Why You Should Visit Hay-on-Wye (Spoilers: It’s the Books)
Disclaimer: All information accurate to the author’s experiences in Hay-on-Wye in April 2026.
Hay-on-Wye proudly proclaims to be the world’s first book town. In this blog post you’ll learn about the wonderful town tickling the border of Wales and England and the bookshops you can find there. On a recent trip, I took a notebook and camera and went adventuring through the stacks to see what I could find.
The Bookshops
It was the dream of one Richard Booth which led to this little-known town gaining popularity and a reputation for literature, philosophy, and culture. In 1962 he opened Richard Booth’s Bookshop, encouraging others to open independent second-hand bookshops of their own. After announcing Hay-on-Wye as its own kingdom and himself its king, Richard Booth’s dream found fame internationally.
Here are just a few of the shops you can find there.
Richard Booth’s Bookshop
Richard Booth’s vision first became reality in this iconic three storey building.
The ground floor is elegant, with the grandiosity of a university library or the nave of a church. This floor primarily consists of new releases, children’s and YA fiction, and an assortment of non-fiction. This includes an arts and crafting section which is accompanied by art supplies and rolls of fabric.
Up the wooden staircase with steps that announce different genres in gold leaf lettering, the first floor contains a combination of new and second-hand fiction and non-fiction and is accompanied by very comfortable reading chairs.
The basement level, with its flag stone floor and low ceiling beams, creates an evocative atmosphere, emerging shoppers in the world of the sci-fi, fantasy, western, and true crime novels that can be found there.
Addyman Books
New, used, and special edition books fill this bookshop. This is a sprawling shop with many special side rooms including a fantasy section encased in a sparkly nook and horror fiction in its own bat cave.
Don’t miss out on the cheeky alley to the left of the shop: ‘All books up Addyman’s back passage are £1 each!’
Addyman’s Annexe
This was the first shop I went in, and it created an atmosphere that lasted the whole trip. Below the wooden beams you could hardly move for books. Books on shelves, books on windowsills, books in piles on the floor. This shop sells new, used, and special edition books. Although slightly smaller than its partner shop, it is definitely worth a visit.
Hay-on-Wye Booksellers
Prepare yourself before entering this labyrinthine building. Take Ariadne’s thread. It is easy to wander off and lose your companions, but you’re surrounded by books so you probably won’t notice anyway. This was, by far, the largest bookshop I visited.
The main section of the ground floor that you see when coming through the door is primarily taken over by art books. This isn’t a specialty shop, though. There are several staircases and many corridors, nooks, and side rooms in Hay-on-Wye booksellers filled with a great range of different books on every topic.
It also sports quaint features such as a wooden lintel over a fireplace repurposed as bookshelves, and sash windows which look out onto the town.
Clocktower Books
Stone flags cover the floor of this second-hand bookshop. You can locate this shop near Hay-on-Wye’s clocktower and discover its fiction and history books.
Green Ink Booksellers
Green Ink Booksellers are invested in ‘Intellectual Recycling’ and sell second-hand non-fiction and a small range of fiction. Beware the steep staircase in the centre of the floor that leads down to a lower level where you can find more non-fiction and children’s books.
Honesty Bookshop
Situated in the grounds of Hay Castle (hence its alternative name, Hay Castle Bookshop), this entirely outdoor shop was opened by Richard Booth after he purchased the castle. For a mere £2 you can pick up a bargain book from the shelves leaning against the castle walls.
North Books
Unlike most of the booksellers in Hay-on-Wye, North Books doesn’t sell second-hand books. ‘We only sell shiny new books’ proclaims the sign on the door of this brown-fronted bookshop.
In a small side room complete with bench for relaxed browsing, I found that this shop even had a section on books, publishing, and bookselling. I found Alex Johnson’s ‘When Books Go Bad’, a book about all the things that can go wrong when creating and publishing a book, which has been added to my TBR pile.
Murder and Mayhem
True crime, horror, and thrillers are Murder and Mayhem’s specialty. This shop is filled with interesting artistic pieces including hounds and a black cat painted on the shop front and an outline of a body in tape on the floor inside.
Christie and Doyle
This shop sells exactly what it says on the tin. Piled high on shelves, the floor, and up the stairs are the works of Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle. These second-hand books are displayed over two floors with a select few other authors’ books sprinkled around upstairs to add some seasoning to this mystery-centric shop. The first floor contained a partially completed jigsaw puzzle for visitors to add to at their leisure.
Gay On Wye
The pun in the title proclaims that Gay on Wye is proud to be Wales’s first LGBTQ+ bookshop. Although relatively small, this shop has much to give. The shelves are packed with LGBTQ+ literature arranged by genre.
This shop also boasts an excellent selection of LGBTQ+ and reading-related pin badges. Don’t know which book to choose? Gay on Wye has you covered with its own ‘gumball machine’ each containing a miniature front cover to help you make a selection.
Tangled Parrot is an adjoining business which sells second-hand CDs and vinyls.
Bookshop 451
‘You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them’ – Ray Bradbury
Bookshop 451 proudly displays this quote from Ray Bradbury on its door. This shows that the shop is an integral part to Hay-on-Wye and is all about encouraging reading and increasing access to books. This shop specialises in sci-fi and fantasy novels. You can find second-hand books, first editions, and special leatherbound tomes. You can also choose from a small selection of sci-fi pin badges and cards.
The Poetry Bookshop
The Poetry Bookshop is a small, open-plan shop filled with second-hand and hard-to-find poetry collections. Established in 1979, this shop only sells poetry and is one of only a few poetry-specific bookshops in the UK.
Other Bookshops
Despite the small size of the town, it is difficult to visit all the bookshops in one day. Here is a list of some of the other bookshops that I didn’t get a chance to visit on this trip:
Broad Street Book Centre
C. Arden Bookseller
Frances Edwards
Hay Cinema Bookshop
Literature Laboratory
Mostly Maps
The Children’s Bookshop
Other Shops to Visit in Hay-on-Wye
Bartrums and Co Ltd – a delightful stationers with a wide variety of fountain pens and fountain pen necessities available.
Bean Box – a cafe by the river Wye, selling delicious cakes (such as a dark chocolate and cherry frangipane so moreish I made one when I got home) ideal for eating after a peaceful riverside walk.
Hay Antique Market – a sprawling collection of rooms that house an array of antique goodies.
Haystacks Music and More – primarily a music shop, crammed full of records and CDs. Alongside the various music formats, you can find second hand DVDs. At the back of the shop you’ll encounter a selection of literature of the Kama Sutra variety.
Your Trip to Hay-on-Wye
Hay-on-Wye is a small town. Be aware that the shops are crammed full of books and this limits space for customers. Also note that many of the shops have characterful uneven flooring and steep staircases so it is important to consider accessibility needs before you visit (although Richard Booth’s bookshop includes a lift allowing access to the first floor and the basement).
If you’re anything like me, you value the quiet times away from the crowds and the noise that can come with visiting at festivals and peak times. I timed this trip specifically after the Easter holidays, but before the Hay Festival and visited on a perfectly pleasant, if somewhat soggy, Wednesday. It was very quiet. There was plenty of space to park. I was often the only one in the shop.
Below is a list of festivals and events you might want to watch out for.
Festivals and Events
Hay market every Thursday
Hay Festival 21st–31st May 2026
How The Light Gets In 22nd–25th May 2026
Winter Weekend 26th–29th November 2026
The Cat and the Comma Editing
Do you have a book you’re writing yourself? Whether it’s a complete manuscript or a few chapters you want checking over, The Cat and the Comma Editing offer copy-editing and proofreading services. For more information about the editing process of your fiction or non-fiction text, or to request a quote, please contact me via the contact page or by email at thecatandthecomma@gmail.com.
Links and References
Hay-on-Wye - The Official Website
HowTheLightGetsIn Hay 2026 » HowTheLightGetsIn hay
Hay Festival – Hay-on-Wye, Thursday 21 to Sunday 31 May 2026