One of the joys of staying at a Kip Hideaway is discovering new corners of the UK – hunting out independent gems, lesser-known beauty spots, and the best places to eat and drink. In this guide, we’ve picked the brains of our hideaway owners in Powys and Herefordshire: neighbouring counties that share the Wye Valley, the famously bookish town of Hay-on-Wye, and some of the most interesting food and drink in the country.
Eat
Hay-on-Wye Thursday & Sunday Markets
Our owners highly recommend Primrose Market Garden stall for the most amazing salad leaves grown up the road, edible flowers and bags of stir-fry greens. There’s also a grower in the Butter Market who sells his own veg and makes incredible jars of kimchi, and Alex Gooch Artisan Baker is another favourite.
Daphne’s, Presteigne
Watch the world go by as you soak up the atmosphere at this independent eatery – sourdough pizza, organic wine, friendly hosts and a relaxed vibe. Locally sourced ingredients, popular with locals, booking in advance recommended.
The Riverside at Aymestry
Winner of the Great British Pub Awards Best Sustainable Pub, Visit England Awards 2025, and Herefordshire’s Best Restaurant – this is a consistently great place to eat, with excellent food from their own kitchen garden and smallholding, in a beautiful rural setting on the River Lugg.
Restaurant Sow, Netherwood Estate
The Netherwood Estate near Tenbury Wells has been home to a succession of exceptional restaurants (including the Michelin-starred Pensons). The current incarnation is Restaurant Sow, which opened May 2025 – farm-to-table dining from a team with serious credentials, surrounded by productive kitchen gardens and orchards. Still the place for a special occasion in this corner of Herefordshire.
The Bridge Eatery
A top pick for coffee and cake, a light lunch, or a three-course evening meal. The water here is lovely, and many people take a dip as part of their visit.
Seeds, Llanfyllin
A really small restaurant in the front room of a timber-framed cottage, with just 16 seats. Run by a husband and wife team, everything is locally sourced and the wine list is excellent. No website – call ahead to book: 01691 648604.
Kin Kitchen, Ludlow
Run by the owners of Cruckbarn, The Kin serves delicious freshly cooked meals and carefully selected drinks – some ingredients even come from the greenhouses and raised beds of their beautiful town-centre garden.
The Harp, Old Radnor
A beautifully restored traditional Welsh longhouse serving excellent seasonal British food, with views across the valley that are worth the trip alone. Booking in advance required for dining.
The Bull’s Head Inn, Craswall
One of the last unspoiled drover’s inns in England – flagstone floors, hole-in-the-wall bar, open fire – serving seasonal dishes with meat from their regenerative farm. Now listed in the Michelin Guide and ranked in the UK’s Top 50 Gastropubs. Easily combined with a trip to Hay-on-Wye and a drive up Hay Bluff for some incredible views across the Wye Valley. Book ahead.
Shepherd’s Ice Cream Parlour in Hay-on-Wye
Great coffee and sandwiches made with locally baked bread. Their sheep’s milk artisan ice cream changes with the seasons – a must visit.
Drink
Herefordshire cider & perry
Herefordshire produces some of the best cider and perry in the country – it’d be rude not to sample. You can also learn all about the cider-making process with a tour of Weston’s Cider Mill or at Newton Court, a smaller craft producer.
The Live and Let Live, Bringsty Common
A 16th-century cider house and the only thatched pub in Herefordshire – totally hidden from the road. Good for a pub lunch, combined with a mooch around Bringsty Vintage Living.
Artistraw, near Clifford
Lydia and Tom make the most amazing cider and perry from their orchard. Often at local markets in Hay and Kington – and the labels are beautiful too.
Whinyard Rocks vineyard at Highbrook Cottage
One of our hideaways is also home to a natural, low-intervention vineyard, where you can pick up bottles of red and naturally sparkling wine made on the farm. Read more about the vineyard here.
Do
Hay-on-Wye
The recently restored Hay Castle is a must-visit, with tours of its epic history and a great café. This is also the starting point for canoe and kayak trips down the River Wye. Not to mention home to countless bookshops and cool independents – you can easily spend a full day here. There’s also a pebbled beach on the Wye for a swim.
Wild-swimming
There are plenty of places to swim in the area. In Hay, head to the pebbled beach. In Presteigne, seek out the secret beach along the withy beds boardwalk on the River Lugg. At Discoed, find the footpath pointing north off the B4356. At Leintwardine, park before the bridge and follow the path to Brockley Meadow. Wolfs Leap in the Irfon Valley has big, deep pools. Or stay at Glasbury River Cottage and swim directly from the garden.
Offa’s Dyke Path
177 miles of walking trail, passing through the Brecon Beacons and linking three Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty: the Wye Valley, the Shropshire Hills, and the Clwydian Range. The Hatterrall Ridge section is particularly spectacular.
Milton Hill, near Brilley
A short climb for incredible views of the Radnor Hills and over to the Black Mountains – Wales on one side, England the other. Rarely busy. Also excellent for tobogganing in snow.
The Begwyns
A semi-wild upland near Hay-on-Wye, perfect for picnics at The Roundabout – a circular wall surrounded by trees, with a spectacular view across the valley.
Cycling the Black and White Trail
Quiet roads, stunning scenery, characterful pubs. A famous cycling tour of half-timbered villages including Pembridge, Weobley, Dilwyn, Eardisland and Eardisley.
