Earlier this week I took the kids to my favourite bookshop. In fact, as I think about it, it’s one of my all time favourite places to visit. I could lose myself in there for hours and hours, so I thought you’d like to have a little peek at it.
It’s in the Midlands, not all that far from us, and it’s called Astley Book Farm.
It is, as the name implies, off a country road, up a rough track, surrounded by fields. I feel peaceful just by parking the car there!
They have an outbuilding called the Ten Bob Barn, with a room full of bargain books, all jumbled up, shelves begging to be perused.
The main building is then jam-packed full of secondhand books. Jam-packed, I say!
You wander in and walk into a room full of books, which then leads to another room full of books, then another, then another, and so it goes on!
There’s a huge fiction section, with authors A-Z, and they then have a separate sci-fi and fantasy area and rooms full of non-fiction. Upstairs, there’s also a children’s books area, and my two always find something they like there.
In addition to the rooms full of books, there’s also a cafe with delicious cake. Yes, like the books aren’t enough of a lure to visit, there is cake! 
So yes, books and cake. What more would I really need? Now, if they could just sell a few house plants, too, I’d be there daily!
I don’t think I have ever left this place empty handed. I mean, how can you not find something you’d like to read with this many choices?
I do love taking the kids as I am always happy to encourage their enjoyment of books, and they always pick something up for themselves. But, if I’m honest, my favourite visits are when they’re at school and I can take a long, long, time browsing around, with no small person asking if I’m finished yet and can they have their cake now!
It’s my happy place, and as I write this, even though I just visited this week, I am already trying to work out when I can next go back there.
Can you see why this might be one of my favourite places? Would you enjoy visiting?
I adore visiting books stores. We have some wonderful second hand book stores here in Denver. My favorite is the PRINTED PAGE. It is in a historical house, and is set up for a great experience checking out the shelves, sitting for a bit, and of course taking home treasures! I am certain I would like your favorite bookstore too.
The Printed Page sounds fabulous, I want to visit!
I love it there – I try to go at least once a year. And the cafe is just wonderful too!
Me too! I’ve been twice recently and I already find myself itching to return!