Offa's Dyke Path

This walk must rate as one the best walks that I have done, it certainly has the most varied terrain. We stayed at B&B's and Youth Hostels on the way but camping is plentiful. We did the path in early May which can be one of the best times for walking in England. The wild flowers were marvellous, whole woods were carpeted in Bluebells and we also found early wild orchids.

We used the Offa's Dyke Associations Accommodation Guide a really handy little booklet with grid refs for most accommodation and a list of transport and shops on the route, good value for about 2.50 pounds, also their path guide South to North for about 1 pound was very good, we very rarely needed our maps.
The Countryside Commission guides were very good (2 vols) with interesting points on the way and 1:25000 OS strip maps.
Also "A guide to Offa's Dyke path" by C.J. Wright was an excellent guide book with lots of history and good sketch maps.

The Address for the Offa's Dyke Association is :-

O.D.A Centre
West Street
Knighton
Powys
LD7 1EN

For another perspective of this walk have a look at Walter Trimble's Offa's Dyke trip

Day 1 Sedbury Cliffs to Monmouth - 17.5 miles
The route leaves the cliffs overlooking the Severn and goes through Chepstow and then climbs high above the Wye passing Tintern Abbey in the valley below then down along the Wye until a final climb up to the Kymin (an 800 ft Hill with a Naval Temple, built in 1800 to celebrate the second anniversay of the battle of the Nile). With its excellent views of the Monmouth and onward to the Black Mountains.

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(1)Overlooking Chepstow with its 11th Century Castle and Brunel Bridge.
(2)View down over the Wye to Tintern Abbey.
(3)View from the Kymin overlooking Monmouth.

Day 2 Monmouth to Pandy - 17 miles
Monmouth is full of history, it has the ruins of the castle where Henry V was born and also has many other old buildings. It is also the birthplace of Charles Rolls, who was the first person to fly the English Channel both ways without landing. and also the co-founder of Rolls Royce motors and a well known car racer. As we leave Monmouth we pass under the 13th century gatehouse on the river Monnow. Then into beautiful pastureland and again into more woods full of Bluebells and on past some lovely villages. We have a pint at the Hostry Inn at Llantilio-Crossenny. After lunch we pass the remains of 12th century White Castle, we get a good view as the path goes right along the walls. As we travel along we can see ahead of us the Black Mountains and tomorrow's route along the ridge. We finally drop down to Pandy where we are staying tonight.

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(1)Monmouth Town Hall.
(2)Looking towards Sugarloaf and Skirrid.

Day 3 Pandy to Hay on Wye - 17 miles
Well after quite possibly the biggest breakfast I've ever seen we get a 9 o'clock start for todays walk along the Hatteral Ridge. This is a long walk and can be rather "dodgy" in bad weather, especially mist. But today the weather is just right, sunny and bright but with a nice breeze we climb the 1000 ft onto the ridge in a fairly short distance followed by a more gradual climb onto the higest point at about 2300ft, the views all around a really good we can even see down into the valley towards the 12th century Llanthony Priory. We thought about popping down for a pint but don't fancy the climb back onto the ridge! The path at the top is really wide and we can see how people get lost if the mist is down, the ridge is over 10 miles long and at the end we reach Hay Bluff at about 2000 ft high it has marvellous views over the Wye valley. There is a steep 700 ft descent down to the road then a lovely walk down into Hay on Wye.

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(1)Climbing towards Hatterall ridge.
(2)View along the Hatterall ridge.
(3)The View down from Hay Bluff.

Day 4 Hay on Wye to Kington - 14.5 miles
Hay was very interesting, it seemed that every other shop seemed to be selling second hand books! so we crossed the Wye and walked along it for a short while before heading off to pastures new. We pass half timbered buildings and villagessuch as Newchurch before heading onto the moor/heath land of Disgwylfa Hill with good views towards our next objective "Hergest Ridge" we drop down through the tiny village of Gladestry and manage to get a pint before the pub shuts. We then climb onto Hergest Ridge a really lovely heath/moor with great views over to the Radnorshire Hills, past the old Kington Race track and then a pleasant stroll down into Kington.

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(1)Newchurch.
(2)Walking on Hergest Ridge.

Day 5 Kington to Knighton - 13 miles
The views today are really good, a fairly steep climb up Bradnor Hill and then up onto the top of Rushock Hill. We again meet the dyke and have a good view in all directions, especially when we get near Evenjob. We suddenly pass an Obelisk in the middle of a field and then carry on towards Knighton. We manage to get views of Brown and Titterstone Clee (Hills) in Shropshire and then go down to Knighton. An excellent walk today.

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(1)Walking nr Kington.

Day 6 Knighton to Brompton Crossroads - 15 miles
This is supposed to be the toughest part of the walk today with lots of ups and downs. But before we leave we have a look at the Offa's Dyke information centre and also the Offa's Dyke Park with its commemorative plaque. Then its straight up Panpunton Hill and at the top there are monuments to the two main people who helped to devise and plan the route. There are good views down into the Teme valley followed by more hills then down to the river Clun and past an old half timbered building and then again more climbs and descents to Churchtown. The next part of the path is nicknamed "The Switchback" it starts with a 350 foot climb in a quarter of a mile and when at the top good views of Corndon and other Shropshire Hills. A steep descent into then Unk valley up again and then a pleasant walk into Brompton Crossroads. Disaster - The pub was shut and when it finally opened it didn't do food!

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(1)View overlooking Knighton from Panpunton Hill.
(2)Above Nut Wood looking toward the Shropshire Hills.

Day 7 Brompton Crossroads to Buttington Bridge - 12.5 miles
This is a change - its flat, well almost! we follow the dyke with views off to our left of Montgomery and its ruined castle about 3 miles or so away. Later on we pass through Leighton Woods with its Monkey Puzzle trees, which is a part of the Leighton Estate and House. We then climb (knew it was too good to last!) up to about 1400 feet to Beacon Ring Hill fort (Iron Age?) and get good views of the surrounding area. Then down to Buttington Bridge which is very close to Welshpool and the remarkable Powis Castle.

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(1)View from Beacon Ring Hill Fort.
(2)Descending towards Buttington Bridge

Day 8 Buttington Bridge to Trefonen - 15 miles
A fairly easy morning along the Shropshire Union canal and then along the river Severn, but with good views towards the Breidden Hills. We've soon done the 10 miles or so to Llanymynech then up onto Llanymynech hill which has been a site of mining (Silver, Copper, Zinc and Lead) since Roman times. then down and back up again to the old mining village of Nantmawr, up through a nice wood and onto the summit of Moelydd (934 ft), although not particularly high it is supposed to have some of the best all round views on the path. Then down to Trefonen.

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(1)View of the Breidden Hills from nr the River Severn.

Day 9 Trefonen to Pont-Cysyllte Aqueduct - 13 miles
Up onto the old Oswestry Race Course, now overgrown, but you can still make out the track. At the top there is a viewpoint with good views towards the Wrekin. Further along we have a splendid view looking over to Chirk Castle we then drop down towards it, having a little detour to have a look at some old Lime Kilns. We climb up the permissive path (April to September only) and near to the 14th century Castle. We then walk along and end up on the canal towpath with good views towards the aqueduct. Its amazing, it was built by Telford between 1795 and 1805 and consist, of a hugh cast iron trough, 1000 ft long and 120 ft high on stone pillars the trough is 12ft wide and not for those of a nervous disposition, as the boats cross there is no fence at all on one side, just a large drop. Never the less its a good walk across it on the part at one side of it.

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(1)Walking along Offa's Dyke nr Trefonen

Day 10 Pont-Cysyllte to Llandegla 12 miles
Leaving the aqueduct we head toward Llangollen although we keep on the other side of the valley there are good views towards the town and to Dinas Bran Castle on its small isolated hill. As we travel along the precipice walk (not as good as it sounds) with the sun shining on the limestone formations, it reminds me of parts of Yorkshire). We traverse around the cliffs and then head towards Worlds End and onto the open moorland at the top, through forestry and down to Llandegla.

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(1) The Vale of Llangollen looking towards Dinas Bran Castle.
(2) Limestone scenery nr Llangollen.

Day 11 Llandegla to Bodfari - 17 miles
A hard day today, up onto the Clwydian Hills, lots of peaks and excellent views and there seems to be one iron age fort after another! After an excellent walk we drop down slightly followed by a walk up to Moel Fammau (1820ft). The views are superb (I think this is best seen in late summer when the heather makes the hillsides purple). We then push on toward Moel Arthur we can see it getting close, only problem a large drop and climb onto it. We finally reach Bodfari, tired but "knocked out" by the day.

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(1)View from Moel Arthur
(2)The walk towards Moel Fammau.

Day 12 Bodfari to Prestatyn - 13 miles
Straight up out of the village and towards another hill fort, but good views non the less. We push on toward Rhuallt where we had a bit of a route problem as they had built a bypass, but we found the way ok, in the end and even have time for a pint in the pub. Then up again and heading towards the sea, we can see it so it must be all downhill from here. Wrong we are actually taken up Prestatyn Cliffs climbing through the gorse to 700' (a really good way to end) before dropping down into town and paddling out into the sea, in the time honoured fashion!

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(1)Climbing up from Bodfari.
(2)Prestatyn - As far as you can go!

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Any comments or suggestions please feel free to write to me at phil.andrews@nottingham.ac.uk