Under Y Twmpa or Lord Hereford’s Knob

Lewis Davies

I have been going to the Hay Festival for over thirty years. It is the place to be for a few days at the end of May.

If you’re going for the first time here’s a few recommendations beyond the maes.

For me, Hay is about camping. The wonderful Tangerine fields are on the far side of the river on a meadow mentioned by Francis Kilvert in his diary, which he wrote in the 1870s while a curate at Clyro.

Kilvert was a keen swimmer and would have bathed in the river here.

For a good Welsh breakfast, you can’t really beat the Granary on Broad Street. It’s been open since the Middle Ages.

For second hand bookshops there’s a broad day of a choice along the narrow streets, I can’t really pick a favourite but if you’re a vintage crime reader there’s Murder and Mayhem which has got to be the best name for a bookshop ever.

For new books there’s North Books, and the iconic Gay-on-Wye (close second for bookshop names). Derek Addyman of Addyman Books is the man to ask for the best signed edition of Bruce Chatwin’s classic On The Black Hill.

For adventure just outside the town there’s swimming in the Wye at the Warren, just a short walk from the festival site.

This is where Waterlog author, Roger Deakin invited the whole audience from his event at the festival for a swim. Most joined him.

Or read the book, Wild Swimming the River by Angela Jones. Jules North at North Books will have a copy.

While if you’re up for a day hike, Y Twmpa or Lord Hereford’s Knob (it’s a real hill) is a good six hours round trip from the Swan Hotel – or you could stay in the Swan and read Oliver Balch’s book Under the Tump Sketches of Real Life on the Welsh Border while having a glass of fine Welsh wine from one of the vineyards such as White Castle or Sugar Loaf.

I’ll be going to the festival itself as well, a friend has bartered me two tickets to see Austentatious, which according to the blurb is a show with “whip-smart wit and a cavalcade of cads, dashing gents and fierce heroines, this is a legendary comedy experience for Austen fans and newcomers alike!”

Hay’s that type of place.

Memory

I’ll also be going to listen to sisters Francesca Rhydderch and Samantha Wynne Rhydderch talk with Daniel Hahn about memory and how we hold onto it, on the final Sunday morning of the festival.

I’ve booked tickets, as I’m the publisher of one of the books.

For the essence of Hay there’s the medieval castle memorably turned into a bookshop in the 70s by the real King of Hay, Richard Booth. The castle is now a gallery, café and of course a bookshop.

I met Richard a few times over the years, he was an enthusiast for words and books and would be delighted to see the way the town he loved is still a world centre of books.