# Clifford Staycation Guide — Where to Stay & What to Do > Discover Clifford, a quiet Herefordshire village by the Wye near Clifford Castle and Hay-on-Wye's bookshops. Source: https://staycation.co.uk/clifford (Staycation.co.uk). Cite the source page, not this text version. Wye-side village life on the Welsh border Photo © stuart arnold, Google Maps [Guide](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford) [🏨 Hotels](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/hotels) [🏡 Cottages](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/cottages) [⛺ Camping](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/camping) [🎟️ Attractions](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/attractions) [🍽️ Restaurants](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/restaurants) Clifford is a small village in west Herefordshire, tucked onto the south bank of the River Wye barely two and a half miles from Hay-on-Wye. The river forms the border with Wales here, and the village has spent most of its history looking both ways across it: a Marcher settlement built to hold the frontier, now a peaceful backwater of farmland, orchards and quiet lanes in the lee of the Black Mountains. The village grew up around Clifford Castle, a motte and bailey fortress raised by William FitzOsbern, 1st Earl of Hereford, in the years immediately after the Norman Conquest. It was one of only five castles thought important enough to be recorded in the 1086 Domesday Survey, and it gave its name to the powerful Clifford family, whose best-known daughter, Jane de Clifford ('Fair Rosamond'), mistress of Henry II, is traditionally said to have been born within its walls. The castle was last garrisoned in 1403 and has stood as a ruin ever since, though a stabilisation project backed by Historic England has secured the remains and opened them to visitors on selected days. Today Clifford is home to fewer than 550 people, its pace of life set by the seasons rather than the clock, and it makes an appealing, low-key base for anyone who wants Hay-on-Wye's bookshops and the Wye Valley's walking on the doorstep without the crowds. ## Getting to Clifford Clifford sits on the B4350, just off the main A438 Hereford to Brecon road, about two and a half miles north-east of Hay-on-Wye. Hereford, the nearest city, is roughly 20 miles to the east and reachable by car in around 40 minutes along the A438. The nearest mainline railway station is Hereford, with services on the Welsh Marches Line connecting to Newport, Cardiff, Shrewsbury and beyond; from the station, Hay and Clifford are best reached by road, either by car or the local Hay Bus service that runs from Hereford. There is no station in Hay-on-Wye or Clifford itself, so a car is the most practical way to explore the surrounding villages and hills at your own pace. ## Best time to visit Clifford Late spring through early autumn is the most popular time, when the Wye Valley is at its greenest and days are long enough for walking on Hay Bluff or along the river. Late May brings the Hay Festival to the nearby town, drawing writers and readers from around the world and filling local accommodation well in advance, so book early if that's the draw. Autumn brings its own rewards, with the Wye Valley's woodlands turning colour and the crowds thinning out, while winter is quieter still, better suited to log fires in village pubs than long hilltop walks, though clear cold days on the Black Mountains can be spectacular. ## Where to stay in Clifford [All hotels in Clifford →](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/hotels) About staying in Clifford Clifford and the villages around Hay-on-Wye offer a scattering of characterful places to stay rather than a large concentration of hotels, which suits the area's quiet, rural character. Expect country inns with rooms, farmhouse bed and breakfasts, and small independent hotels rather than chain properties, many of them making the most of Wye Valley views or a position close to the river. The Old Black Lion in Hay-on-Wye is a well-known choice, a 17th-century inn with an award-winning restaurant and rooms just a short drive from Clifford itself, while other guesthouses and B&Bs are spread through Hay, Clifford and neighbouring villages such as Whitney-on-Wye and Winforton. Booking ahead is strongly advised around the Hay Festival in late May, when demand across the whole area rises sharply and the best rooms are taken up months in advance. Outside festival season, the area still suits travellers who want a comfortable base for walking the Black Mountains and Offa's Dyke Path, exploring Hay's bookshops, or simply enjoying a slower pace on the England-Wales border, with most properties within a few minutes' drive of both the river and the hills. [Hazlewood Castle and Spa Paradise Lane, Hazlewood](https://staycation.co.uk/hazlewood/hotels/hazlewood-castle-and-spa) [The Swan and Talbot 34 North Street, Wetherby](https://staycation.co.uk/wetherby/hotels/the-swan-and-talbot) [The Jackdaw Stutton Road, Tadcaster](https://staycation.co.uk/tadcaster/hotels/the-jackdaw) [The Old Presbytery Guest House London Road (A162), Tadcaster](https://staycation.co.uk/tadcaster/hotels/the-old-presbytery-guest-house) [Days Inn Wetherby Junction 46 A1(m), Wetherby](https://staycation.co.uk/wetherby/hotels/days-inn-wetherby) [Wood Hall Hotel and Spa Trip Lane, Wetherby](https://staycation.co.uk/wetherby/hotels/wood-hall-hotel-and-spa) [The Tickled Trout Bilton In Ainsty, York](https://staycation.co.uk/york/hotels/the-tickled-trout) [The Bridge Hotel and Spa Walshord, Wetherby](https://staycation.co.uk/wetherby/hotels/the-bridge-hotel-and-spa) ## Things to Do in Clifford [All attractions in Clifford →](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/attractions) Top things to do in Clifford Clifford itself is small, but it sits at the centre of some of the best walking, reading and river country in the Marches. - **Clifford Castle** — the ruined motte and bailey stronghold above the Wye, birthplace (by tradition) of Fair Rosamond and one of the five castles named in the Domesday Book; open to visitors on selected days as restoration continues. - **St Mary's Church, Clifford** — the village's Norman-influenced parish church, with monuments inside recording centuries of local history. - **Hay-on-Wye** — the "town of books", with more than twenty second-hand and antiquarian bookshops, the famous honesty bookstall in the grounds of Hay Castle, and the world-renowned Hay Festival of literature and arts each spring. - **Hay Castle** — a restored medieval castle in the centre of Hay, with exhibition spaces and a rooftop viewing platform looking out over the Wye Valley. - **The Warren** — a riverside meadow and Site of Special Scientific Interest on the edge of Hay, good for an easy stroll along the Wye. - **Hay Bluff and the Black Mountains** — a striking escarpment a short drive south, with some of the finest views in the Brecon Beacons National Park over the Wye Valley below. - **Offa's Dyke Path** — the long-distance trail tracing the ancient Wales-England border passes close by, giving walkers direct access from the area into open hill country. - **Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty** — the wooded, meandering stretch of river running through and beyond Clifford, popular for walking, canoeing and wildlife-watching. [Crazy Tykes ⭐ 4.4](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/attractions/crazy-tykes) [KidsPaintball Leeds ⭐ 4.6](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/attractions/kidspaintball-leeds) [Live For Today Adventures Hazlewood ⭐ 4.9](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/attractions/live-for-today-adventures-hazlewood) [🎟️Pottery & Ceramic Painting Clayfever](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/attractions/clayfever) [🎟️Parks & Play Areas The Secret Forest](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/attractions/the-secret-forest) [Stockeld Park ⭐ 4.5](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/attractions/stockeld-park) [The Laser Adventure ⭐ 4.5](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/attractions/the-laser-adventure) [Lotherton ⭐ 4.6](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/attractions/lotherton) ## Where to Eat in Clifford [All restaurants in Clifford →](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/restaurants) Food and drink in Clifford For a full choice of places to eat and drink, most visitors head the short distance into Hay-on-Wye. The Old Black Lion, a 17th-century inn near the site of Hay Castle's old gatehouse, has an AA-Rosette restaurant and has picked up Good Food Award recognition for its gastropub cooking. Kilverts, in the centre of town, is a long-standing inn with a large beer garden and a rotating selection of guest ales alongside its bar menu. The Blue Boar, a family-run local, serves food all day and keeps cask ales on alongside hearty pub classics. Between them, Hay's pubs and cafes give Clifford's visitors everything from a quiet pint to a proper Sunday lunch, all within a few minutes' drive of the village. [Bramham Village Hall ⭐ 4.7](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/restaurants/bramham-village-hall) [Thai Chokdee Restaurant ⭐ 4.4](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/restaurants/thai-chokdee-restaurant) [🍽️Restaurant The Cottage](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/restaurants/the-cottage) [Tom Foolery ⭐ 4.3](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/restaurants/tom-foolery) [SALT Boston Spa ⭐ 4.4](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/restaurants/salt-boston-spa) [Amor ⭐ 4.9](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/restaurants/amor) [L'Aquila Restaurant ⭐ 4.6](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/restaurants/l-aquila-restaurant) [Da Carlo ⭐ 4.8](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/restaurants/da-carlo) ## Attractions Near Clifford [All attractions in Clifford →](https://staycation.co.uk/attractions) Worth the trip — within 50 miles of Clifford. [2 mi Crazy Tykes Wetherby · ⭐ 4.4](https://staycation.co.uk/wetherby/attractions/crazy-tykes) [2 mi KidsPaintball Leeds Tadcaster · ⭐ 4.6](https://staycation.co.uk/tadcaster/attractions/kidspaintball-leeds) [3 mi Live For Today Adventures Hazlewood Tadcaster · ⭐ 4.9](https://staycation.co.uk/tadcaster/attractions/live-for-today-adventures-hazlewood) [🎟️Pottery & Ceramic Painting 4 mi Clayfever Tadcaster](https://staycation.co.uk/tadcaster/attractions/clayfever) [🎟️Parks & Play Areas 4 mi The Secret Forest Tadcaster](https://staycation.co.uk/tadcaster/attractions/the-secret-forest) [5 mi Stockeld Park Wetherby · ⭐ 4.5](https://staycation.co.uk/wetherby/attractions/stockeld-park) [5 mi The Laser Adventure Wetherby · ⭐ 4.5](https://staycation.co.uk/wetherby/attractions/the-laser-adventure) [5 mi Lotherton Leeds · ⭐ 4.6](https://staycation.co.uk/leeds/attractions/lotherton) ## Camping in Clifford(1) [All campsites in Clifford →](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/camping) About camping in Clifford Clifford and the Wye Valley around it offer some lovely, low-key camping country, mostly in the form of small, family-run sites rather than large holiday parks, set among farmland, orchards and the wooded banks of the river. As in the rest of England, wild camping without the landowner's permission is not legal here, so it is worth sticking to established campsites or arranging permission directly with a farmer if pitching up off the beaten track. The terrain around Clifford is gently undulating riverside pasture giving way quickly to the steeper ground of the Black Mountains and Hay Bluff to the south, so there is a good mix of easy valley-floor pitches and more adventurous hill country within a short drive for anyone keen to combine camping with proper walking. Late spring to early autumn is the best window for tents, when the ground is drier and evenings are long enough to enjoy a fire and a view of the Wye below; the Hay Festival period in late May is especially popular and campsites nearby fill up quickly, so early booking pays off if that coincides with a visit. For those who would rather skip the guy ropes altogether, glamping options in the area range from shepherd's huts and safari tents to converted horseboxes and yurts, many with wood-burning stoves for cooler nights, offering the same river-and-hill setting with a good deal more comfort. Whatever the choice of pitch, campers are close enough to Hay-on-Wye to combine a night under canvas with a day browsing bookshops or exploring Hay Castle, and close enough to the Black Mountains for a proper day's walking on Offa's Dyke Path or up onto Hay Bluff itself. [Wighill Caravan Site ⭐ 4.9](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/camping/wighill-caravan-site) [Wighill Park Glamping ⭐ 4.9](https://staycation.co.uk/wetherby/camping/wighill-park-glamping) [Haighfield Caravan Park ⭐ 4.8](https://staycation.co.uk/west-yorkshire/camping/haighfield-caravan-park) [Stockeld Park ⭐ 4.5 · from £130/night](https://staycation.co.uk/wetherby/camping/stockeld-park) [Moor Lodge Caravan Park ⭐ 4.6](https://staycation.co.uk/west-yorkshire/camping/moor-lodge-caravan-park) [Glenfield Caravan Park ⭐ 4.8](https://staycation.co.uk/bardsey/camping/glenfield-caravan-park) [Greenscapes Nursery Certificated Site ⭐ 4.5](https://staycation.co.uk/west-yorkshire/camping/greenscapes-nursery-certificated-site) [Maustin Park ⭐ 4.6 · from £25/night](https://staycation.co.uk/netherby/camping/maustin-park) ## Self-Catering Cottages in Clifford [All cottages in Clifford →](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/cottages) [🏡Cottage Cabbage Hall Cottage 1 bed · sleeps 2 · from £520](https://staycation.co.uk/leeds/cottages/cabbage-hall-cottage-syk29119) [Snowdrop Cottage 2 bed · sleeps 3 · from £452](https://staycation.co.uk/leeds/cottages/snowdrop-cottage-syk921824) [The Granary 2 bed · sleeps 4 · from £465](https://staycation.co.uk/leeds/cottages/the-granary-syk1170262) [🏡Cottage Goose Beck Cottages 5 cottages · from £483](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/cottages/goose-beck-cottages-bacchus-uk51258) [🏡Cottage Arts and Crafts 1 bed · sleeps 2 · from £333](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/cottages/arts-and-crafts-syk1124869) [🏡Cottage Amy Johnson 1 bed · sleeps 2 · from £333](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/cottages/amy-johnson-syk1124871) [🏡Cottage The White Princess 1 bed · sleeps 2 · from £333](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/cottages/the-white-princess-syk1124872) [🏡Cottage Folklore 1 bed · sleeps 2 · from £333](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/cottages/folklore-syk1124873) ## Common questions about Clifford How many campsites are there in Clifford? We list 1 campsites in and around Clifford, of which 1 take tents and 1 offer glamping. ### 🏨 Find Hotels in Clifford Search hotels, B&Bs and self-catering on Booking.com. [Search Accommodation →](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101762279-15734754?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.en-gb.html%3Fss%3DClifford%252C%2BUnited%2BKingdom) Affiliate link ### Explore Clifford - [🏨 Hotels & B&Bs](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/hotels) - [🏡 Cottages](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/cottages) - [⛺ Campsites & glamping](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/camping) - [🎟️ Attractions](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/attractions) - [🍽️ Restaurants](https://staycation.co.uk/clifford/restaurants) - [🗺️ More in Herefordshire](https://staycation.co.uk/herefordshire) - [🧭 All of the West Midlands](https://staycation.co.uk/regions/west-midlands) ## Staycation ideas for Clifford [All staycation ideas →](https://staycation.co.uk/staycation-ideas) [The Best Last-Minute UK Staycations Six well-connected UK towns and cities worth booking at short notice, chosen for easy travel and a decent spread of accommodation once the school-holiday crowds have thinned.](https://staycation.co.uk/staycation-ideas/best-last-minute-staycations) [Rainy Day Staycations: Best UK Breaks for Bad Weather When the forecast turns grim, these UK cities and spa towns keep their appeal indoors, with museums, galleries and grand architecture to fill a wet weekend.](https://staycation.co.uk/staycation-ideas/rainy-day-staycations-uk) [The Best Dog-Friendly Staycations in Britain From Cornish coast paths to Lake District fells, these six British destinations offer the open beaches, moors and forests that make a staycation genuinely enjoyable for dogs and their owners alike.](https://staycation.co.uk/staycation-ideas/dog-friendly-staycations) [The Best UK Staycations for Families with Young Kids From New Forest ponies to Cornish rock pools, these six UK destinations combine easy logistics, safe beaches and family-friendly attractions for a stress-free break with young children.](https://staycation.co.uk/staycation-ideas/best-staycations-for-families)