Offa's Dyke Path

What is Offa's Dyke Path?

On Hatterrall Ridge you walk the top of the Black Mountains with Wales on one side and England on the other. For long stretches of Offa's Dyke Path the border is the dyke itself, a bank and ditch dug some twelve hundred years ago, probably to divide King Offa's Mercia from the Welsh kingdoms. The path runs 177 miles (285 km), from the Severn estuary near Chepstow to the sea at Prestatyn, and opened in 1971.

It starts in woods high above the Wye, where the Devil's Pulpit looks down on Tintern Abbey. Further north come the switchbacks of the Shropshire Hills, steep grassy climbs beside well-preserved dyke, and the level border fields near Montgomery, where you can stand with a foot in each country.

The north brings the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, the limestone of the Eglwyseg crags under Dinas Bran, and the heather and hillforts of the Clwydian Range, with Snowdonia to the west. The walk ends on Prestatyn's beach, where walkers finish with a paddle in the sea.

How hard is Offa's Dyke Path?

Most of the walk is gentle up and down on field paths, tracks and stiles, and none of it is technical. The difficulty is the length: about two weeks, with around 28,000 ft of climbing in all, which the trail body compares to the height of Everest.

Three stretches are hard. Hatterrall Ridge and the Clwydian Range are high and exposed, and tough in poor weather or visibility. The switchbacks of the Shropshire Hills after Knighton, steep grass with one climb after another, are the toughest section on the trail. A fit walker on a first long walk can manage it all on the 14-day or longer.

Take a map or guidebook, because phone signal is patchy and you cannot rely on the phone to navigate; a compass may be useful on the ridges. On most plans the Longtown night is a walk down off Hatterrall Ridge to the village inn. Wild camping is not a right here, so ask the landowner first.

Offa's Dyke Path itineraries and official sections

Pick a day count and the 11–16 day splits show where you would sleep each night, or read the route as the official town-to-town sections.

• Itineraries 11–16 day splits with overnight stops mapped out. See how the daily distances change between the fastest and slowest options.
• Official sections The official route split into 12 town-to-town sections. Each section page covers distance, terrain, and where to sleep.

When is the best time to walk Offa's Dyke Path?

The path is open all year, with no single best time, but most people walk between April and October. For a first walk we suggest May, June, July, August or September, and spring and early summer bring the most flowers.

April and October still suit most walkers. In winter the days are short, and the Black Mountains and the Clwydian Range need care in mist or snow. Beds are limited in places, and Hay-on-Wye fills up in its festival week in late May and early June, so book ahead.

Wales has wet days in every month, most of all from October to January, and parts of the Severn valley can flood in very wet weather. Pack waterproofs in any season.

How do I get there and back?

Chepstow station is about 2 miles (3 km) from the start at Sedbury Cliffs, and Chepstow is close to the M4. Flying in, Cardiff Airport is the nearest for the southern end.

The finish is about 0.3 miles (0.5 km) from Prestatyn station, and Liverpool John Lennon is the nearest airport for the north. Knighton, almost halfway, has a station of its own if you want to walk the trail in two halves. On Sundays and bank holidays in season, a bus links Hereford station with Hay-on-Wye. Times change through the year, so check National Rail and Traveline before you go.

Frequently asked questions