Bugger Cardiff for Hay-on-Wye?

by Chris on April 21, 2003

by Chris | April 21st, 2003

I’m on the phone with Joe E. We’ve been gabbing about travel gear, including the DreamSack, and then we got to talking my draft itinerary. Joe says Cardiff itself isn't worth 3 days. (Well, he didn't quite put it that way, but I'm trying to keep this post PG-13. Somewhat.)

Hay-on-Wye, Joe says, is much more worth some time. It's near Hereford, and has “pretty much nothing but used bookstores”.

Any bookstore there, will give you a map to all the bookstores. (I’ll miss their May 23-June 1 literary festival though.) Then you raid pastry shops for somthing to eat. There’s also a good campground. Sounds like something I’m definitely interested in, so maybe I can piece that in as a day/side trip?

Joe also recommends joining Hostels of Europe. You get discount on many places, and it’s not as popular a membership as HI. But the Hostels of Europe properties tend to be much cooler places, Joe says.

{ 5 comments }

Claudia April 21, 2003 at 11:14 pm
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I agree. Cardiff is 1.5 days max. If you’re in the mood for a castle, hit Caerphilly Castle, that was fun. But I was a bit bored after 2 days.

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Joe E. April 22, 2003 at 12:05 am
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Thanks Claudia!

I was afraid of sounding like a crank and I was hoping that someone would chime in and agree.

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Sean April 22, 2003 at 12:58 am
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Joe E,

You are a crank ;-) – but don’t let that stop you!

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aoife April 22, 2003 at 5:12 pm
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I agree, HI or Independant hostels of europe places are cooler and more homely

The IYH places are good of course but in some countries they can tend to be a bit “institutional”

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Joe E. April 22, 2003 at 9:22 pm

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