Hardy as a man

i'm Studying Hardy for as level and wondered if anyone knew what kind of a man hardy was, what impressions we gain of him through his poetry and how it relates to his poems, apart from the fact that he was pessimistic and had an affinity to nature,

You need to look into his biography. There are many sites out here on the internet that tell much about the man himself, his life and what he was like. I do know he drew heavily upon his own life and stories from the region he lived in, in order to write his own stories. He actually thought himself more of a poet than an author of novels. Of course his novels first gave him a name and still are more popular than ever.
Hardy was not so pessimistic as he was a complex man. If you read any biography, even a quick one, you should get some insight. Try Wikepedia. I am sure you will find much there to learn about the author. Did you read the biography on this site? Also "Literature Today" is a good start for you. There is a Thomas Hardy Association website as well. Much information there! Hope all of this helps. I have read most of Hardy's novels so if you have specific questions about them feel free to post or start new threads.

I don't think Hardy was pessemistic but he was troubled. He had a rather awkward marriage where he fell in love, married her, went off her and then once she died, he decided that she was the love of his life.