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My fond relationship with the goes back to my school days. Growing up in mid Wales, I'd gone to the festival to volunteer for a week of stewarding - it was last time Bob Geldof played the festival, or even the time before, in the early '80s. Aside from Sir Bob, and workshops by Rasta poet the most memorable part of my stewarding experience was when my tent got eaten by the local lady's hungry Labrador, and my friend and I got put up in one of the towns lovely old hotels instead. Win win!

Cerys Matthews. Photo: www.madebyfinn.com

I try to get back to the festival as often as possible, because the calibre and variety of the guests who will travel to this quiet Powys town of books and antiques consistently amazes me. Sadly I've missed Rob Lowe, and US presidents in the past, but still.

This year my first show was the Catalan band ; they were celebrating 10 years of a life in music with a fiery fiesta of northern Spain's wild sounds, with adequate breakdowns to show off each member's particular skills, be it slap bass or flamenco dancing. It was a party from the off, and I can see how they have such a great reputation around the world for their unique fusion and authentic sounds from Barcelona.

A few nights later I was back to see Cardiff born journalist promoting his new book on psychopathy. I've been to see Jon speak a few times as I'm a huge fan of his writing, and he's a rare breed that is actually even more witty and entertaining when reading from his works; the ad-lib asides have us, an intimate crowd of around 1000, in stitches! I can't wait to read the book.

The talk was followed by a celebration of 30 years of . Despite the magazine- and fashion-world talent on the panel, the talk was rather dry and disappointing with not enough anecdotes and too many musings on the covers themselves. Yes, i-D broke the mold; yes, it's a market leader; and yes, long may it continue, despite my slight disappointment at the event. It probably didn't help that we could hear peals of laughter roaring from the large amphitheatre next door where Chris Evans was holding court with Anne Robinson!

Finally, I caught two musical concerts on Friday night. First up, , who is a formidable character on stage. Backed with a tight knit group of musicians playing piano, cello, double bass and drums, Eliza swapped instruments, sings, tells tales and swings her formidable hips. It was rip-roaring fun from the off. Blood On My Boots (a song about her best night out ever, in London's Leicester Square for the opening of Jerry Springer: The Opera), from her new album Neptune, is hilarious.

An hour later and we were back in the same theatre for a full house for Cerys Matthews' set. It had been a while since I'd seen her play and I was curious about how the songs from Tir and recent albums would sound.

She started with two naked folk songs, her voice soaring and the big acoustic guitar loosely thrown around her lap; it's captivating from the off. Joined then by the band (comprising double bass, drums, and accordion), the moods of the songs travelled from the wide sunny skies of Tennessee to the Middle East and back to Wales for Deio I Dywyn, which got the crowd clapping along.

Cerys' voice throughout was tender, boisterous, raucous, soaring, trilling, raspy and quite staggeringly versatile! I was absolutely gob-smacked, to be honest, by the whole performance. The stories, the smiles and the warmth that she emanated to such a huge auditorium was also to her credit.

With over 20 years of performing experience, and a nod at a Catatonia song in a unique version of Strange Glue, I walked away in pure awe at all she's achieved since the heyday of '90s pop, from the evolution in stage style, and the music she's collected, gathered, loved and re-arranged in such a unique way.

Cerys closed the show with Arglwydd Dyma Fi: another naked performance of just voice and gentle strumming guitar, and we were transported with the words and music to a cathedral of worship, of honesty, of purity, of humble hymn and Wales' finest singer really at home with where she's at right now. An incredible show from start to finish.

So another year at Hay comes to an end for me. I woke on the boutique campsite to enjoy the espresso bar, and look forward to another enlightening experience next year!