Offa’s Dyke Path is one of the nation’s best-known and most-loved long-distance footpaths, stretching for 177 miles along the borders of England and Wales and tracing the route of the defensive earthwork ordered by King Offa of Mercia more than 1,000 years ago.
Start and finish points are Chepstow on the Severn Estuary in South Wales and Prestatyn on the Irish Sea in North Wales. In between, you can enjoy parts of the Forest of Dean, including iconic Tintern Abbey, the ridge of the Black Mountains, the famous ‘book town’ of Hay-on-Wye, the Herefordshire towns of Kington and Knighton, and the countryside of Shropshire before you cross into North Wales and the Clywdian range of hills. And, of course, you will see the remaining parts of the Dyke itself, the most ambitious building project in Britain in almost a millennia.
You can choose to do all or some of the Southern section of Offa’s Dyke Path and Walklite Baggage Transfer is happy to discuss the route in detail to help you make up your mind – or see David’s blog from his walk in this section.
ITINERARY
A National Trail, Offa’s Dyke Path has numerous websites dedicated to it offering detailed information from the history of Offa’s Dyke, to the route, towns and places to visit along the path, accommodation, maps and guidebooks.
These sites will help you plan your trip:
The Southern section of Offa’s Dyke Path can be completed in approximately five-seven days, however you may like to walk at a more leisurely pace and take in the historic border towns and villages, castles and attractions that this area has to offer, it is entirely up to you.
Maps
Offa’s Dyke Path is marked on the Ordnance Survey Explorer series of maps and the relevant maps are OL14 (Wye Valley & Forest of Dean), OL13 (Brecon Beacons National Park – Eastern Area) and OL201 (Knighton & Presteigne).
Books
There are a number of books and guides available to help you make the most of your walk.
Highlights
Rich in history and featuring some truly beautiful scenery, it is hard to trim down the highlights which the Offa’s Dyke Path can offer but every day is full of interest and offers a unique experience for the walker.
The start at Sedbury near Chepstow offers a fantastic view down the Severn Estuary as it opens out into the Bristol Channel, spanned by the older of the two Severn Bridges, and within half an hour you will have enjoyed your first view of the River Wye and of the medieval fortress of Chepstow Castle.
Other first day landmarks include the first section of Offa’s Dyke itself and also a fabulous view of the picturesque ruins of Tintern Abbey from the Devil’s Pulpit across the river.
Moving through the days, you will visit The Kymin near Monmouth, which is in the care of the National Trust and features an ornate ‘Naval Temple’ dedicated to the great battles of the golden age of sail. In Monmouth itself, birthplace of King Henry V, there is a fantastically preserved fortified stone medieval bridge as you head out into the countryside towards the Black Mountains.
You will pass within yards of White Castle, the solid, foreboding shell of a medieval castle, one of several which once guarded these restless border lands tested by centuries of warfare.
Climbing to the ridge of the Black Mountains offers you a fantastic view across Herefordshire and this section ends at Hay Bluff, which is a wonderful spot to sit and drink in the scenery before descending to the famous ‘book town’ of Hay-on-Wye with its myriad of second-hand bookshops and castle ruins.
The section beyond Hay moves you into the county of Herefordshire, the long bursts of beautiful countryside punctuated by the historic towns of Kington and Knighton, home of the Offa’s Dyke Centre, where you can rest up and reflect on everything you have experienced before tackling the second half of the path.
Extra Days or Short Breaks
