Offa's Dyke Path

Offa's Dyke Path (Welsh: Llwybr Clawdd Offa) is a long-distance footpath following closely the Wales–England border. Opened in 1971, it is one of Britain's National Trails and draws walkers from throughout the world. Some of the 177-mile (285 km) route either follows, or keeps close company with, the remnants of Offa's Dyke, an earthwork, most of which was probably constructed in the late 8th century on the orders of Offa of Mercia. However, the dyke does not go over the Black Mountains but follows the current Wales-England border along the Hatterall Ridge.

A marker post on Offa's Dyke Path

Walking

The summit of the Black Mountain crossed by the Offa's Dyke Path

Traveling south to north, starting by the Severn Estuary at Sedbury, near Chepstow and finishing at Prestatyn on the north coast, the walk will take an average walker roughly 12 days to complete.^[1] Following a man-made border and ancient monument, rather than natural features, the dyke path crosses a variety of landscapes. The route crosses the Black Mountains, the Shropshire Hills, including the many ups and downs of the 'Switchback', the Eglwyseg moors north of Llangollen and the Clwydian Range.

It passes through, or close to, the towns of Chepstow, Monmouth, Abergavenny, Hay-on-Wye, Kington, Knighton, Montgomery and then in and around the North Wales towns and villages of Llangollen, Llandegla, Clwyd Gate, Bodfari and Dyserth.

The half-way point of the path is marked by the Offa's Dyke Centre in Knighton (52°20′45″N 3°03′06″W / 52.3458°N 3.0517°W / 52.3458; -3.0517 (Offa's Dyke Centre)Coordinates: 52°20′45″N 3°03′06″W / 52.3458°N 3.0517°W / 52.3458; -3.0517 (Offa's Dyke Centre)).^[2] There used to be around 600 stiles along the route, but many of these have now been replaced by kissing gates.

Promotion

Various bodies on either side of the border are collaborating on a sustainable tourism partnership, a principal focus of which is Walking with Offa, both on the trail but also in what has been dubbed Offa's Country i.e. in a corridor along the border.

References

1. ↑ "Mileages along the Path (South to North)". Offa's Dyke Association. Retrieved 14 August 2013. 
2. ↑ "The Offa's Dyke Centre in Knighton, Powys". Offa's Dyke Association. Retrieved 14 August 2013. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Offa's Dyke Path.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Offa's Dyke Path.

• Offa's Dyke Path on the National Trail website
• The Offa's Dyke Association
• Rambers' Association: Offa's Dyke Path National Trail
• Map of the Offa's Dyke Path in 2 mile sections

Long-distance footpaths and National Trails in Wales
Coastal footpaths & trails	Anglesey Coastal Path Ceredigion Coast Path Gower and Swansea Bay Coast Path Llŷn Coastal Path North Wales Path Pembrokeshire Coast Path South Wales Coast and Severn Estuary Coastal Path Wales Coast Path
Non-coastal footpaths & trails	The Beacons Way Cambrian Way Celtic Way Cistercian Way Clwydian Way Dyfi Valley Way Glyndŵr's Way Landsker Borderlands Trail Marches Way The Maelor Way Monnow Valley Walk Offa's Dyke Path Rhymney Valley Ridgeway Walk Taff Trail Usk Valley Walk Valeways Millennium Heritage Trail Wye Valley Walk

Transport in Powys
Road	A40 A44 A438 A458 A470 A479 A481 A483 A487 A488 A489 A490 A495 A4059 A4113 A4221 B4574
Footpaths	Beacons Way Cambrian Way Epynt Way Glyndŵr's Way Marches Way Offa's Dyke Path Sarn Helen Severn Way Usk Valley Walk Wye Valley Walk
Cycle routes	Celtic Trail Elan Valley Trail Lake Vyrnwy Road Circuit Lon Cambria Lôn Las Cymru Radnor Ring Taff Trail
Railway stations	Cambrian Line Caersws Dovey Junction Machynlleth Newtown (Powys) Welshpool Heart of Wales Line Builth Road Cilmeri Dolau Garth (Powys) Knucklas Llanbister Road Llandrindod Llangammarch Llangynllo Llanwrtyd Pen-y-Bont Sugar Loaf Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway Castle Caereinion Cyfronydd Heniarth Llanfair Caereinion Sylfaen Welshpool Raven Square