Break away for an adventurous holiday in holiday cottages near Hay on Wye.
Hay on Wye isn’t just a destination for bookworms.
While it is best known for its famous collection of bookshops and the famous annual Hay Festival, the vibrant market town attracts adventure-lovers too. Located next to the Black Mountains and the Brecon Beacons National Park, the rural position of the town means that a wide variety of walking and cycling trails and outdoor activities are easily accessible nearby.
Dubbed ‘Hay’ by the town’s residents, the town and the surrounding area are just the place for treating yourself to a getaway in a holiday cottage. Whether you take up residence in a sweet and stylish barn conversion, a town apartment or an attractive cedar cabin, cottage-style self-catering accommodation provides the ideal base not just for exploring Hay on Wye town. It’s also well-placed for visiting the Brecon Beacons, the picturesque Wye Valley, the Malvern Hills and the Herefordshire countryside. First, however, you might want to busy yourself with exploring the town’s famous bookshops, which include Richard Booth’s bookshop, Addyman Books and The Poetry Bookshop. The Black Mountains, the nearest mountain range, are a treat for pony trekking, mountain biking and picnics. It’s packed with lovely walks, but if you’re keen for a good challenge, the Wye Valley Walk and Offa’s Dyke Path are excellent options. Whatever your plan, the following Hay on Wye cottages are some of the best cottages in Wales.
8 Hay on Wye Cottages You Won’t Want to Miss:
1. Bullens Bank Cottage (Hay on Wye, Mid Wales)
2. Chancery Cottage (Hay on Wye, Mid Wales)
3. The Birches (Hay on Wye, Mid Wales)
4. Page-turner’s Cottage (Hay on Wye, Mid Wales)
5. Rose Cottage (Winforton, Herefordshire)
6. Gatehouse (Painscastle, Mid Wales)
7. Stargazer’s Loft (Hardwicke, Herefordshire)
8. Cwmbach Cottage (Glasbury, Mid Wales)
Bullens Bank Cottage
Location: Hay on Wye, Mid Wales
Best for: A dog-friendly cottage on a hill above Hay on Wye
Sat on the top of a hill which has exceptional views over the Wye Valley, Bullens Bank Cottage is a rural retreat to remember. Tucked away from the noise of towns, the lovely cottage is surprisingly only a five-minute drive from the bustling market town. Famed for its bookshops, antique shops and annual literary festival, the options are endless for guests at Bullens Bank Cottage. Should you begin by getting stuck into a picnic lunch in the garden, which overlooks patchwork fields? A short drive is all it takes to reach the outer boundaries of the Brecon Beacons National Park, which is one of the best places to explore walking trails in mid and south Wales.
Bullens Bank Cottage also has the benefit of being pet friendly. Therefore, up to two four-legged friends can explore the local trails with guests. With Norman castles and local pubs to stop at en route, it might be tempting to spend all your time in the great outdoors. However, the 200-year-old cottage is too charming to resist for long. Once a shepherd’s cottage, it has a log fire and traditional exposed beams, from which saucepans hang in the kitchen.
Facilities: Bullens Bank Cottage is well-equipped for a Hay on Wye holiday, with two bedrooms and an optional travel cot available. A steep stone track leads to the front door, which is a short distance away from a picnic bench. A barbecue is provided outdoors, but the sitting room, framed by a large woodburning stove and supplied by a wicker basket full of logs, is equally as enticing.
Chancery Cottage
Location: Hay on Wye, Mid Wales
Best for: A dog-friendly terrace cottage with an enclosed garden
Tucked into a discreet street in Hay on Wye town, Chancery Cottage is a quirky retreat suitable for four people and one pet. The terraced stone holiday cottage has traditional features such as exposed beams, but what makes it so characterful is the quirky décor. This is the ideal place for book lovers and café-hoppers to relax because Hay on Wye’s many bookshops and coffee shops are within walking distance. It is one of the best Hay on Wye cottages for history buffs too, considering that Hay Castle is nearby.
With the River Wye running through the town, it’s a short walk from Chancery Cottage to a local canoe rental shop for those guests who fancy a canoe-based journey through the countryside. The town’s bus connections also make it easy to get to Hereford, a cathedral city that has a host of historic attractions such as museums, the Mappa Mundi and an 11th-century church. Natural beauty is not far off in the Brecon Beacons National Park and the Black Mountains too.
Facilities: Leave your car safe in the off-road parking space at Chancery Cottage. If you want fresh air after a lengthy car journey, the courtyard-style enclosed garden has a selection of seats. A woodburner-effect fire adds character to the living room, which also has exposed beams, leather sofas, a bookshelf and a quirky bohemian mat. The cottage has an open-plan living space, making it easy to converse with other members of the family or a group in the kitchen. The kitchen has a four-person dining table, a washing machine and a handy selection of kitchen equipment.
The Birches
Location: Hay on Wye, Mid Wales
Best for: A beautiful farmhouse near Offa’s Dyke Path
Framed by striking green slopes and countryside, The Birches looks like a scene from a postcard. The stone farmhouse has a private plot of its own in the Herefordshire countryside, located only 15 minutes’ drive away from Hay on Wye. Nearby walking and cycling trails weave through the local hills, and there are further options for hikers or cyclists in the Brecon Beacons National Park. The well-loved Offa’s Dyke Path is just one option; it traces the Wales-England border past castle ruins and other historic monuments.
Whether you decide to spend your day on an outdoor adventure in the Brecon Beacons or getting acquainted with the nooks and crannies of the famous book town Hay on Wye, The Birches is one of the best Hay on Wye cottages for such activities. Given the excellent views from the property, you might feel inspired to explore the local countryside too. If so, lockable bike storage in the farmhouse provides a safe space for storing bicycles. There’s also plenty of off-road parking at the property for keen cyclists.
Facilities: The Birches is beautifully positioned in the countryside, but that isn’t the only attractive feature. The living room is grand, stylish and old-fashioned all at the same time, with a woodburning stove, plush sofas and an exposed stone wall making up some of its most defining features. In the evenings, unwind with a game of table tennis in the external games room. The kitchen has breakfast bar seating if you want a quick snack. However, there’s also the option of dining at the outdoor dining table, which boasts great views of the green slopes surrounding Hay on Wye town.
Page-tuner’s Cottage
Location: Hay on Wye, Mid Wales
Best for: A pet-friendly townhouse within walking distance of the town’s bookshops
As the name suggests, Page-turner’s Cottage will make your Hay on Wye holiday worth re-telling. Located in Hay on Wye town, the townhouse is in the ideal position for visitors to dig through shelves in the town’s bookstores. The ancient market town’s antique shops and cafés are all within walking distance, as is the River Wye. A short drive away is the Brecon Beacons, a national park with beautiful mountains, valleys and lakes. However, even closer are the Black Mountains, an ideal mountain range for pony trekking.
Located so close to the England and Wales border, Page-turner’s Cottage is the perfect self-catering accommodation for those travelling from north or south Wales and the Midlands. For those travelling from further afield for the annual Hay Festival or the combined scenery of the Malvern Hills, the Brecon Beacons and the Wye Valley, this is also one of the best Hay on Wye cottages.
Facilities: Through the picket wooden fence and a small porch, a warm, inviting living room awaits inside Page-turner’s Cottage. A gas fire injects warmth into the room on cooler evenings. There’s also a small dining table provided for those who want to read the morning newspaper with a coffee. The rear courtyard, which has a roomy outdoor table and plenty of greenery, is a great alternative spot for coffee or drinks. Elsewhere, a modern bathroom, cosy bedrooms and a small but convenient kitchen are provided. Bike storage is another benefit at Page-turner’s Cottage, as the end-terrace cottage has a dedicated space in the lockable outhouse for cyclists to store their noble steeds.
Rose Cottage
Location: Winforton, Herefordshire
Best for: A contemporary cottage with a large enclosed garden
Spacious and stylish, Rose Cottage is set to impress. A large, enclosed garden and a gravel driveway surround the three-bedroom cottage, which is located near Winforton in the remote countryside. Despite its peaceful, relaxed atmosphere, the cottage is only a 10-minute drive from Hay on Wye and the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Therefore, it’s easy to depart for a day out in the famous book town or set out for a mountain hike in the national park.
Rose Cottage is in a central location just over the English border, making it ideally situated for guests who want to access the Brecon Beacons, the Wye Valley, the Shropshire Hills and destinations in south Wales. Begin with a canoeing adventure over the River Wye, which runs through the town of Hay on Wye, and grab a hot coffee in your chosen café. There are plenty of trails nearby for keen hikers, including the Offa’s Dyke Path, which is 177 miles long.
Facilities: Private and peaceful, Rose Cottage is tucked into the village of Winforton, which has a 12th-century church and a popular pub. However, the cottage is anything but old. Oak doors open up to a stylish kitchen, which has a breakfast bar. The spacious living room has a woodburning stove and a modern fireplace. The dining area has sweeping views over the surrounding farm fields, something which it shares in common with the enclosed garden. There’s plenty of space for children to play games, as well as a picnic bench in case you fancy taking lunch or dinner in the open air.
Gatehouse
Location: Painscastle, Mid Wales
Best for: A pet-friendly village cottage with a hot tub
Equipped with a hot tub and a peaceful location in the village of Painscastle, Gatehouse is a beautiful spot to unwind in mid-Wales. The four-bedroom cottage is only a short drive from Hay on Wye, where there are bookshops to delve into. It’s also a short drive from the Brecon Beacons National Park, where you can swap the books for hiking and cycling trails, grand mountains and lakes.
Gatehouse is a large, spacious house with a bushy front garden and a location surrounded by fields, which are only interrupted by traditional local pubs, the occasional village houses and walking trails. Based between Builth and Hay on Wye, the village is in the middle of two historic towns. Hay on Wye, in particular, will keep guests entertained with canoeing activities on the River Wye, antique shops and trips into the Black Mountains for pony trekking.
Facilities: Geared up for relaxation, Gatehouse has a grand outdoor set-up. The enclosed lawn is ideal for those visiting Hay on Wye area with their pets; two well-behaved dogs are welcome. There is parking for four cars on the gravel driveway. However, the highlight is the patio, which has a selection of outdoor furniture and a luxury hot tub. The hot tub is under cover, so the weather won’t dictate when you can pamper yourself. With four bedrooms, a modern open-plan living area, a well-equipped kitchen and a woodburning stove, the cottage is the full package.
Stargazer’s Loft
Location: Hardwicke, Herefordshire
Best for: A stylish apartment a short drive or cycle away from Hay on Wye
Set in the rolling countryside, Stargazer’s Loft is a dreamy apartment suitable for four guests. Built from stone, the apartment building is located near Hardwicke, just a five-minute drive or a 15-minute cycle away from the literary town of Hay on Wye. A short drive from several historic ruins and the Brecon Beacons National Park too, the cottage is well-situated for itineraries of all kinds.
Stargazer’s Loft is also only a short drive from the River Wye, where guests might want to go paddleboarding, canoeing or hiking. Some of the closest spots in the Brecon Beacons National Park for outdoor enthusiasts are Pwll y Wrach Nature Reserve, Waun Fach and Llangorse Lake, which has an activity centre.
Facilities: An off-road parking space makes arriving and departing from Stargazer’s Loft easy. Guests will be greeted with a stone front, interrupted only by hanging baskets, potted plants, and a table and chair. Inside, floral curtains and cushions create a cosy, old-fashioned atmosphere. A compact kitchen is ideal for quick meals, with local pubs offering an alternative option for dining. The garden is particularly spacious. A barbecue is provided, along with patio furniture. Lockable bike storage is also provided for those keen to explore the local cycling trials or walks further afield in the Brecon Beacons National Park.
With so many high-quality cottages in Wales available with Breakfree Holidays, it shouldn’t be difficult to find a cosy home that will suit all of your requirements.