Really pleased to have Michelle from Tales of Yesterday, who's fairly new to blogging but has been a friend on Twitter since before she started blogging, talking about Astley Book Farm for today's Indie Advent post!
Astley Book Farm
This is the story of
how a wrong turn opened up a whole new world of books to a book addict, a great
independent book shop and how I made my husband cry.
It was a wet and
windy day. Diverted traffic from the
motorway meant my husband and I travelling on the country lanes back home. We don’t venture out in the country lanes
often and seemed to hit a no reception pocket!
Meaning Sat Nav blip!! Resulting in us taking a wrong turn!! Completely lost and willing the Sat Nav to
kick back into life urgently we pulled over onto a stony drive. Whilst my husband was trying to resuscitate
the Sat Nav I looked around to see where we were. A sign behind me proudly stated
Astley Book Farm
& Coffee Shop – Open
“Books!” I shouted
making my husband drop the flat lining Sat Nav into the foot well of the car. I
immediately put my foot on the accelerator and travelled down the long and
windy drive way towards this new wonder in amazement.
Pulling up in the car
park I couldn’t believe my eyes! A huge
converted barn….converted into a second hand Book Shop! I felt my heart race a little faster and my
tummy did an excited flip! I was out of
the car quicker than my husband could say “Sat Nav is now working!”.
Walking into Astley
Book Farm was breath taking. Shelves upon
shelves upon shelves of books all snaking around the amazing converted
barn. Round corners, upstairs, every
nook and cranny filled with books! Every
book you could imagine!
I was in my element
running around in ecstatic delight! I
literally got lost in books turning round corners and finding comfy leather
chairs to sit and read in or a friendly member of staff greeting you and
willing to reach the books that were too high for a small person (ahem) like me
to reach.
I had been
disappointed of late that there were no independent book shops near by where I
lived so finding Astley Book Farm was an inspiration. There was even a wonderful coffee shop
inside. And naturally I sampled the
cake! Yum.
I even lost my
husband at one point in the maze of books.
I was amazed and also very full from eating a wonderful carrot cake!
Upon my husband
finding me again I had an arm full of books.
Giving him that cheeky grin, which admittedly was a little cake crumb
covered, meaning “Yes I’m taking over more of your office space with
books!” he let out a cry…okay I’m
exaggerating… it was more of a sigh of “Not more books Chelle!”.
And that is the story
of how a wrong turn opened up a whole new world of books to a book addict, how
I found a great independent book shop and how I made my husband cry….and admit
we needed to buy a new book shelf from Ikea!
RESULT!
Astley Book Farm is
the largest second hand bookshop in the Midlands
and really is a wonderful place to visit.
They hold around 75,000
books, of which about 15,000 are available to buy via their website. The
range includes antiquarian, rare and out-of-print books, a huge range of
fiction, comprehensive non-fiction sections, Children's Hayloft and the Ten Bob
Barn. They add new books to the shelves and the online shop daily. And are open
every day, from 10am-5pm.
If I could buy one book from Astley Book Farm for
a Christmas present it would have to be a classic….A Christmas Carol by Charles
Dickens….PERFECT!
Please check out
Astley Book Farm on their web page – www.astleybookfarm.com
or why not follow them on twitter @astleybookfarm
Check out Michelle's fabulous blog at Tales of Yesterday or catch her on Twitter where she's @chelleytoy.
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