Reprinted
Offa's Dyke Path
National Trail following the English-Welsh Border
Offa's Dyke Path
National Trail following the English-Welsh Border
This guidebook describes Offa's Dyke Path National Trail, a 177 mile (283km) long-distance walk along the English-Welsh border between Sedbury (near Chepstow) and Prestatyn. The guidebook is split into 12 stages with suggestions for planning alternative itineraries. With OS 1:25,000 map booklet.Trace the ancient boundary of Offa's Dyke Path, a 283km (177 mile) National Trail along Britain's longest ancient monument — the 8th-century earthwork separating England and Wales. The trail unfolds through diverse border landscapes, from the dramatic Wye Gorge and Tintern Abbey near Chepstow, across the remote Black Mountains and Hergest Ridge, to the industrial heritage of the Clwydian Range and the seaside finish at Prestatyn.
This comprehensive guidebook simplifies every stage of your preparation, describes the Offa's Dyke Path south to north, and offers walkers of all abilities the chance to explore limestone gorges, mountain ridges, and borderland heritage in 12–14 days. A separate OS 1:25,000 map booklet is included, providing precise route-line mapping and ensuring you can follow Offa's ancient frontier with total confidence.
- The trail is divided into 12 clearly defined stages of 17–29km (11–18 miles), each with detailed route descriptions, OS mapping, and elevation profiles, allowing you to anticipate the terrain
- Alternative itineraries of 8 or 16 days help you tailor the Offa's Dyke Path to your perfect walking holiday
- Practical planning information for accommodation along the route, from country inns and B&Bs to hostels and campsites, is provided, as well as advice on local transport links, making it straightforward to walk the path in sections or as a continuous journey
- Downloadable GPX files provide a digital navigation option, allowing you to follow the route on a smartphone or GPS device
- Beyond wayfinding, the guide celebrates the path's unique story, with insights into its geology (limestone escarpments, igneous intrusions), wildlife, historical attractions, and the cultural significance of walking where Anglo-Saxon Mercia met ancient Welsh kingdoms
With expert guidance from author Mike Dunn, stage-by-stage breakdowns, and the included OS map booklet, this walking guidebook equips you with everything you need to conquer Offa’s Dyke Path with ease. Discover the timeless allure of Britain's borderlands, where every ridge reveals panoramic views, ancient history, and the quiet satisfaction of completing one of the National Trails.
Offa’s Dyke Path
Location: English‑Welsh border, UK (Sedbury near Chepstow to Prestatyn)
Distance: ~285 km / ~177 miles
Typical duration: ~1–2 weeks (flexible itineraries)
Start: Sedbury Cliffs (near Chepstow)
End: Prestatyn Seafront
Route format: Linear long‑distance National Trail walk
Stages: 12 main stages (~17–29 km / 11–18 miles each)
Difficulty: Moderate – varied terrain, suitable for most walkers with planning
Best season: All seasons (respect high ground in winter and mist)
Author Highlight
“The long-distance path named after Offa's Dyke is just as outstanding as the Dyke itself. A magnificent, long but not too difficult walk through the wonderfully diverse and at times remarkably remote countryside of the Welsh Marches, in its middle reaches it follows the Saxon earthwork unswervingly for many miles, Dyke and path together forming an intrinsic feature of the border landscape.”
- Mike Dunn, author of Offa's Dyke Path
Printed book
A guidebook with detailed route descriptions, stage breakdowns, accommodation listings, profiles and maps - everything you need on the trail.
ISBN
9781852847760
Availability
Published
Published
14 Mar 2016
Reprinted
28 Nov 2023
Edition
First
Pages
192
Size
17.20 x 11.60 x 11.50cm
Weight
330g
eBook
The complete digital edition of the guidebook, with full route descriptions, accommodation listings, profiles and maps, ready to use on any device.
Map key
Route summary table
Overview map and profile
Trek planner
INTRODUCTION
From the Severn to the Irish Sea
Planning your trip
Selecting a schedule
When to go
Travel to the Path
Transport along the Path
First and last nights
Accommodation
Facilities
Baggage transfer
What to take
Planning day by day
Using this guide
Maps and GPS
Waymarking
Weather forecasts
Phones and wi-fi
Emergencies
All about the Welsh Marches
Geology and landscape
Plants and wildlife
Border prehistory
Offa and the Dyke
The Welsh Marches after Offa
OFFA'S DYKE PATH
Stage 1 Above the Lower Wye Gorge
Stage 2 Sheep and cider in remote Monmouthshire
Stage 3 Crossing the Black Mountains
Stage 4 Gladestry and Hergest Ridge
Stage 5 The Radnorshire Hills
Stage 6 Ups and downs in deepest Shropshire
Stage 7 The Vale of Montgomery and Long Mountain
Stage 8 Across the Severn valley
Stage 9 Exploring the unknown Marches
Stage 10 The Vale of Llangollen and Eglwyseg Rocks
Stage 11 The Clwydian Range
Stage 12 Northern hills and coast
Appendix A Useful contacts
Appendix B Accommodation along the route
Appendix C Topographical Welsh glossary
Appendix D Further reading
Seasons
This walk is exceptional in all seasons, though the Black Mountains and Clwydian range deserve respect in winter conditions, and especially in mist, since there are few landmarks on the Black Mountain ridge
Centres
Chepstow, Hay-on-Wye, Kington, Bishops Castle, Montgomery, Welshpool, Oswestry, Llangollen, Denbigh, Prestatyn
Difficulty
The trail includes a couple of unavoidably long stages and there are some mountain and moorland stages, but the route poses no special difficulties and caters for walkers of all levels of ability provided that sensible advance planning is undertaken
Must See
Geology - limestone gorge of the lower Wye, igneous intrusions around Hergest ridge, Breidden Hills dolerite, limestone escarpments north of Llangollen. Historical attractions - Tintern abbey and Llanthony priory, Pontcysyllte aqueduct
January 2024
B&B Trefonen
We have been informed about a new B&B on the ODP, 1 mile north of Trefonen, just outside Candy Woods, and 3 miles out of Oswestry. There is also a small pop-up campsite and an honesty shop open during the day for walkers to help themselves to a hot drink (and water) and something to eat. www.oldmillcandy.co.uk
October 2023
Updates
Page 63 – it has been reported that the toilets opposite the entrance to St Teilo’s church in Llantilio Crossenny are normally available when the church itself is open.
Page 65 – Bad news where the path between White Castle and Caggle Street 'crosses high above a little stream on a single-plank footbridge': the bridge has collapsed and it seems unlikely that it will be repaired in the foreseeable future. This necessitates a significant diversion (clearly signposted), initially following a section of the Three Castles Walk and then turning left along the B4521 to rejoin Offa’s Dyke Path in the hamlet of Caggle Street.
Pages 94-95 – good news from Lower Harpton, where the 'unpleasant but unavoidable' road walking along the twisting B4362 no longer has to be negotiated. A new right of way (opened in March 2023) has been created through the fields to the east of the road, crossing the Riddings Brook (here the boundary between Wales and England) on a new footbridge and then emerging to cross the B4362 at Ditchyeld Bridge.
Page 151 – for the avoidance of doubt, the 'obvious junction of paths' referred to in the second paragraph is to the west of and below Craig Arthur.
Page 63 – it has been reported that the toilets opposite the entrance to St Teilo’s church in Llantilio Crossenny are normally available when the church itself is open.
Page 65 – Bad news where the path between White Castle and Caggle Street 'crosses high above a little stream on a single-plank footbridge': the bridge has collapsed and it seems unlikely that it will be repaired in the foreseeable future. This necessitates a significant diversion (clearly signposted), initially following a section of the Three Castles Walk and then turning left along the B4521 to rejoin Offa’s Dyke Path in the hamlet of Caggle Street.
Pages 94-95 – good news from Lower Harpton, where the 'unpleasant but unavoidable' road walking along the twisting B4362 no longer has to be negotiated. A new right of way (opened in March 2023) has been created through the fields to the east of the road, crossing the Riddings Brook (here the boundary between Wales and England) on a new footbridge and then emerging to cross the B4362 at Ditchyeld Bridge.
Page 151 – for the avoidance of doubt, the 'obvious junction of paths' referred to in the second paragraph is to the west of and below Craig Arthur.
June 2019
Route Updates and corrections
Page 45
Refreshments: there is an excellent village shop on the Hewelsfield road out of Brockweir, but it is a few hundred metres from Brockweir bridge, to the north-east of the main route over St Briavels Common (this is the shop referred to on page 51).
The Brockweir Inn is closed for renovation and is expected to reopen in late 2019.
Page 99
It’s reported that the phone box near the junction of the Whitton road (B4357) and the lane to Rhos-y-Meirch has been removed.
Page 117
The reference to fish fossils being found at Devil’s Hole in the Camlad valley should be deleted – these were actually discovered at a completely different Devil’s Hole at Morville, to the west of Bridgnorth!
June 2016
Page 153
Good news from Llandegla, where a new community-run shop incorporating a cafe has been established to replace the village shop and post office, which closed in 2015. In addition the village church has recently developed a visitor centre including displays on local history and places of interest.
May 2016
Pages 10, 19, 106 & 181
Springhill Farm, north of Knighton on Stage 6 of the trail, no longer offers camping or bed-and-breakfast accommodation. This also affects the alternative itineraries listed on page 19 of the guide, although fortunately, there are a few alternatives in and close to Newcastle-upon-Clun, only a mile or so further north along the trail. In addition to the Quarry House (listed on page 181) the Crown Inn has now fully reopened, and Little Hall Cottage also offers b&b.
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