Offa's Dyke Path

My next task was to walk a route designed by King Offa of Mercia when he built a dyke along his border in the eighth century to get the Welsh to leave him alone. Quite a lot of the dyke is identifiable and Offas Dyke Path follows it where possible, but alters the original dyke route to link the north coast of Wales with the remaining end on the Severn Estuary (just inside England). This makes an appealing coast to coast walk, which is further embellished with iconic hill climbs and crosses the Wales/England border numerous times. Plodding through paddocks following a low embankment - more correctly called ancient earthworks - turns out to be very enjoyable.

4 August I got off the train in Prestatyn, a tacky seaside resort on the north coast of Wales, and walked to the beach, no mean feat as a fierce wind was blowing directly towards me, and had a quick look at the wide but deserted stretch of sand and rough sea.

There was a distinctive metal sculpture on the beachside path to indicate the start line. Then I turned round and began Offas Dyke Path with a walk into the town and uphill to my hotel. 2 kms

5 August The wind was still extremely strong in the morning. I climbed steeply out of Prestatyn onto a ridge giving views over a large swathe of the coast - big towns and rough grey sea. The blackberries were ripe and I can see this is going to be a huge problem in slowing me down. I walked across sheep paddocks, bits of woodland and lanes. There were several footpaths signed and I wasn't surprised I soon went wrong and ended up in a village called Cwm: pretty church and a pub (don't know if it was open). Lots of stiles, many of which were dicey to use. I met a couple finishing ODP and walked over some grassy hills with hill forts.

The views over the surrounding area, the Vale of Clwd, were good and very extensive: patchwork of fields and small settlements, hills on the horizon. I ate masses of blackberries. There was holly in all the hedgerows. Unfortunately it was too windy to stop for a break. I descended to Bodfari and my campsite, hoping my tent would stay up in the wind which was still gusting badly. Then I went to the pub (the village just had a car workshop, a pottery shop and possibly the biggest pub I've ever seen) and sat by the log fire with a shandy. By the time I got back to my tent the wind was gone. 20 kms

6 August Sunshine, blue sky, still. I began a long hard day on the Clwdian Hills starting with narrow lanes taking me up onto the ridge. First summit was Penycladdiau with its hill fort, climbing on grass then through bracken then heather/gorse moorland. Near the top about fifty black cows were grazing by the path. I could see the long range of heather covered hills ahead with the watchtower on Moel Famau standing out.

I skirted around the next summit, Moel Arthur with a prominent hill fort, and began the hard climb up Moel Famau (551 m); it was steep and challenging but the views from the unfinished watchtower were fantastic: I could see the silhouettes of Mt Snowdon and Cader Idris along with the endless Clwd and Dee valleys and the sea. The climb was busy. The sky had clouded over.

The descent was more gradual and I skirted Moel Fenlli, dense bracken on the hillside, and came down to forest where I met two ODP walkers.

Next I skirted around two deep gullies filled with bracken, following the ridge on the other side to look east for a change and came down off the ridge, only to head straight back up for Moel y Plas. I skirted some grassy hills, met an ODP guy and made a final descent on the western flank. I crossed lots of sheep paddocks, negotiated too many stiles and reached Llandegla.

The village shop was already closed but just close to my campsite I came to a pub - totally unexpected - with a sign saying it was closed on Tuesday; I thought it was Tuesday so I was pleasantly surprised that it was open (because it was Wednesday). 30 kms

7 August Very windy. A short day with several interesting features. I went across paddocks and up into Llandegla forest, partly clear felled. Lots of bracken. I emerged onto a wonderful area of moorland, a few sheep and miles of heather and fruitless blueberry bushes.

It was raining, clearing, raining again. Met three ODP walkers. The hills on the horizon were partly in cloud. Next I followed a road downhill to a place in a deep wooded gulley called Worlds End, and from there I had a lovely undulating path carved into the side of the Eglwyseg Hills, a limestone escarpment with a layer of exposed rock along the top and multiple scree slopes. Plenty of head high bracken to walk through.

After a few kilometres the path became a sealed road and then I could see Castell Dinas Brân on top of a big hill. I had arranged to stay off the route in Llangollen so I decided to leave ODP and go over the hill to the town. There wasn't much left of the 1260 castle, just a few bits of wall and three arches.

I could see the high Pontcysyllte aqueduct on tomorrow's walk and all of Llangollen plus hills disappearing into rain. I descended to the tea shop beside the Llangollen canal. Llangollen was a cute, very tourist oriented town on the rocky and rapid filled Dee River. In the evening I drank my cider on a terrace overlooking the river. 16 kms

8 August I walked in shorts for the first time. I stayed off ODP for a bit longer, walking along the Llangollen Canal towpath which was really nice in the sunshine. A few barges and canoes. I reached the Pontcysyllte canal aqueduct over the Dee which is 38 metres high (highest canal aqueduct in the world) with a very narrow towpath. After that I had a bit more canal then rejoined ODP and went along a narrow lane until I turned off across grassy fields for 14th c Chirk castle. I could see it on the hilltop ahead. 

I had a look at the outside walls and the view to the northeast then descended, soon having my first encounter with Offas Dyke: a low embankment and a ditch on the far side. I passed the site of a Welsh battle around 1100 that involved the dyke and climbed in farmland to another ridge. Straight back down to cross a stream in a patch of forest and I stopped for lunch/coffee. I came out of the forest and immediately met two ODP walkers and had a long chat. I walked along the dyke for a bit; it isn't that obvious, being quite low. 

I was now in England, going through grassy paddocks until I came to the top of Sellaty Hill with lovely views of green hills and farms. There were lots of reeds among the grass and it looked like the ground might sometimes be boggy.

The next landmark was the Oswestry racecourse, a large area of mown bracken, and I searched for ages for the grandstand ruins without finding them. Turns out this was the new racecourse and shortly after I came to the old racecourse site and stone grandstand ruins. The racecourses were on top of a hill and would have had good views but trees obscured everything; lower down I had the views, over farmland stretching to the horizon. I went into some serene pine then mixed forest and descended a lot, coming out at a house with a shelter for walkers providing cake! That powered me up and over the last hill before paddocks leading into Trefonen. The shop was disappointing and the pub didn't do meals. I had arranged to camp in someone's garden. 28 kms

9 August Nice morning but windy. I crossed paddocks, so many stiles around here and many quite rickety, and climbed onto grassy Moelydd with 360 degree views including Alderley Edge and Cader Idris. Then more paddocks and small villages until a bigger climb up Llanymynech Hill. There was a golf course on the top but further along I walked beneath a limestone escarpment; as I looked up at the sheer rock cliffs I was as much impressed by the prolific blackberries on the hillside. I descended to a good lookout over Llanymynech (dominated by a lime kiln chimney) and went down to the town, in Wales. I had coffee at a greasy spoon.

I walked a long way beside the Montgomery Canal, looked unnavigable as it was covered with water lilies and other water plants but there were locks and nice bridges. Then I moved away from it for the village of Four Crosses and its milk bottling plant and after that I had a few problems finding the trail through the paddocks; the sheep were no help at all. After a tree lined stretch on the dyke I had a very long section following fairly close by the fledgling Severn River on a different embankment; it was windy and exposed and I was lucky the wind was from behind. Too many gates. I had a challenge getting past over 30 cows that were blocking one of my gates on both sides. There were beautiful old spreading oaks in the paddocks. I was under the Breidden Hils, one hill had its front side completely sliced off at a quarry. 

Then I returned to the Montgomery Canal, which was still full of plants, and more paddocks to the edge of Buttington. Buttington had a whitewashed church and a pub with a popular campsite. 28 kms

10 August I had a climb through sheep paddocks towards Beacon Ring, with views towards Welshpool and a high church steeple in a little village. At the top there was an Iron Age hill fort which had more recently been fully planted with beech trees, and views of hills to the west. I descended through woods and a village as the day warmed up.

As I left the village I was clearly walking on Offas Dyke, on grass with oak trees, and I'm just very surprised how insignificant it is, a low embankment and a shallow ditch.

I stayed on it a while and then walked beside it as the top was dense brambles. I descended to cross the Camlad River and entered England to walk through crop fields.

Finally I reached the junction with the Montgomery road, returned to Wales and walked into the town, castle ruins on a hill top looming over the town. I went up to the castle - the remaining foundations covered a large area and offered amazing views over the Camlad and Severn valleys with hills on the horizon in every direction. It was a nice evening and I drank a cider sitting outside in the market square. 18 kms 

11 August I had more than an hour's walk out of Montgomery on a busy road. Half way along I realised I had my hotel key in my pocket; I phoned the hotel and the reception girl drove out to collect it from me. I went in and out of England then in and out of Wales. I finished the road walk and went into forest then started on a day of many steep climbs and descents on the Shropshire hills.

Very soon I was walking on the dyke (which was clearly defined along here) and then beside it.

The day had started sunny and the hill views were wonderful; later it became sultry and there was a heat haze. I could always see a long way in all directions, mainly a patchwork of fields, grazing cattle, sheep, patches of woods, the odd farm. Most of the route was grassy but I also had bracken to contend with. Many many gates, a few stiles. I met several walkers. I looked down on the village of Newcastle hidden among the hills.

 

Eventually the gradient lessened and I followed a gravel trail along the hilltops often switching from one side of the dyke (a long continuous section) to the other. When I stopped for lunch on Llanfair Hill several sheep watched me closely and bleated.

For a long time I could see the trig point on top of Sanaham Hill ahead and my final steep climb went up there then along a ridge.

Descending Panpwnton Hill I was looking into the River Teme valley and Knighton came into view, a largish town. My campsite was before the town and still in England. 29 kms

12 August I went into Knighton, in Wales, with a pretty centre, then had a serious climb back up onto the hills.

It was going to be a hot day. I was mostly walking through sheep paddocks and the dyke was evident in many places, the sheep seem to like it if there is shade under the trees or as something to climb on. I could see the Brecon Beacons in silhouette ahead and I had a view down into the River Lugg valley. I descended to cross the river at a lovely spot where I had a rest.

Another climb on the hillsides and a stretch of dyke covered with prickly trees and all bracken in the ditch. Coming down I went into nice shady woods.

I rested in the shade outside a farmhouse before my last hot climb (back into England) on an open hillside then a sidle around Herrock Hill and Bradnor Hill with lovely views.

Part of this was dense bracken, very unpleasant until I reached a part that had been cut back and then the descent was all on grass. Kington was out of sight until I was really close; I was looking forward to a nice cool cafe but they were all closed so I had to make do with a can of Fanta. It was 29 degrees. The town was a kilometre long with pubs at each end. I had a drink at the end I was staying but that pub didn't do food so I went almost to the other end for a Chinese takeaway. 23 kms

13 August A steady climb up to Hergest Hill with a surprising cluster of monkey puzzle trees on the summit and the start of a long stretch of ridge walking back in Wales. I descended a bit to walk through paddocks and up Disgwylfa Hill for another ridge. There was a nice breeze on the ridges. I came down to the tiny village of Newchurch where the church had coffee and biscuits for walkers and there was a crowd of walkers when I arrived.

After a long break I walked along a former drovers road, crossed paddocks (at one point having to get off the trail so as not to disturb the many sheep resting in the shade). I started my long descent to the Wye River valley in a green gully where the blackberries, so far absent today, were back up to scratch haha. There were some tedious crop fields to cross in the hot sun before I reached the river, wide and pretty with pebbly beaches. Then I went over the bridge into Hay on Wye, packed with people and bookshops, castle. I had coffee and cake, bought food and left. 

After a few crop fields I went into Brecon Beacons National Park to began climbing on grassy slopes with gorse and sheep. I was intending to do a few more kilometres then try to camp, to walk as the day got cooler and make tomorrow easier, but after a while I could see the hillsides were too exposed (it had become windy) so I climbed a fence to get into a tiny copse of pines and camped there. I was looking directly at Hay Bluff, formidably high, to be climbed tomorrow. 29 kms

14 August I continued up the trail onto Hay Bluff and skirted the summit to reach a ridge leading into the Black Mountains. All heathery moorland and I was heading into cloud. Some drizzle which soon cleared to give views west of several ranges. I went over the top of Black Mountain, at 702 m the highest I've been on this trail, and then over a second slightly lower peak.

It was dry on this side and very sunny down eastward in the Olchon valley where I could see farmland forever; clouds coming and going over the western ranges. 

The rain returned and I rested a bit at a windbreak/seat made of big stones near some grazing horses. So much for the hot day I'd been expecting. It rained properly after that for a long time, cleared and came back. I walked over Hatterall Hill mainly in rain but at one point the sun came out and I had a view of the Severn Estuary, the final stop on ODP. I was on the moorland for hours then descended on grass and steep lanes to a viewpoint above Pandy. I stopped for coffee in the sunshine. Pandy comprised a pub (where I camped) and a few houses. 22 kms

15 August Perfect blue sky when I got up which lasted until lunchtime. There weren't many views today just a lot of undulating hillsides and lanes. Near the start I came to Llangattock Lingoed with a medieval whitewashed church, 15th c fresco of St George and his dragon, and coffee for walkers.

Next sight was White Castle, fairly intact outer and inner walls with towers.

I chatted to several walkers. There were more houses and farms along the route than on other days.

Later on another medieval church at Llanvihangel Ystern Llewern which also had coffee available. These names are something else. I went uphill into woods, no view at the top but the best blackberries, and descended to Monmouth with its extraordinary fortified gatehouse on the bridge over the Monnow River.

Also a fragment of castle, several old churches and colourful buildings along the main street. 27 kms

16 August I left Monmouth taking the Wye Valley Walk. The Wye River was wide with pebbly beaches passing through grazing land, nobody around. I had the curious sight of two lengths of an aqueduct on either side of the river, the span across the river was missing.

Overcast but soon became very hot again. In Redbrook, now in England, I rejoined ODP for a climb into the Forest of Dean and a nice cool section of woodland. Offa's Dyke suddenly reappeared among the trees. I descended to the river and grassy pasture then climbed steeply in more forest. After another descent I arrived at the Brockweir community cafe/shop where I took an overdue break. Then a last climb, a bit more dyke, and I arrived at my hilltop campsite with a lovely view towards the ridge I had just come over and other forest covered hills. 18 kms

17 August Another sunny day. I had a walk in woodland beside the dyke, after a couple of kilometres reaching a rock outcrop called the Devil's Pulpit with a bird's eye view over roofless Tintern Abbey on the bank of the Wye. The front half was covered in scaffolding and the back half needed cleaning. Not much further on I had a first view of the Severn Bridge in the other direction. I descended with more views of the Severn and bridge, went through villages and crossed paddocks until I could see Chepstow on the hillside ahead. I crossed the muddy Wye River into Wales, Chepstow castle remains prominent on the Welsh river bank. The town had a nice historic feel; even a part of the town wall remained.

I dropped off my pack for the last few kilometres and recrossed the Wye into England. I went through Sedbury and onto a final stretch of the dyke, grass covered. The dyke went straight up to the top of the Sedbury cliffs above the Severn estuary and the trail ended abruptly at a rock with a start/finish plaque, looking out towards the Severn Bridge. I walked down to the reedy bank of the Severn and along to what looked like a beach on the map; this was just a patch of parched mud flats and crushed rocks beneath the cliffs. The water was brown with baby waves. 

I walked back to Chepstow and ended my walk at St Mary's Priory. 18 kms

Total 312 kms; elevation gain 9309 metres