Owen Hughes visited two towns on each side of the English-Welsh border and was left scratching his head after making a big mistake on his travels.
Living just a stone’s throw from the A470 in the north, writer Owen Hughes typically takes a direct route down the heart of Wales to reach the capital, sticking to the same road for the majority of his journey. However, he recently decided to mix things up a bit and explore the border.
This was partly fuelled by a long-standing wish to visit Hay-on-Wye, the nation’s book capital – a place he had heard so much about but never actually set foot in. The Daily Post reporter also thought it would be a good idea to stop off at another location on his way and opted for Ludlow in Shropshire, famed for its castle and historic centre.
Owen revealed: “Compared to the A470, the border route is straighter but busier – so any time you gain in faster stretches is lost in queues. “It’s about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Conwy to Ludlow without breaks, so I was ready for a cuppa when I arrived.”
“Unusually for me, it was just myself on the trip rather than with all or any of the family, or some mates. This made it quieter and cheaper, and I could pick my own in-car listening.
“It means you can quietly take things in, but you also miss the banter and sharing the experience, so swings and roundabouts. I parked up in the town centre and took a signposted walk around the castle walls. This fortress was built to secure the border against Welsh raids. “
Built by the de Lacy family, beginning in 1085, Walter de Lacy had been part of William the Conqueror’s invasion force in 1066. Enormous town walls were constructed in the 13th century, with Ludlow Castle positioned within the perimeter of these fortifications.
Whilst it might not rival the magnificence of North Wales’ castles, the location still provided a striking spectacle. Owen enjoyed a relaxed walk down to a charming cafe beside the River Teme, relishing a coffee and sandwich in an outdoor seating area overlooking the water.
Owen went on to share: “I then wandered to Broadgate, the sole surviving medieval gate, and in this area you can see some sections of the remaining town wall.
“The whole place oozes history, and apparently there are almost 500 listed buildings in the town, with medieval and Georgian buildings in the centre. I’m not a huge shopper but did appreciate some of the shop windows and boutique stores.
“You could easily stay longer, but my itinerary demanded I move on, and it was back in the car for hour long onwards journey to Hay-on-Wye.”
This stretch of the journey takes you back over the border into Cymru, with Hay-on-Wye positioned just within the Welsh boundary. The town houses another castle, tracing back to the Norman conquest and attempts to quell Welsh rebellions.
Hay Castle was fortified in the 12th century, with a mansion being built in the 17th century. Despite being largely derelict at the start of the millennium, the site has been transformed by the Hay Castle Trust and now operates as an arts and literature centre.
“However, I was not here for the castle and parked up to explore some of the more than 20 bookshops in the town,” said Owen. Hay-on-Wye is recognised as the ‘World’s First Book Town’, its literary renaissance led by Richard Booth in the 1960s.
He had discovered some libraries that were shutting down in America and travelled out there with some mates, where they packed up thousands of books and transported them home. He launched his own second-hand bookshop in the former fire station in 1961.
This encouraged others, and soon books from around the globe were pouring into the growing collection of bookshops in the town. It is of course also now renowned for its annual Hay Festival. Owen said, “With so much choice, it is hard to decide where to start.
“I went for instinct over any research and popped into one that, for no conscious reason, drew me in. You can then easily get lost in these places with narrow aisles and towering bookshelves.
“I was not after anything specific, so it was very much a pick and see approach before something sparked. It was one of four bookshops I went into, and it was lovely to speak to a couple of the owners/staff and ask about recommendations.
He continued: “I ended up with a book per shop before deciding to do something a bit different. After a day in my car or walking around towns I felt like a nature inspired pick-me-up and had heard about The Warren – a riverside spot for walking or wild swimming.
“I had some gym shorts with me and decided to go and have a short dip, the cold water a tonic for a sore back from driving.” Owen added: “After drying off, it was back to the town centre for a quick coffee.
Sitting there as the evening drew in and a further couple of hours of driving ahead I thought about my big mistake. “I really should have booked a night – ideally with other people/ person.
“There was a lovely atmosphere in the town, and finishing off the day with some food and a few drinks would have rounded off a fascinating day. This is, though, a very good excuse to come back.”.