I visited two towns on each side of Welsh border but made one big mistake

Living not far from the A470 in the north, writer Owen Hughes' usual journey to the capital is a straight shot down the middle of Wales, staying on that same road for all but a few miles. However, he recently decided to shake things up and explore the border. Partly, this was to satisfy a long-standing desire to visit Hay-on-Wye, the nation's book capital, a place he had read and seen so much about but never actually visited.

The Daily Post journalist also thought to take in another location en route and chose Ludlow in Shropshire, known for its castle and historic centre. Owen shared: "Compared to the A470, the border route is straighter but busier - so any time you gain in faster stretches is lost in queues.

"It's about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Conwy to Ludlow without breaks, so I was ready for a paned when I arrived."

He continued: "Unusually for me, it was just myself on the trip rather than with all or any of the family, or some mates. This made it quieter and cheaper, and I could pick my own in-car listening. It means you can quietly take things in, but you also miss the banter and sharing the experience, so swings and roundabouts.

"I parked up in the centre of the town and took a signposted walk around the castle walls. This fortress was built to secure the border against Welsh raids."

Constructed by the de Lacy family, starting back in 1085, Walter de Lacy was part of William the Conqueror's invasion force in 1066. Massive town walls were added in the 13th century, with Ludlow Castle standing within the circuit of these walls.

While it may not compete with the grandeur of North Wales' castles, the place still offered an impressive sight. Owen took a leisurely stroll down to a quaint cafe by the River Teme, savouring a coffee and sandwich in an outdoor area with a view of the water.

Owen went on to share: "I then wandered to Broadgate, the sole surviving medieval gate, and in this area you can see some sections of the remaining town wall.

"The whole place oozes history, and apparently there are almost 500 listed buildings in the town, with medieval and Georgian buildings in the centre. I'm not a huge shopper but did appreciate some of the shop windows and boutique stores.

"You could easily stay longer but my itinerary demanded I move on and it was back in the car for hour long onwards journey to Hay-on-Wye."

This leg of the trip takes you back across the border into Cymru, with Hay-on-Wye situated just inside the Welsh boundary. The town is home to another castle, dating back to the Norman conquest and efforts to suppress Welsh uprisings.

Hay Castle was fortified in the 12th century, and a mansion was added in the 17th century. Although largely derelict at the start of the millennium, the site has been rejuvenated by the Hay Castle Trust and now serves as an arts and literature centre.

"However, I was not here for the castle and parked up to explore some of the more than 20 bookshops in the town," said Owen.

Hay-on-Wye is known as the 'World's First Book Town', its literary revival spearheaded by Richard Booth in the 1960s. He had read about some libraries that were closing down in America and went out there with some friends, where they crated up thousands of books and shipped them home.

He opened his own secondhand bookshop in the former fire station in 1961. This inspired others, and soon books from across the world were flowing into the increasing collection of bookshops in the town. It is of course also now famous for its annual Hay Festival.

Owen said, "With so much choice, it is hard to decide where to start. I went for instinct over any research and popped into one that, for no conscious reason, drew me in. You can then easily get lost in these places with narrow aisles and towering bookshelves."

"I was not after anything specific, so it was very much a pick and see approach before something sparked. It was one of four bookshops I went into, and it was lovely to speak to a couple of the owners/staff and ask about recommendations.

"I ended up with a book per shop before deciding to do something a bit different. After a day in my car or walking around towns I felt like a nature inspired pick-me-up and had heard about The Warren - a riverside spot for walking or wild swimming.

"I had some gym shorts with me and decided to go and have a short dip, the cold water a tonic for a sore back from driving."

Owen continued: "After drying off it was back to the town centre for a quick coffee. Sitting there as the evening drew in and a further couple of hours of driving ahead I thought about my big mistake.

"I really should have booked a night - ideally with other people/ person. There was a lovely atmosphere in the town and finishing off the day with some food and a few drinks would have rounded off a fascinating day.

"This is, though, a very good excuse to come back."