookstores and looking for treasures.
    I guess it's no secret, my favorite haunt is the beach :)

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    1. debby emadian18 June 2015 at 15:40

      I could spend hours in those bookshops. But nature...and the beach...no wonder that's your favourite haunt.
      Happy days there,
      debx

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  2. Jane16 June 2015 at 05:05

    What a dreamy place, Debby! I could envision myself spending many happy hours there! My favorite haunt is the area we Iive within, just driving along the shoreline and spotting old barns with sheep and cows grazing in the fields fills my heart with peace and joy.

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    1. debby emadian18 June 2015 at 15:41

      There are lovely big old sofas and armchairs there, where you can curl up and read to your hearts delight. Your area sounds perfect...just my cup of tea, too.
      debx

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  3. steph17 June 2015 at 04:55

    My bag is packed....wishing I was visiting! You live in such a wonderful part of the world!!

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    1. debby emadian18 June 2015 at 15:43

      We are so lucky to fallen into such a lovely spot. We hardly did any research before we cam but fell in love with our village so it was amazing to find all those bookshops close by. They have an amazing literature, philosophy and music festival there in the spring too...that would be amazing to come over for...
      dx

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  4. karen17 June 2015 at 05:09

    I could live forever in a bookshop! Lots of our independent stores have gone under and we are left with big box ones, I like them but boy the character the little ones is nice. Glad you saw hannah!!

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    1. debby emadian18 June 2015 at 15:56

      Me too Karen. I know it's a shame, the same has been happening here. Ironically, apparently it was the closure of some your libraries that helped Richard Booth establish his bookshop in the 70's. He came over to the states and bought up shiploads of books and brought them back to Hay and set up the shop.
      It's was so good to see her. It went much too fast though.
      debx

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  5. Reginas Cottage17 June 2015 at 13:22

    hello debbiy,
    what a lovely place...i love bookshops,especially the little.
    have a nice week,
    regina

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    1. debby emadian18 June 2015 at 15:38

      Hi Regina, I could spend hours in this one.
      Hope you week is good too,
      debx

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  6. eeoc18 June 2015 at 17:53

    Books and vintage and fabrics--oh my! Too wonderful. I just visited my favorite book haunts in Quito...I think I bought 35-40 books on this (two week) trip. My book habit is a bit complicated when flying.
    Enjoy!
    Erin

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    1. debby emadian19 June 2015 at 14:35

      Sounds like the best holiday Erin with all those book purchases...I presume that you had to ship them back home. Something to look forward to coming back home for.
      Happy reading
      dx

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