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The little Welsh town that's home to Britain's best high street

It also has the longest stone bridge in Wales - Getty
It also has the longest stone bridge in Wales - Getty

Last month, the Collins Dictionary named “single-use” its word of the year. Can it be coincidence that the immaculately preserved high street of Crickhowell – home to the first zero-waste fill-up shop in Wales, with absolutely no big chains in sight – has been named the best in the UK by the Great British High Street Awards (followed, if you’re interested, by Altrincham in Greater Manchester, Alness in Scotland and Portadown in Northern Ireland)? Well, quite possibly. But let’s move on anyway.

Earlier in the year, Crickhowell is home to the Green Man arts and music festival and the Crickhowell Literary Festival. It’s also a popular stop-off for those who flock to the annual food festival in nearby Abergavenny. But it’s worth a visit in its current, festively twinkling state, too, affording ample opportunities to recover from a bout of sustainable shopping with a mug of mulled cider. 

Having set off from Paddington at 9am, I know I’ll be too late to enjoy breakfast in one of the town’s many cwtch-like (it means “cupboard”, and also “cuddle”) cafés. Still, I’m surprised to find myself already chewing the fat with the shopkeepers and perusing their wares by half-past eleven (it takes two hours on the train from London to Abergavenny, via Newport, followed by a 15-minute cab or bus journey to Crickhowell itself).

According to my cheerful cab driver, Crickhowell welcomes a similar number of tourists year-round, largely thanks to hikers, horse riders, mountain bikers and caravanners, who come to spend time in the Black Mountains, possibly commencing at the Iron Age hill fort that gave the town its name, “Crug Hywel”. But I’m here for the high street shopping experience – and it doesn’t disappoint.

An array of businesses, both eclectic and traditional, ply their trade here. There’s Petals the florists, crafts and gifting at Lush by Zoe Claire, decorative antiques and interiors at Beatrice & Maud, country attire at Nicholls… even the off-licence, Bacchus, is a treasure trove, where I pick up a bottle of Aber Falls Welsh orange marmalade gin for an forthcoming Secret Santa exchange.

Crickhowell - Credit: Getty
The high street shopping experience doesn’t disappoint Credit: Getty

As I pootle, I learn that the much-lauded zero-waste shop, Natural Weigh, is housed in a prime retail building run by Corn Exchange Crickhowell Ltd, an organisation established in 2015 “by people who love Crickhowell” to prevent a former pub from being bought out by a supermarket chain. 

The resultant collection of shops, with flats above for locals, was opened by the Prince of Wales in July: other tenants include the dog-friendly Brownies & Brunch vegetarian and vegan “gastrocafé”, and The Emporium, where Lindsey Jones sells crafts, collectables, vintage and retro goods. Resident Tim Adams, a proud spokesman for the organisation, tells me that the project was curated with the aim of “preserving and enhancing the character of the buildings and the town.” And this it has undoubtedly achieved.

The award-winning High Street - Credit: ANDREW FOX
The award-winning High Street Credit: ANDREW FOX

Should you wish to outstay your daytripping remit and stay longer in order to explore the surrounding area, holiday cottages abound: scour Airbnb for centuries-old ty-doli or “doll’s house” cottages, shepherd’s hut retreats, farmhouses and converted barns. Dreamy.

Six good reasons to visit Crickhowell

The bridge

Crickhowell Bridge is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The longest stone bridge in Wales, it’s a picturesque spot for photographs, flanked by the beer garden of the Bridge End Inn on one side and the Vine Tree Llangattock restaurant on the other.

The pub

The Bear, a former coaching inn, is a 600-year-old Crickhowell institution, with 35 oak-beamed en suite bedrooms. Get into the festive spirit with Sunday lunch and a pint of Grey Trees pale ale brewed in nearby Aberdare. The Dragon Inn is also worth a visit. Iechyd da!

The castle

The ruins of the 12th- century Crickhowell or “Alisby’s” Castle are little more than a remnant of the original motte-and-bailey fortification, surrounded by green space and a play area, which lends itself well to picnicking. 

The butcher

Not one but two traditional butchers survive in Crickhowell. There’s F E Richards as well as Cashells family butcher and deli (which, bizarrely, is the town’s second-highest-rated attraction on TripAdvisor). Look out for Black Mountain Welsh lamb, 21-day-aged beef (hung on the bone), Caerphilly cheese and homemade sausages.

Zero waste - Credit: andrew Fox
Not a scrap of single-use plastic in sight Credit: andrew Fox

The zero-waste shop

Stock up on everything at Natural Weigh, from fabric conditioner to ground cinnamon, pasta, rice, nut butter and wooden toothbrushes (or pick up a mulled wine kit in a cloth bag) – with no single-use plastic at all. 

The book (and coffee) shop

Bookish is a fiercely independent bookshop with a cosy children’s reading area and a café serving Welsh rarebit and fresh coffee from Black Mountain Roast. Expect author events and a beautifully presented, extensive book selection.