Offa's Dyke Path

Offas Dyke Path
A marker post on Offa's Dyke
Length	177 miles (285 km)
Location	English/Welsh border
Designation	National Trail
Trailheads	Sedbury51.6324°N 2.6482°W / 51.6324; -2.6482 (Offa's Dyke Path, Sedbury trailhead) Prestatyn53.3423°N 3.4126°W / 53.3423; -3.4126 (Offa's Dyke Path, Prestatyn trailhead)
Use	Hiking
Season	All year
Sights	It passes through historic towns and isolated hamlets. En route can be seen hill forts, castles, abbeys and surviving remains of the habitations of former occupants of the beautiful corridor of the path

Offa's Dyke Path (Welsh: Llwybr Clawdd Offa) is a long distance footpath along the Welsh-English border. Opened in 1971, it is one of Britain's premier National Trails and draws walkers from throughout the world. Much of the 283 km (176 mi) long route either follows, or keeps close company with, the remnants of Offa's Dyke, an 8th century earthwork, the majority of which was probably constructed on the orders of Mercian King Offa.

Walking

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

Most walkers travel 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, although this can vary depending on individual fitness, attitude, the weather, age and experience. Following a man-made border and ancient monument, rather than natural features, the dyke crosses a variety of different landscapes. The route crosses the Black Mountains, the Shropshire hills (including the many ups and downs of the 'Switchback', for many walkers the hardest part of the walk), the Eglwyseg mountains near 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 walk is marked by the Offa's Dyke Centre in Knighton(52.3458°N 3.0517°W / 52.3458; -3.0517 (Offa's Dyke Centre)).

“	a certain vigorous king called Offa......had a great dyke built between Wales and Mercia from sea to sea.	”
— Asser

External links

• National Trail website
• The Offa's Dyke Association
• Rambers' Association: Offa's Dyke Path National Trail
• Sherpa Van Project website: Offa's Dyke
• Walking Offa's Dyke Path