Wales/borders resources
Wales and the Welsh borders
The English/Welsh border has had a turbulent history, yet the landscape remains calm and unspoilt. Walkers can enjoy the long-distance paths such as the Shropshire Way, Offa’s Dyke Path and Glyndwr’s Way, as well as the beautiful heritage coasts of the Lleyn Peninsula and Pembrokeshire Coastal Paths.
Offa’s Dyke -Built by Offa, King of Mercia, in 757 to 796 AD. The dyke formed the boundary between England and Wales, running 182 miles from Prestatyn in the north to Sedbury, near Chepstow, in the south.
Glyndwr’s Way -Another historical route offering a 132-mile / 212km route through the mid-Wales countryside. The name is derived from the early fifteenth-century folk hero Owain Glyndwr, who won significant battles close to the route and who held a Welsh parliament in Machynlleth.
The Shropshire Way - A 224km / 140 mile loop from Shrewsbury, taking in the Shrewsbury Canal, Shropshire Hills, Bishop's Castle, Clun, Craven Arms, Ludlow, the Clee Hills, Wenlock Edge, the World Heritage Site at Ironbridge, the Wrekin and Wem. Other sights such as Long Mynd, Whitchurch and the Llangollen Canal can also be included.
The Lleyn Peninsula Coastal Path -The 97 mile (155km) path runs between Caernarfon and Porthmadog, following a finger of land reaching out from the mountains of Snowdonia towards Ireland. It is one of the most remote and beautiful corners of Wales, with a magnificent coastline of jagged cliffs, castles, tiny fishing villages and isolated coves.
The Pembrokeshire Coastal Path -186 miles (299km) following the coastline of the dramatic Pembrokeshire peninsula. The area is renowned for its beautiful white beaches, cliff tops carpeted with wild flowers, colonies of seabirds, and offshore seals, porpoises and dolphins. The area is rich in history, with Norman castles and hermit churches, picturesque harbours and villages, and St David’s Cathedral in Britain’s smallest city.
Cicerone's guidebooks offer four guides to the Snowdonia area, including Welsh Winter Climbs, guides to hillwalking in wales vol 1 and vol 2 and also Walking in Pembrokeshire, the Shropshire Hills and Anglesey.
Useful websites:
www.eryri-npa.gov.uk (Snowdonia National Park Association)
www.offas-dyke.co.uk (National Trail information)
www.nationaltrail.co.uk/glyndwrsway/ (National Trail information)
www.wild-about-wales.com (Guided walks in Snowdonia)
www.cardiffoutdoorgroup.org.uk (YHA local group)
www.offasdyke.demon.co.uk (Offa's Dyke Association)
www.edgeofwaleswalk.co.uk
www.walkingnorthwales.co.uk
Guided / Self guided trips:
www.shaggysheep.com (Backpacker tours)
www.wales-walking.co.uk
www.waleswalkingholidays.co.uk (Walking in and around Snowdonia)
www.marches-walks.co.uk
Instruction / Courses:
northwalesclimbers.co.uk
