By Hems Du Winter

Brecon and its surrounding areas is a place I’ve only just  discovered, it boastfully promotes itself as one of the UK’s leading adventure playgrounds, well who’d have known. 

The imposing black mountains as I drive from cheshire host several adventure centres hosting water sports, fishing, canoeing, pony trekking, and epic walking with amazing views and of course the area is a cyclist’s dream!  

I’m here for something else the world famous Hay Book Festival, it was so famous that this was my second first time visiting. For those not yet attended it is an annual eleven-day event straddling 27th May to 6th of June which plans to return to its pre-Corvid glory in 2021.

Is the Hay Festival just an event for literary luvvies?

Far from it! But before we get into the detail, you may be one of these people, admittedly like I, who have heard of it but don’t know much else and would never even consider going.  In a nutshell, it’s one of the world’s biggest and best literary festivals and it takes place every summer in the little borders town of Hay on Wye in Powys.

For over 30 years Hay has brought readers and writers together to share stories and ideas in live sustainable events around the world, the festivals wants to inspire, examine and entertain.

The first Hay Festival 30 years ago was held in the modest surroundings of a pub garden. These days it attracts 100,000-plus visitors over 11 days who engage with 700 speakers and attend over 800 events that feature the world’s great writers, poets, philosophers, historians, adventurers, storytellers, scientists, comedians and musicians. 

It’s moved to a large tented village on the outskirts of town with ten venues, pop-up cafes, shops and restaurants and its brilliant.

The sessions I visited I’d booked before arriving

 I new there would be only so many seats for Stephen Fry. Although the various seated auditoriums are pretty big and can accommodate hundreds of people, it’s always best to book in advance to make sure you get to see the people you really want to see. The popular events, talks and interviews get booked up pretty quickly although there is an office on-site where unsold tickets and return can be bought o the day. The organisation is superb, both online and on site and the Hay website is just fantastic.

Did you know for just £10, you can access Hay on line where you can see as many of the talks and events you like from the last few years.  Wonderful value. We saw a range of talks including a very emotionally-charged interview with yachtsman Robin Knox-Jonson, a wonderful talk from authorises Raynor Winn (if you haven’t yet read her awesome book, The Salt Path, do so immediately) and TV journalists Emily Maitliss and John Sopel.

One of the highlights has to have been former NHS doctor Adam Kay whose book, This is Going to Hurt has been in the Tines best seller list for years!! I ached with laugher. The audiences represent all ages and all backgrounds and there’s usually an opportunity to ask questions after the talks. Authors then move to the amazing bookshop where if you want, they will autograph a copy of their books.  

Friends and I relaxed in deckchairs on the village green, browsed the stalls and visited a festival bookshop which stocks 55,000 titles by visiting speakers. We enjoyed the evenings as they are devoted to music, comedy and film, just superb.

A cliche perhaps but there really is something for everyone, of every age, interest and inclination.   

Pretentious they say? It’s a rollercoaster of the senses.

The atmosphere is superb, there’s nothing at all pretentious about it and in one day attending talks and interviews you’ll experience the full gamut of emotions. It is a rollercoaster for the senses. And it’s just so civilised and relaxed!

I..we didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as we did and went back again in a large group the year after.  We would have returned a third time this year had it not been for the pandemic.

It’s fun going in a group of 14. You attend the talks and events you want during the day and get together in the evening over the dinner table to swap experiences. Brilliant.

Accommodation

Both years we stayed in the 17th century converted mill that is Trebarried Mill in Llanfilo, Brecon, a fifteen-minute drive to the festival site. The Mill has 7 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms enough to fit us all in. Spacious accommodation including two reception rooms, a ‘snug’ dating back to the 17th century with original beams, inglenook fireplace and toasty wood burner. The main living area is split into two. One part has a large dining table (seats 14+) and the other section has ample comfy seating, pub sized pool table, TV and music system and numerous sleeping options with a choice of bedrooms including two large family rooms. Beds include super kings, kings, doubles and a selection of single beds (max 16 -18 beds in total). One of the family bedrooms even has a balcony overlooking the stream!

Obviously Trebarried Mill isn’t just for Hay!  Click here to find places to stay during the festival. Where to Stay | Hay-on-Wye, Hereford
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I’m not a mountain walker these days my idea of a day out is done in the car. If you have an injury or a disability I think we can all agree that it’s nice to take in Wales’ breathtaking countryside from the comfort of your own vehicle. Below you will find my holidayIdea starting in Prestatyn, North Wales. I hope you enjoy it.

Needs List

Accessible. By Car.  Parking. History. Fantastic scenery, mythology, lunch, viewpoints and I didn’t want to travel out of the Flintshire. 

So a car ride it is then with this in mind that I heartily recommending this splendid jaunt around Denbighshire.

1.Roman Civilian Bath House, Melyd Ave.

You can find Archaeological information here

I start at the Roman Baths in Prestatyn, which those of a inquisitive disposition regarding all things historical may like to take a look around.

A could park on the road next to the site, its not sign posted very well so keep your eyes peel.  What a wonderful site, thanks goes to those who look after it. The bath-house was built in about AD 120 and extended in about AD 150 and, according to Chester Walls, had a cold plunge-bath at the far end which was fed by a local spring by means of a timber aqueduct. 

2.The Roman hat

Head up the hill to the Roman Helmet (the giant bronze sculpture depicting the Romans in Prestatyn). You can have little walk around it too (Park outside it).

3. Gwaenysgor Hill – View Point 

What a drive up to Gwaenysgor Hill and those incredible views. Yes, you could cycle it if you wanted, but I didn’t (wouldn’t) for this idea. You would have to be a fairly hardcore cyclist (we’re talking Geraint Thomas level) to have a crack at Gwaenysgor Hill. 

It’s the steepest in all of Flintshire and although the view at the top over the Irish Sea is absolutely spectacular. The View point has parking so you don’t have to get out of your car if you didn’t want to.  I did, a few steps to the dry stone wall to take it all in. This is also a walking path of the Offas Dyke Path too.

4. Lunch stop

Once I’d got to the top, I was feeling a little thirsty and stopped for some pub lunch at the The Eagle and Child. It is just a stone throw away from the view point. I sat in the beer garden its beautiful.  

5. Next stop: GOP Hill

So now, having conquered the steepest hill in Flintshire, a spot of lunch its was time for me to see this legendary GOP Hill in Dyserth. Its a bout a 10 minute drive from the pub.

Rumour has it that Boudica (or Buddug), the queen of the British Celtic Iceni tribe who led an uprising against the conquering forces of the Roman Empire in AD 60 or 61, fought her last battle here and is buried underneath.

Regardless of whether you believe that or not, GOP Hill is the second biggest burial mound in the UK, with recent archeological digs uncovering several bodies, and well worth a visit – if you can’t make it up the hill itself, it’s worth stopping the car to take a look.

I didn’t walk up to it as it takes 20 minutes from the car park but I could see it. I always wondered what the big mound was on the hill. I’m impressed. 

6. Drive through Dyserth all then way to the round about and take a left and you’ll make it to Maen Achwyfaen, an enormous stone cross standing on a five-way cross road – west of Whitford, east of Offa’s Dyke and close to a row of at least four barrows and of huge interest both to megalithic scholars and anyone of a historical inclination. The little sign says they don’t really know of its origins but I think its a burial stone for an important Viking. You can park outside here too but its in a field and you can’t see the stone as the trees are in the way, a very short walk in the field to see it is needed. 

7. Dyserth Falls

Once you’ve had a good look at Maen Achwyfaen, it’s just a 15-minute drive towards the Rhyl direction it takes me 10 minutes to get to the these beautiful falls. There is a place to park and a place to sit at the falls, I watched the world go by. Dyserth Falls is beautiful,  unspoilt, and I must see place. I wasn’t up for the walk I just wanted to sit in the little park and hear the waterfall, bliss.

A nice way to finish the day. Plus theres a pub across the way too. Wink wink. 

Ray Worsnop Rhyl. 

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