Y Gelli Gandryll Cefn Gwlad

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-I've arrived here in Hay-on-Wye,

-and do you know, it's a lovely day.

-This town is famous

-as a centre for books and bookshops.

-That's not why I'm here, by the way.

-There are Welsh speakers here,

-and a livestock mart...

-..so I'm looking forward to it.

-I love this place.

-The ancient town of Hay,

-on the banks of the Wye in Powys...

-..is a stone's throw from the border

-between England and Wales.

-Even this close to the border,

-Welsh speakers live and work here.

-Prices are always buoyant

-at the local mart.

-The quality products

-from Hay-on-Wye's mart...

-..are a feast for the eyes

-in local shops.

-Dolan Leighton from Carmarthenshire

-runs a hotel in the town...

-..and, how can I put it,

-she's quite a character.

-Don't you fall.

-Don't you fall.

-

-I'm in these shoes.

-I'll never pick you up.

-If I go down first, you'll be OK.

-I've been walking in the sunshine

-and I've met a character.

-Her name's Dolan, and that's enough.

-Yes, Dolan's fine.

-Where are we going now?

-Down to the river?

-Is there something special

-about this river?

-That stream is Nant Dulais.

-You're in Wales this side...

-..and in England that side.

-England. Now then.

-It's prettier this side.

-This is a good bridge.

-This is a good bridge.

-

-I know.

-A lot of people use it

-to walk through the fields.

-The river must be high

-after heavy rain.

-It floods. It's dangerous.

-"Danjerus". That's not a word

-you hear often in Hay.

-"Danjerus."

-For a small stream, it's dangerous.

-She's wound up!

-Tell me now,

-how long have you been here?

-It'll be twelve years in August.

-I came here by myself,

-not knowing where it was.

-I fell in love with the pub.

-I really fell for it.

-When he found out

-I'd bought it, Dadi told me...

-.."What the hell?"

-He did speak Welsh!

-"What the hell are you doing

-buying this old place?

-"All it'll do is cost you money."

-Did I listen to him? No.

-Was he right? Yes.

-But he was a one.

-When Festival week comes...

-..it must be hard work at the hotel.

-Yes, we don't stop for ten days.

-But it's good for the town.

-It's so big now,

-it's out of town...

-..but it's still good for the town

-and its businesses.

-The Hay Festival has been held

-every year since 1987...

-..and has grown immensely by now.

-There are lots of ice cream shops.

-There are lots of ice cream shops.

-

-This one here is popular.

-I heard that they ran out

-during the Festival.

-Everyone had a good Festival.

-It's been busy.

-That it's a great boon for the town.

-Do you see the castle?

-Do you see the castle?

-

-Surely no-one lives there?

-No, but it's being restored now.

-Was it inhabited until recently?

-Was it inhabited until recently?

-

-Richard Booth lived there.

-He owned the castle.

-Did he?

-He put Hay on the map.

-He introduced the books

-and he was the King of Hay.

-There was a ceremony and everything.

-There was a ceremony and everything.

-

-A man of status!

-So, he lived here?

-The castle does look quite tidy

-on one side.

-He did live here at one time,

-but it's been sold now.

-It's being restored by a trust now,

-who've had funding to do the work.

-It's a big part of Hay

-here on the square.

-Not every square has a castle.

-And a queen! Come on, let's go!

-After a look at the border

-and the town centre...

-..we head back to Dolan's

-historic hotel and pub...

-..the Old Black Lion.

-Excellent.

-That was steep.

-That was steep.

-

-I'm out of puff now.

-It's time for a drink.

-It's time for a drink.

-

-I had trouble keeping up.

-It's ready.

-It is as well.

-We deserve one, I'd say.

-I feel better already.

-Everyone knows what I drink.

-Excellent.

-It's muggy, then the showers come.

-It's muggy, then the showers come.

-

-Iechyd da.

-I'm out of puff.

-Which one's mine?

-Which one's mine?

-

-That one.

-Iechyd da.

-This bar is full of character.

-This bar is full of character.

-

-It's nice, isn't it?

-Do you get lots of people staying?

-Yes, it's busy, pretty busy.

-It's quiet in winter,

-but that's true of anywhere.

-I see photos

-of jazz musicians everywhere.

-Do you have jazz nights here?

-Do you have jazz nights here?

-

-Yes, every Friday night.

-And all through the Festival.

-Jazz every Friday, people who

-have played at Ronnie Scott's.

-Grand old places like this one...

-..often have stories

-about ghosts in rooms.

-Is that true of here?

-Is that true of here?

-

-Yes, it is.

-The room

-where you slept last night...

-..there's a ghost there

-that might have shared your bed.

-A ghost?

-A ghost?

-

-Yes.

-A bogeyman?

-A bogeyman?

-

-A bogeyman!

-I feared the bogeyman

-when I was a child.

-We'll settle for a bogeyman.

-Hay may not be familiar to me...

-..but I've reached

-the livestock mart.

-I'm delighted to be here,

-because the standard is very high.

-The fatstock lambs here

-are as good as at any mart.

-It's an old mart...

-..but over the years,

-back in the '20s and '30s...

-..some thousands of lambs were sold.

-As I said, the quality is here.

-Apparently, local people,

-local butchers, buy a lot here.

-By the end of the morning,

-we'll see what the trade is like.

-Emyr Roberts

-is from Llansannan originally...

-..but he has lived in the Hay area

-since the 1980s.

-He's a proficient sheep grader...

-..and no-one knows the quality

-of local sheep better than him.

-There are a lot of white ones here.

-There are a lot of white ones here.

-

-These Texels have become popular.

-It used to be all black-faced.

-It used to be all black-faced.

-

-Yes, when I first came here.

-That's all changed now,

-to Texel, Beltex and Charollais.

-The land is good here,

-and these lambs are a good size.

-They're heavier than they look.

-They weigh more than you think.

-We're in Hay-on-Wye on a Thursday.

-How many marts do you do in a week?

-How many marts do you do in a week?

-

-Um, six.

-Do you?

-Yes, I've been doing six since 1992.

-I started myself, but I'm lucky

-to have lads helping me.

-There's a clear place

-for you boys at the mart.

-You need someone to grade the lambs,

-or every Tom, Dick and Harry...

-We find that if trade has gone up...

-..quite a few farmers

-want to bring everything.

-Lambs that are too fat and too thin.

-They have to be sorted by weight.

-The market now

-demands lighter lambs than before.

-You can sell the big lambs

-here at the mart...

-..but we're punished on the hook.

-..but we're punished on the hook.

-

-That's right.

-But one or two butchers here

-want big lambs for catering.

-They can pick them up

-from the market.

-How busy is it?

-I know it's down from what it was.

-I heard one of the lads say

-it was in the thousands in the '30s.

-It's an old mart, isn't it?

-It's harder

-to keep this place going.

-But a lot of local farmers

-try their best to keep it going.

-We're lucky that they do try.

-Your roots are further north.

-Many of those watching will remember

-your father, Bobi Roberts of Brecon.

-He sang in the vigils at Glansevin.

-He could sing, but I can't.

-He could sing, but I can't.

-

-Can't you?

-No, I can't go up or down!

-I'm useless.

-Starting now

-on the non-Continental class...

-There's some kind of show here too.

-Yes, we have a new judge here today.

-Not you?

-Not you?

-

-No, I can't judge them.

-You're here every week.

-You're here every week.

-

-Yes, so I'd be in trouble.

-I can't do it, no.

-One of the classes

-at Hay this morning...

-..is for Continental Beltex lambs.

-The standard is high.

-What weight are you looking for?

-They want around 40 kilos, 41 or 42.

-Live weight?

-Yes, live.

-About 18, 19, 20 kilos on the hook.

-There are smaller ones as well.

-Here today,

-everyone wants to buy these.

-Two butchers are after them.

-Everyone wants them.

-You could buy them

-with your eyes closed.

-They'll be in local shops as well.

-The competition

-between shop windows is important.

-Congratulations to Price and Rogers,

-Lower Sgynlas Farm, Glasbury, Powys.

-They won the top prize

-with lambs of exceptional quality.

-According to the auctioneer,

-Robert Meadmore...

-..the mart at Hay

-may not be the biggest...

-..but it's certainly the happiest.

-..but it's certainly the happiest.

-

-Round of applause, folks.

-Very well done, everybody concerned.

-A lovely day at Hay,

-the happiest market in the country.

-I'd say that trade was very good.

-Excellent trade.

-Better than I expected.

-Better than I expected.

-

-There were good lambs.

-We had two butchers' shops

-here buying.

-They've bought good lambs

-for their shops.

-That's important, of course.

-That's important, of course.

-

-Very important.

-It's money for the farmers.

-Money for the farmers

-is important...

-..as is offering quality meat

-at the local butcher's shop.

-This morning,

-manager Geraldine Like...

-..is keeping an eye

-on the latest meat delivery.

-Hello, hello, hello.

-Hello, Dai.

-I saw the corpses coming in.

-I thought to myself,

-I hope she's alive.

-You wouldn't want to fall out

-with them, Dai.

-You've got some stuff in here.

-You've got some stuff in here.

-

-You have to put it out to sell it.

-You start in the right place

-by buying the right stuff...

-..which is local.

-Look at the lambs.

-We see them live,

-looking terrific at the market.

-They were last week's lambs,

-absolutely beautiful.

-They're not Welsh lamb,

-I'm afraid to say.

-They're just over the border,

-but they're good lambs, crackers.

-You're keeping the family tradition

-and the business going.

-I am. It wasn't exactly planned.

-My poor father took ill.

-I came back to help the boys

-and stayed, really.

-I bet he's looking down, happy

-that you're taking his position.

-Paul thinks I'm mad, I'm not sure.

-It's been a good thing for me to do.

-Can I wish you well?

-Just remember the odd lamb

-from this side of the border!

-We always try!

-You'll keep us all happy.

-Lovely to see you.

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-It's the middle of June...

-..and the landscape around Hay

-is at its best.

-Arwyn Davies is originally

-from Pontrhydfendigaid...

-..but he spent over 40 years

-as a vet in this area.

-He has retired now,

-but his career began back in 1965.

-A year previously, I'd been working

-with the government in Cardiff.

-In Llanishen.

-But I was like a mountain sheep

-that had been locked in a barn.

-I like being out in the countryside.

-That's why I chose to become a vet.

-That's how it started.

-It was a Tuesday, and I got

-a call from one of my farmers.

-John Evans, you might know him.

-He kept Welsh Blacks.

-I got there about half past ten.

-I wasn't very good.

-Fred Kane, my anchorman,

-got up about half past two.

-That was the first animal

-I laid a hand on.

-There was room for improvement.

-You covered a lot of this area

-with your practice.

-Yes, mostly within

-a ten-mile radius.

-But I did go much further.

-You must have liked the area

-because you've stayed here.

-I moved quite a bit at first.

-Every two years,

-my friends asked the question.

-"Where are you going next, Arwyn?"

-But ultimately, it's an experience.

-We got a warm welcome in this area.

-I came down here one day.

-I hadn't been in town very long.

-I was driving slowly,

-as every vet does.

-A Volkswagen

-came towards me at speed.

-Smack!

-Smack.

-That was the end of that car.

-One of the farmers up here

-said to me...

-.."Don't worry,

-I'm not doing anything today.

-"I'll drive you around

-if you want me to."

-How about that?

-How about that?

-

-Very neighbourly.

-Very neighbourly.

-I notice

-that the town is Anglicized...

-..and the area is fairly Anglicized.

-But to be fair,

-you've kept your Welsh.

-It's great, to be honest.

-You don't get the chance

-to speak Welsh often.

-None of my farming clients

-spoke Welsh.

-About half a dozen

-in the town, probably.

-No, I hardly spoke any Welsh...

-..for about 30 years...

-..while I was at the practice.

-But I did a lot of work

-with the Show in Llanelwedd...

-..and there's a lot of Welsh there.

-Apart from the Festival, the town

-attracts people all year round.

-There's a smaller festival

-in December as well.

-Capel-y-ffin.

-Of course,

-Hay was a small agricultural town.

-There are photos of cattle

-being sold in the street.

-That was true of many places.

-It's odd that the mart's still open.

-Yes, but it's a good thing.

-One of the farmers

-told me that he comes there...

-..not only to sell

-but also for some fun and a chat.

-Farming these days

-is a very solitary life.

-Farmers can be lonely.

-Very lonely.

-Tourists come up here

-and they see something not right.

-A lame animal, a pony perhaps.

-They have cell phones nowadays.

-They don't look for the farm.

-They ring the RSPCA

-and say that something isn't right.

-They in turn call a vet.

-I've spent over an hour

-before now...

-..looking for an injured badger

-that someone has seen.

-This farm, Tynllyne they call it,

-belongs to a friend of mine.

-It's probably Ty yn y Llwyn.

-Dairy cattle.

-I only had about four dairy farms

-in this whole area.

-My friend,

-when he came out of college...

-..they milked 40 cows

-in an abreast parlour.

-They have 400 cows now.

-A lot of farms kept milking cows...

-..when I came out of college.

-Small farms,

-county council holdings.

-Yes, yes.

-They had been set up...

-..to help people into farming.

-It was a good idea.

-Youngsters today haven't much hope,

-given land prices here.

-What happened to a lot of them,

-if you remember...

-..was giving up on the churns.

-Yes, yes.

-The bulk came in.

-The bulk came in.

-

-Tanks.

-A lot of people decided...

-..that they weren't

-going to splash out on tanks.

-I remember,

-before going over to the tank...

-..I could carry

-a ten-gallon milk churn...

-..no trouble at all,

-and put it up on the stand.

-Once the tanks came

-and I got out of the habit...

-..I couldn't move them.

-We're high up here.

-Most of these farms

-have Welsh names.

-Yes, in this area.

-But over the hill behind you,

-you're in England.

-There are some Welsh names

-in the next valley...

-..then it's all English.

-I never considered that Hay

-was so close to mountains.

-It looks so green,

-and the wonderful red soil.

-Yes, it's very pleasant.

-It's a good farming area.

-There's something

-about the red soil.

-It lacks cobalt.

-That leads to a disease...

-..especially in lambs

-being fattened.

-They don't come on as they should.

-The answer is to dose them...

-..or a shot of B12, vitamin B12...

-..or to spread cobalt sulphate

-onto the land.

-You don't need a lot.

-No, just a pound or two per acre...

-..every three or four years.

-Of course, if you feed...

-..if you give them creep,

-there's plenty in the creep...

-..but not if you're fattening them

-on pasture.

-We're looking at natural farmland.

-You want lambs that can live off it

-nowadays, because feed is expensive.

-Not that calling the vet is cheap.

-That's changed, it's safe to say!

-I can't understand why you retired!

-I've been out of it for ten years.

-I've been out of it for ten years.

-

-Have you really?

-Yes, ten years,

-but I do have some sheep myself.

-Nowadays, I have to call out

-a vet and pay a vet's bill!

-I tell people,

-"I didn't realize how much...

-"..it was costing!"

-Here we are again.

-Right ahead of us is Hay Bluff,

-where the hang-gliders take off.

-You'll often see twenty

-in the air at the same time.

-I've heard that it's the best area

-in Europe for hang-gliding.

-Down there on the right

-is Bwlch yr Angel, Gospel Pass.

-That's a good Welsh name,

-Bwlch yr Angel.

-I doubt there are angels here.

-S4C Subtitles by Testun Cyf.

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