BACK in the sixties a young Oxford graduate hit on the bright idea of filling a picturesque country town full of bookshops.

Today, Hay-on-Wye, a beautiful little market town nestled between hills on the Welsh/English border, is internationally famous, with 39 bookshops selling over a million new and second-hand titles.

It also stages a huge annual literature festival, attracting up to 80,000 visitors from across the globe.

Canny entrepreneur Richard Booth chose the town, which comes complete with its own castle, because his family had lived nearby since 1903. He wanted to stay close to his roots, and build up a successful business.

He couldn't have picked a lovelier location. It is surrounded by glorious countryside, sitting as it does, on the fringes of the Brecon Beacons National Park, close to the looming presence of Hay Bluff - well worth a visit, by car or foot.

You could probably spend a life-time wandering the quaint streets, and drifting gently through the bookshops themselves, which range from small specialist outlets to huge vaults stuffed with titles covering everything under the sun.

There is a wealth of cosy cafs and pubs to visit and while away the hours in, as well as some fascinating bric-a-brac shops and antique print sellers if you've seen enough books.

The historic castle - now a bookshop, dominates the centre of the town, and has a rich 900-year history, having been attacked several times, from both sides of the border.

Getting there from Newport/south east Wales: Take the A4042 to Abergavenny, follow the A40 to Crickhowell, where you take the A479 to Talgarth. From here take the road signposted to Hay-on-Wye.