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Hay Festival and Where the Light Gets in 2018

June 19th, 2018

May 2018  brought another Literary Festival to Hay-on-Wye and how wonderful it was! The ten days of art and literature celebration bringing together writers, filmmakers, comedians, politicians and musicians to entertain and inspire the thousands of visitors who will stop by.

Thousands also visit the other festival alongside the Wye in Hay, HowTheLightGetsIn. To explain….”There is a crack in everything…that’s how the light gets in” goes the Leonard Cohen song from which the festival gets its name. And HowTheLightGetsIn brings its own special form of magic to everyone. There is no other place on the planet where you can meet as many of the world’s leading thinkers, discover the most cutting-edge ideas, and party and dance late into the night.”

Welcoming the Hay Festival

I love Hay Festival. Its the highlight of the year for the team at Holt Farm Holiday Cottages.

As a local business in Hay On Wye, we’re delighted to welcome the Hay Festival. For 27 years, it has drawn people into the beautiful Brecon Beacons area and is a fantastic event for showcasing the beauty of our region.

For us as an accommodation provider in Hay On Wye, we have a huge demand for our luxury holiday cottages over the entirety of the Festival period. People come from all corners of the UK to absorb the wonderful atmosphere both in Hay and its surrounds.

Our guests tell us that they love the buzz of the Hay Festival site and all they learn at each event and they love being able to then get back to Holt Farm away from the crowds and step into the peaceful countryside and the comfort  of their holiday home.

Hay Bluff

Enjoying Hay On Wye During the Hay Festival

Of course, as the Hay Festival has grown in popularity, so too has the number of guests the Festival welcomes. That means Hay On Wye is, understandably, a tad busier during this period.

We find that the increased footfall to the area brings with it a really great community feel. Everyone is happy to welcome the Festival’s guests and you’ll find streets lined with happy people and special offers for shoppers and tourists to enjoy.

For those looking for a bit of quiet and solace during the Festival, our cottages provide just that. You can also spend time out and about in the local surrounding areas, discovering more of the gorgeous Herefordshire landscape.

Beyond the Hay Festivals: Things To Do

The majority of Hay Festival guests tend to stay around Hay On Wye. Here, you’ll find an abundance of activities to keep you busy beyond the festival. Hay On Wye is also a real treat for food lovers, with lots of cafes and restaurants  and street food too.

Beyond Hay On Wye itself is the rest of Herefordshire, an area of outstanding beauty where stunning landscape stretches as far as the eye can see. If you’re looking for things to do beyond the Hay Festival, take a look at our top 5 things to do around the Hay Festival:

1) Visit the Brecon Beacons National Park

This is a real must do for anyone visiting the Hay-on-Wye area.

The Brecon Beacons is a mountain range in South Wales and is the main focus of the National Park. The area is also home to some lovely villages and market towns. A great activity for anyone who likes walking, sight seeing and shopping.

Take a look at http://www.breconbeacons.org/ for more information.

2) Explore Herefordshire’s Castles and Churches

The area around the Hay Festival is home to a range of stunning castles and churches.

Some of our favourites include:

It’s also worth visiting the ‘Three Castles’ in the borderlands of Monmouthshire. These three castles form a triangle, surrounded by a 20 mile circular trail linking the ‘Trilateral’ of Skenfrith, Grosmont and White Castles.

3) See the World Heritage Site at Blaenavon

The small town of Blaenavon is home to a huge World Heritage Site. It lies at the source of the river Afon Lwyd just north on Pontypool and within the boundaries of the historic Monmouthshire county.

Here, you’ll find much to interest all ages, including quaint shops and beautiful scenery. You may also remember Blaenavon for being the site of a Time Team dig in 2001, where Channel 4’s archaeology programme sought to find the ‘Lost Viaduct’.

4) Cycling in the Brecon Beacons

As well as being a great spot for walkers, the Brecon Beacons offer some fantastic cycling trails for all abilities.  Take a look at Drovers Holidays for bike hire.

5) Get Adventurous!

For the more active guests of Hay Festival, Hereford offers a range of adventure activities to try. From abseiling to gorge walking to rock climbing to canoeing, there’s a wide range of activities to suit every taste.  You can find more days out in Herefordshire on our website.

Where to Stay for the Hay Festival

The Hay Festival grows in popularity every year and it can be difficult to find anywhere in the immediate vicinity to stay.

Holt Farm is a collection of four luxury holiday cottages in Michaelchurch Escley, just 20 minutes from Hay On Wye. We offer accommodation for as few as 1 guest up to as many as 22 guests – there is still some availability at the beginning of the festival.

If you’d like to find out more about our luxury holiday cottages, or to ask about availability for the Hay Festival, please call us on 01981 510 238. See you in 2019!

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