Slow Shopping: Artisans & Makers

Start your day in Made in the Marches Gallery where you can pick up artwork from established and emerging artists and makers based in Herefordshire, Shropshire and Powys. Their exhibitions take in all media, from paint to porcelain. There is also a growing selection of art materials and artist-designed kits for sale. Along the street, you’ll find Kat and Fiddle Gallery where the acclaimed artist Kathryn Moore makes and sells her brilliant mixed media landscapes.

Next, make up a delicious hamper for the foodie in your life. The best artisan-made foods are a speciality at Number 25 Delicatessen, choose from Herefordshire treats such as Penrhos Gin, British Cassis, Hay Charcuterie, Monkland Dairy cheese and artisan chocolate. Stock up on eco essentials for the body and home at Planet B, find culinary gifts at the Bee’s Knees Cook Shop plus outdoors gear at The Walking Hub.

With your shopping in the bag, make the most of the gorgeous countryside. Walk up Hergest Ridge for dramatic views and wild ponies. For a less strenuous option, explore Birches Farm Nature Reserve or take a picturesque drive around the nearby black and white villages.  

Favourite stops include Border Bean and La Gala. The Cattleshed at Penrhos Court is just outside Kington with a tasty menu from morning to evening. Relax over a local ale at the CAMRA-listed Ye Olde Tavern with its original pub interior.

Pop to the award-winning Stagg Inn at Titley for fabulous food as well as rooms or try the nearby New Inn at Pembridge for beams, roaring fires, stacks of history and, reputedly, a ghost. Other places to stay include Church House B&B, The Walking Hub B&B and The Burton Hotel.

Make time to walk up Hergest Ridge for amazing views and the chance to see wild ponies. Tour the home of the beautiful blackcurrant liqueur British Cassis or learn how to stride out with poles, Nordic-style.

Art galleries, homeware stores and eclectic antiques will all compete for your attention. Discover established names and new talents, many of which are local, at The Lion Street Gallery, The Table, Ty Tân Art and Bluestone Gallery. Or explore the work of two artist collectives at The Flaming Lady of Hay and The Haymakers. Meanwhile, Brook Street Pottery specialises in ceramics, Thru The Lens is the place for photography and you can find handmade glass at Eirian Studio Glass.

Buy fair trade at Eighteen Rabbit or browse new and vintage at The Old Electric Shop, including a showcase of artisan makers. The Great English Outdoors is pitched as a 'shop with soul', perfect for finding locally-sourced and ethical delights, such as leather goods, clothing, gifts for hosue and garden and textiles. Meanwhile, The Welsh Girl sells coveted handmade ponchos, cushions and bags whilst Bartrums & Co will satisfy each and every stationery addict. Over at the Hay Antiques Centre you can browse the wares of some twenty-six dealers under one roof. And Wye Fret is a brilliantly named guitar shop which has just opened.

Of course, there are countless bookshops (twenty plus at the last count!) stocked with antique, second-hand and new books catering for every literary taste, from detective fiction at Murder & Mayhem to verse at The Poetry Bookshop. Meanwhile, Richard Booth's Bookshop and Addyman Books are laden floor to ceiling with titles from across every genre, and the specialist Children's Bookshop is just a mile out of town.

Visit on a Thursday morning to catch the weekly market which is packed with more than 40 stalls piled with gorgeous edible goodies as well as vintage finds, arts and crafts, jewellery and ceramics.

There's a host of relaxed places to eat, including Hay Deli, Tomatitos Tapas Bar, the new Cosy Café and The Granary as well as Shepherds, the famous retro ice-cream parlour

No 10 Dulas is a cosy hideaway in town or drive a few miles out of town to discover many self-catering options in the glorious Golden Valley, including Drovers Rest Farm and Cynefin Retreats. Local Bed & breakfasts include The Cob at Montpelier, which is set in four acres of meadows and is made from straw and lime render.

Print your own lino-cuts with the help of artist-printmaker Helen Arthur at Skirrid Studio, craft your own blend of gin at Black Mountain Botanicals or head out into the stunning scenery with a llama at your side.