Offa's Dyke Path ( cy, Llwybr Clawdd Offa) is a long-distance footpath loosely following the Wales–England border. Officially opened on 10 July 1971, by Lord Hunt, it is one of Britain's National Trails and draws walkers from throughout the world. About of the route either follows, or keeps close company with, the remnants of Offa's Dyke, an earthwork traditionally thought to have been constructed in the late 8th century on the orders of King Offa of Mercia.

Walking trail

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. Roughly following the border in parts, and elsewhere the ancient monument of Offa's Dyke, as well as natural features such as the Hatterrall Ridge, the Dyke Path passes through a variety of landscapes. The route traces the eastern edge of the Black Mountains, traverses

Clun Forest Clun Forest is a remote, rural area of open pastures, moorland and mixed deciduous/coniferous woodland in the southwest part of the English county of Shropshire and also just over the border into Powys, Wales. It was once a Royal hunting forest ...

, the Eglwyseg moors north of Llangollen and the Clwydian Range. The route passes through the counties of

Monmouthshire Monmouthshire ( cy, Sir Fynwy) is a county in the south-east of Wales. The name derives from the historic county of the same name; the modern county covers the eastern three-fifths of the historic county. The largest town is Abergavenny, with ...

, Gloucestershire, Powys, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Wrexham, Denbighshire and Flintshire. The

Welsh Marches The Welsh Marches ( cy, Y Mers) is an imprecisely defined area along the border between England and Wales in the United Kingdom. The precise meaning of the term has varied at different periods. The English term Welsh March (in Medieval Latin ...

(Marchia Wallie) is a term used to describe this border region between England and Wales, since it was recorded in the Domesday Book in 1086. It passes through, or close to, the towns of Chepstow,

Monmouth Monmouth ( , ; cy, Trefynwy meaning "town on the Monnow") is a town and community in Wales. It is situated where the River Monnow joins the River Wye, from the Wales–England border. Monmouth is northeast of Cardiff, and west of London. I ...

, Hay-on-Wye, Kington, Presteigne, Knighton, Montgomery, Welshpool and

Oswestry Oswestry ( ; ) is a market town, civil parish and historic railway town in Shropshire, England, close to the Welsh border. It is at the junction of the A5, A483 and A495 roads. The town was the administrative headquarters of the Borough of ...

, then in and around the North Wales towns and villages of Llangollen, Llandegla, Bodfari and Dyserth. The half-way point of the path is marked by the Offa's Dyke Centre in Knighton (). There used to be around 600 stiles along the route, but many of these have now been replaced by kissing gates.

Route

Places on the route and highlights on or near the trail: Chepstow Castle from Offa's Dyke Path

Chepstow to Monmouth

* Sedbury Cliffs: Severn Estuary, Severn Bridge * Chepstow:

Chepstow Castle Chepstow Castle ( cy, Castell Cas-gwent) at Chepstow, Monmouthshire, Wales is the oldest surviving post-Roman stone fortification in Britain. Located above cliffs on the River Wye, construction began in 1067 under the instruction of the Norman L ...

River Wye The River Wye (; cy, Afon Gwy ) is the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, fourth-longest river in the UK, stretching some from its source on Plynlimon in mid Wales to the Severn estuary. For much of its length the river forms part of Wal ...

* View of Tintern Abbey from the Devil's Pulpit * Redbrook: Iron railway bridge *

The Kymin The Kymin, ( cy, Cae-y-Maen), is a hill overlooking Monmouth, in Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located approximately one mile east of Monmouth, on the eastern side of the River Wye and adjacent to the border with the Forest of Dean and England. ...

naval temple Tintern Abbey from Offa's Dyke Path

Monmouth to Hay-on-Wye

Monnow Bridge Monnow Bridge ( cy, Pont Trefynwy ), in Monmouth, Wales, is the only remaining medieval fortification, fortified river bridge in Great Britain with its gate tower standing on the bridge. Such bridge towers were common across Europe from Middl ...

* White Castle *

Llangattock Lingoed Llangattock Lingoed ( cy, Llangatwg Lingoed) is a small rural village in Monmouthshire, south east Wales. It is located approximately five miles north of Abergavenny, between Abergavenny and Grosmont, a few miles south of the Wales-Eng ...

: St Cadoc's church * Pandy * Hatterrall Ridge is the highest point on the trail at * Black Mountains Monnow Bridge over River Monnow at Monmouth

St Cadoc's Church at Llangattock Lingoed

* Llanthony Priory

Hay-on-Wye to Knighton

* Hay-on-Wye * Newchurch *

Gladestry Gladestry ( cy, Llanfair Llythynwg) is a small village and community in Radnorshire, Powys, mid-Wales, close to the border with England at the end of the Hergest Ridge and south of the large moorland area of Radnor Forest. People living in Gl ...

* Hergest Ridge with wild ponies, * Kington * Hawthorn Hill,

Knighton to Montgomery

* Knighton: Offa's Dyke visitor centre * Panpunton Hill, * Cwm-Sanaham Hill * Llanfair Hill, highest point of the dyke at * Churchtown and Edenhope Hill Knighton in Powys

Montgomery to Llanymynech

* Montgomery *

Chirbury Chirbury () is a village in west Shropshire, England. It is situated in the Vale of Montgomery, close to the Wales–England border ( at its nearest), which is to its north, west and south. The A490 and B4386 routes cross at Chirbury. It is th ...

* Beacon Ring Iron Age hill fort (Caer Digoll) * Buttington * Alongside Montgomery Canal and dyke beside River Severn * Four Crosses

Llanymynech to Trevor

Llanymynech Llanymynech is a village straddling the border between Montgomeryshire/Powys, Wales, and Shropshire, England, about 9 miles (14 km) north of the Welsh town of Welshpool. The name is Welsh for "Church of the Monks". The village is on the ba ...

* Moelydd, *

Trefonen Trefonen is a small village located approximately south-west of Oswestry, and three miles east of the England-Wales border, in Shropshire, England. The name translates into "village of the ash trees" in English. In 2001, the total population ...

* Oswestry old racecourse at Racecourse Common * Craignant * Chirk Castle * Llangollen Canal * Pontcysyllte Aqueduct ( World Heritage Site) over the River Dee Offa's Dyke Path through Racecourse Woods

Offa's Dyke Path through Racecourse Woods

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct carrying Llangollen Canal over RIver Dee

Trevor to Prestatyn

* Trevor *Llangollen Castle * Eglwyseg Crags *

Llandegla Forest Llandegla Forest ( cy, Coed Llandegla) is a forest of planted conifers covering 2.5 sq miles (6.5 km2) in Denbighshire, north-east Wales. It is situated to the south-east of the village of Llandegla at the north-western edge of Ruabon Moors. ...

(with mountain bike trails) * Llandegla * Clwydian Range of hills: **Around Moel-y-Plas, , Moel Llanfair, ,

Moel Gyw Moel Gyw is a hill in Denbighshire, North Wales and forms part of the Clwydian Range. It is situated just to the south of Moel Famau and Foel Fenlli Foel Fenlli or Moel Fenlli is a hill in Denbighshire, North Wales. With a summit at an eleva ...

, and

Foel Fenlli Foel Fenlli or Moel Fenlli is a hill in Denbighshire, North Wales. With a summit at an elevation of , it is the second highest peak of the Clwydian Range. A popular ascent leads south from the car park at Bwlch Penbarras, which is also a popul ...

, ** Moel Famau, and Jubilee Tower at summit **Around Moel Dywyll, , Moel Llys-y-Coed, and Moel Arthur, **

Penycloddiau Penycloddiau is a hill in Flintshire, Wales, and one of five Marilyns in the Clwydian Range. The hill, like Foel Fenlli and Moel Arthur to the south, has an Iron Age hillfort at its summit. It covers making it one of the largest hillforts ...

hill fort at * Bodfari *

Rhuallt Rhuallt is a village in Denbighshire, Wales. The village is situated approximately south of Prestatyn and east of St Asaph on the B5429 road, adjacent to the A55, and has a caravan site. There is one public house, The White House. Another pu ...

* Prestatyn: Offa's Dyke Monument on the beach Eglwyseg Crags from Offa's Dyke Path

View from Jubilee Tower at Moel Famu summit

Promotion and media

Various bodies on either side of the border are collaborating on a

sustainable tourism Sustainable tourism is a concept that covers the complete tourism experience, including concern for economic, social and environmental issues as well as attention to improving tourists' experiences and addressing the needs of host communities. Su ...

partnership, a principal focus of which is ''Walking with Offa'', both on the trail but also in what has been dubbed

Offa's Country Offa's Country is a sustainable tourism project developed under the 2009 Welsh-English Border Strategic Regeneration Programme. The programme is funded by the Welsh Government, Natural England and Advantage West Midlands. Partnerships have bee ...

i.e. in a corridor along the border. The path was the focus of an episode of the Channel 4 program ''

Britain's Ancient Tracks with Tony Robinson ''Britain's Ancient Tracks with Tony Robinson'' is a television documentary series presented by Sir Tony Robinson. The first series, consisting of three episodes, was broadcast in 2016 by Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air publi ...

''. In June 2021, during the footpath's 50th year, an Offa's Dyke Rescue Fund was launched to restore eroded and other damaged parts of the route and to buy parts of the path at risk of sustained damage or negligence from local land owners. The fund is working in consultation with

CADW (, a Welsh verbal noun meaning "keeping/preserving") is the historic environment service of the Welsh Government and part of the Tourism and Culture group. works to protect the historic buildings and structures, the landscapes and heritage s ...

and English Heritage and the National Trail Unit. On 22 August 2021 BBC's '' Countryfile'' programme celebrated 50 years of the path.

References

External links

The Offa's Dyke AssociationOffa's Dyke Path on the National Trail websiteOffa's Dyke Path National Trail - Long Distance Walkers Association
{{Authority control Long-distance footpaths in the United Kingdom Recreational walks in Wales Footpaths in Shropshire Footpaths in Herefordshire Long-distance footpaths in Wales Footpaths in Powys Long-distance footpaths in England England–Wales border