Hay-on-Wye Tourist Information Bureau
Oxford Rd, Hay-on-Wye, Hereford HR3 5DG, United Kingdom
4.3
91 reviews
8 comments
3VFF+86 Hay-on-Wye, Hereford, UK
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Monday: 11–15
Tuesday: 11–15
Wedneasday: 11–15
Thursday: 11–15
Friday: 11–15
Saturday: 11–15
Sunday: 10–13
Tuesday: 11–15
Wedneasday: 11–15
Thursday: 11–15
Friday: 11–15
Saturday: 11–15
Sunday: 10–13
Went to the tourist information with an inquiry of a scenic walk in the Hay on Wye area.
The employee at the information desk was dealing with a stubborn and provocative English gentleman making fun of the Welsh language, with comments like "what a made up language" and "nothing makes sense".
She was very patient and brushed off his arrogant comments with kindness. Very professional service.
She suggested a number of short walk options and we settled for Hay Bluff, which turned out to be a beautiful plateau hill, in the very Northernmost part of the Brecon Beacons, just on the England-Wales border. Thank you!
I always visit Tourist Info Points wherever I go to get a free maps and with a bit of luck discover something which I didn't know about in that particular area. Before I go for a trip I prepare myself as good as I can. Read a lot and collect necessary informations and directions with advance.
Yesterday my plan was to soak in atmosphere of Hay-on-Wye (which I did not visit never before) walking through the town and see some nice bookshops but the main attraction was climbing to Hay Bluff - highest and closest to the town summit of Black Mountains (which I've been few times in the past but just in Bleanavon).
When I get to the Tourist Info Centre I start to look some leaflets and been politely ask if I need some help. Which I firstly rejected but after I collected two leaflets about the town and shops I decide to ask about some advice of the trail from town to the Hill. Lady first of all take a look of me and told straight through that this is really far away.
When I told her that I know it might be far but this is nothing new for me as I do quite often 20-30 miles in Brecon Beacons she look at me suspicious asking if I did not put a lot of stuff to my backpack and do o have proper footwear.
I ask does she knows best way to get there, as an answer I heard once again that a way is VERY long and VERY BORING coz it goes mostly by normal road without sidewalk.
I knew it that Hay is on the Offa's Dyke Path and there are plenty of lovely trails but on that point I didn't want to say what I know. So after all I said Thank You to her and get out.
I had impression that she did not want to pass me some good, proper informations. Maybe because I'm foreigner? - I thought after I left the office.
After all I done my full trail in 4 hrs (with return, including getting to the top of the hill) in lovely dreamy-fairytale scenery. Exactly that was what I was looking for.
But I can see that some people over here had quite similar experiences with this Lady.
That's really bad when such a people works in such occupations. That makes a really bad first impression of the place. Unlucky to me at the end of the day, just before I left town I been cheated in local SPAR shop. This two experiences will keeps me aware of the people every next time I will visit this very beautiful area of Wales. Pity.