Popping up at Hay-on-Wye very soon

The Starch Green Kindness Jug appearing at Hay-on-Wye - a literary jug for a literary festival

Alongside the Hay Festival, Hay-on-Wye itself blossoms into a cultural hub of food fairs, pop-up shops, galleries and of course bookshops. Always a delight to visit, the festival adds a burst of energy to the town. This year we have banded together with Wood at Golden Valley, my brother's wood turning business, and Anne Fishenden, my artist-printmaker sister, to put up a pop-up shop in Castle Cottage, just behind Hay Castle.

The 'secret' gap in the wall to the cobbled courtyard

The cottage is in a cobbled mews, approached from the centre of Hay up steep steps and through a 'secret'  gap in the wall, leading to a magical, almost forgotten, courtyard.

A permanent resident here is the Olde Curiosity Shoppe, currently with a very Jubilee themed window, including an ageing teddy looking for a new home. Just past that on the left you stumble across Castle Cottage, its fading blue paintwork a subtle contrast with the red brick and grey stone.

More words bedeck the lovely Wood at Golden Valley bowls and boards

Come Thursday evening the porch will be decked out with scarlet pelargoniums and a bench under the window to welcome weary 'Hay-makers'.

Many Rivers to Cross, Jonathan Mercer, wood engraving

And inside a cool, modern British array of hand turned bowls and boards, wood engravings, lino prints, screen prints, decorated ceramics, turned ornaments and delightful felt 'botanicals' (definitely need to be seen to be appreciated).

Dog's Mercury, Anne Fishenden, lino cut

The shop then remains popped-up right through the festival until Sunday, 10th June.

The centre of Hay is smattered with lovely shops, galleries, cafes and the especially welcome Shepherds Sheep Milk Ice Cream Parlour - with bunting in full swing.

A pretty gateway in the wall leads to the castle where you'll find a mini Abergavenny Food Festival.

 Then some steep steps that take you up to the castle.

Turn right at the top, through the gap in the wall and you've found us! Before you go through the gap, look back for a fine view over the town.

Castle Cottage ready for transformation into our pop-up shop

Do come in and have a good look round - there's some lovely things - from pocket sized wooden treats, felt delights and hand-printed letterpress stationery to large, elegant silkscreen prints that will enhance the most discerning white wall.

The Starch Green Everyday Stationery set - lovingly printed on our old press

Carry on through the cobbled yard, past a Shepherds Ice Cream van, and you come to the The Sound Castle - Hay's mini music festival. There yesterday the grand white marquees were already up ready for the rumpus to begin...