Background

Walking regularly in Monmouthshire and Gloucestershire with Lower Wye Ramblers, we come across the "acorn sign" on the Offa's Dyke Path fairly often. The idea of walking the path has grown strongly over the last two years and living in St. Briavels - just half a mile from and above the path - makes sense of walking from north to south; in this way we'd be walking home!

It was resolved at the start of this year that by the end of it, the path would be walked and when October was half way through the realisation that the return to GMT would mean fewer hours of daylight, the fortnight was quickly reserved.

 

History / Information

The Offa's Dyke Path National Trail is the only one of these routes to be based on a man-made rather than a natural feature; the late eighth century boundary earthwork between the Welsh and the English kingdom of Mercia. One of the original group of routes listed in 1949, it was not provided with the necessary stiles and signs until just before the official opening at Knighton in July 1971. Since then use of the route has grown considerably and the original hopes of a 'trodden way' for 177 miles from the south coast near Chepstow to the north at Prestatyn have largely been realised.

Crossing the border between England & Wales no less than 9 times in its 177 mile (285 km) journey, the OD path passes through some of the most attractive landscape that either country has to offer. Roughly conceived on the theme of the 8th Century earthwork, the path often follows the line dictated by the ruthless King Offa himself. This ensures high ground and commanding views into the mountains and valleys of Wales. Where, for practical reasons, the Dyke cannot be followed (as in the Black Mountains and Clwydian Hills) the route of the path has been chosen for scenic quality alone. The result is a walk packed with interest, through patchwork fields, over windswept bridges, and across infant rivers flowing down from the Welsh hills into the lush plains of England. The origins of this great earthwork known as Offa's Dyke are still shrouded in mystery. It's believed that the Dyke was built in the 8th Century AD on the orders of Offa the powerful King of Mercia (now the English Midlands). There are however no written records from the time of construction so archaeologists have to interpret the line and purpose of the Dyke from what can be seen today. It is an earthbank up to 8 metres (25') high often with a ditch alongside running for some 80 miles (128 km) north to south through the Welsh borders. Research suggests that the earthwork marked and possibly defended the western boundary of Offa's kingdom beyond which lay the lands of the Welsh princes. The land of Offa’s Dyke is not in public oownership and so access may be restricted in some sections - not all of the earthworks carry a right of way.

 

Offa's Dyke Association / Information Centre at Knighton

The Offa's Dyke Association was founded in 1969 as a pressure group to get the Path opened and to develop its use by the late Frank Noble, formerly a teacher at Knighton - the mid-point on the route.

The Association decided to continue in being after the Path's Opening and now promotes harmonious relations between those who live and work on or near the Path and the increasing number who visit it; maintains the route; and looks after the requirements of all visitors (not least for accommodation and information) not all of whom would be long-, or even short-, distance walkers.

A group of members act as local 'lengthsmen' who look after and report problems - each on a specific stretch of the Path.

The Path Management Service (Tel: 01547-528192) works from the Knighton Centre and is responsible for the Path management work; it is financed by The Countryside Council for Wales and The Countryside Commission.

The Information Office and the Centre's Offa Exhibition and Education work are in the old school in West Street, Knighton, Powys, LD7 1EN (Tel: 01547-528753) which used to be shared with a YHA hostel but this has now sadly closed. The Information Centre also serves as the Knighton Tourist Information Centre - run by ODA and is supported by the local authorities, Wales Tourist Board and by the Countryside Council for Wales.
It is open daily (09:00 to 17:30) from Easter to the end of October and at least on weekdays in winter (09:00 to 17:00). The professional staff there deal with over 30,000 visitors and enquiries each year. Please write to find out more about membership and sales items. Personal callers are most welcome.

The ODA and the Path Management Service, hope to relocate to a new adjacent centre in 1998.

Simon Rayner is the ODA Membership Secretary who also looks after " all things to do with the computer" : records of membership, mailings and publishing the 'Where to Stay' which is compiled in November in readiness for the following year. He will field odd emails and send off introductory information to anyone who is interested and will always try to answer questions about Offa's Dyke, even if he has to search for the answer.


 

Publications Used on the Walk

OD Route	North to South Route Notes	Very useful
There were several points on the walk when it was not clear just where the path went as markers/sign posts had been removed.
OD Route	North to South Strip Maps	Useful
OD Route	Where to Stay	Essential
OS Map	Landranger 116 Denbeigh & Colwyn Bay	Useful
OS Map	Landranger 117 Chester	Useful
OS Map	Landranger 126 Shrewsbury	Useful
OS Map	Landranger 137 Ludlow & Wenlock Edge	Useful
OS Map	Landranger 148 Presteigne & Hay-on-Wye	Useful
OS Map	Outdoor Leisure 13 Brecon Beacons	Useful
OS Map	Outdoor Leisure 14 Wye Valley & Forest of Dean	Useful
Useful to have when confirming villages, hills etc seen from path but certainly not needed for route finding.
Thornhill Press	Through WELSH BORDER COUNTRY following Offa's Dyke Path - Mark Richards	Very Useful
Full of information and diagrams/drawings. Nice to look at after a day's walking and before walking.

 

Walk Itinerary : Planned (usually the night before!)

Apart from arranging to travel to Prestatyn in the morning and to walk to Rhuallt that afternoon (with B & B arranged beforehand), no part of the walk was worked out beforehand and no accommodation arranged either; each evening the route and terrain were considered for the following day - some day's there was little or no decision to make.

On two of the longer distance days, accommodation was tentatively arranged in the morning for two places; the second time we managed to walk to the further location but not on the first day. As soon as a decision was made as to where one could walk, a quick phone call was made to the alternative B & B concerned.

There were some constrictions; we had an AGM to be home in time for on 27 Oct and the clocks were due to go back at 02:00 on 26 Oct which would restrict walking time.
Just had to get on with it ...!


 

	Diaries
14-Oct-97	Day 1	Prestatyn - Marian Mill - Rhuallt (½ day)	7.5 miles
15-Oct-97	Day 2	Rhuallt - Bodfari - Bwlch Pen Barras (- Llanbedr DC)	14.0 miles
16-Oct-97	Day 3	Bwlch Pen Barras - Clwyd Gate - Llandegla - World's End - Dinas Bran Turn - Trevor	18.3 miles
17-Oct-97	Day 4	Trevor - Froncysyllte - Tyn-y-Groes - Castle Mill - Carreg y Big	9.5 miles
18-Oct-97	Day 5	Carreg y Big - Owestry Racecourse - Trefonen - Llanymynech - Derwas Bridge - Pool Quay - Buttington - Hope	23.0 miles
19-Oct-97	Day 6	Hope - Beacon Ring - Leighton Woods - Camlad Bridge - Brompton Hall - Mellington Hall - Cwm	13.3 miles
20-Oct-97	Day 7	Cwm - Churchtown - Newcastle-on-Clun (diversion of 1.3m at Newcastle) - Lower Spoad - Selley Cross - Knighton	13.6 miles
21-Oct-97	Day 8	Knighton - Dolley Green - Ditchyeld - Rushock - Kington	13.5 miles
22-Oct-97	Day 9	Kington - Gladestry - Newchurch - Hay-on-Wye	14.5 miles
23-Oct-97	Day 10	Hay-on-Wye - Hay Bluff - Hatterrall Ridge - Pandy	17.5 miles
24-Oct-97	Day 11	Pandy - Llantilio Crossenny - Monmouth - Kymin - Redbrook [Planning had included St Briavels (+3 miles); would have made the distance but not before dark)	20.0 miles
25-Oct-97	Day 12	Redbrook - Bigsweir - St Briavel's Common/Hudnalls - Brockweir - Tintern Woods - Chepstow - Sedbury Cliff	14.3 miles

 

Actual Walk Statistics

Daily Walk Statistics
Day	Hr	Min	Mins	Miles	Ascent	Conversations	Photographs	Mins per mile	mph
1	3	36	216	7.8	950'	0	12	27.9	2.15
2	8	15	495	14.3	3700'	5	28	34.7	1.73
3	9	22	562	18.8	2050'	6	27	29.9	2.01
4	6	3	363	10.0	1625'	5	27	36.3	1.65
5	11	0	660	23.0	1550'	13	36	28.7	2.09
6	7	10	430	14.5	1325'	5	28	29.7	2.02
7	8	31	511	13.6	2855'	6	27	37.6	1.60
8	7	36	456	13.5	2150'	5	60	33.8	1.78
9	7	42	462	14.5	1660'	7	40	31.9	1.88
10	8	25	505	17.5	2200'	7	52	28.9	2.08
11	8	50	530	20.0	1790'	7	36	26.5	2.26
12	6	25	385	14.3	1775'	12	36	26.9	2.23
Whole Walk
11½	92	55	5575	181.7	23630'	78	413	30.7	1.96
Day	Hr	Min	Mins	Miles	Ascent	Conversations	Photographs	Mins per mile	mph

Allowing an average of three minutes (many - if not most - took much longer!) for each conversation and one minute for every photograph taken (removal of camera from waist pouch, etc), a more realistic average walking speed is arrived at of 2.2 mph.


 

Cost of Walking the Path

PRE WALK PURCHASES
Apr 97	OD North to South Route Notes	1.20
Apr 97	OD Strip Maps	2.50
Apr 97	OD Where to Stay	1.50
Apr 97	OD Walker's Card	0.15
May 97	Through WELSH BORDER COUNTRY Mark Richards	4.50
Sep 97	OS Landranger Maps 115/117	9.90
Oct 97	Film ASA 200 12 rolls - special offers	18.50
Pre Walk Purchases Total			£38.25
B & B ACCOMMODATION
14-Oct-97	Rhuallt	20.00
15-Oct-97	Llanbedr	15.00
16-Oct-97	Trevor	15.00
17-Oct-97	Carreg y Big	12.50
18-Oct-97	Hope	16.00
19-Oct-97	Cwm (E/S)	20.00
20-Oct-97	Knighton	15.00
21-Oct-97	Kington	17.50
22-Oct-97	Hay-on-Wye (E/S)	20.00
23-Oct-97	Pandy	17.50
24-Oct-97	Home, St Briavels	nil
B & B Total			£168.50
EVENING MEALS/DRINKS
14-Oct-97	Rhuallt	11.85
15-Oct-97	Griffin, Llanbedr	8.96
16-Oct-97	Telford, Trevor	12.70
17-Oct-97	Carreg y Big	7.50
18-Oct-97	Hope	7.50
19-Oct-97	Cwm	8.00
20-Oct-97	Horse & Jockey, Knighton	9.67
21-Oct-97	Kington	9.10
22-Oct-97	Granary, Hay-on-Wye	11.30
23-Oct-97	Pandy	11.15
24-Oct-97	Celebratory meal for two The George, St Briavels	27.15
Evening Meals/Drinks Total			£124.88
PACKED LUNCHES
15-Oct-97	Rhuallt	6.60
16-Oct-97	Llanbedr	2.50
17-Oct-97	Trevor	3.00
18-Oct-97	Carreg y Big	3.50
19-Oct-97	Hope	2.50
20-Oct-97	Cwm	2.00
21-Oct-97	Knighton	2.00
22-Oct-97	Kington	2.50
23-Oct-97	Hay-on-Wye	3.00
24-Oct-97	Pandy	2.70
25-Oct-97	Home, St Briavels	1.50
Packed Lunches Total			£31.80
TRANSPORT
14-Oct-97	St Briavels to Prestatyn Shared petrol expenses	10.00
16-Oct-97	Llanbedr	1.00
19/20-Oct-97	Cwm	nil
Transport Total			£11.00
MISC PURCHASES
17-Oct-97	Trevor - Large envelope	0.28
17-Oct-97	Trevor - Postage home	1.80
17-Oct-97	Trevor - Postcards	1.20
17-Oct-97	Trevor - Postage - postcards	1.56
17-Oct-97	Carreg y Big	1.50
18-Oct-97	Carreg y Big - Postage home	0.26
18-Oct-97	Four Crosses - Ice Cream	1.00
20-Oct-97	Churchtown!! - Postage home	0.26
20-Oct-97	Knighton - Postcards	2.89
20-Oct-97	Knighton - Souvenir Tea Towel	1.20
20-Oct-97	Knighton - Souvenir Mug	3.90
20-Oct-97	Knighton - Fruit, chocolate & raisins	3.56
21-Oct-97	Knighton - Postage home	1.60
21-Oct-97	Knighton - Postage postcards	1.56
22-Oct-97	Kington - Postage postcards	1.56
23-Oct-97	Hay - Postage postcards	1.30
24-Oct-97	Monmouth - Ice cream	1.00
Misc Purchases Total			£24.87
POST WALK PURCHASES
Nov 97	OD End to End Badge	2.15
Post Walk Purchases Total			£2.15
POST WALK EXPENSES
Oct/Nov 97	Photo Developing/Printing	53.18
Nov 97	BT & Mobile Phone calls : Updating Answerphone	9.06
Nov 97	BT & Mobile Phone calls : Arranging B & B	14.49
Nov 97	BT & Mobile Phone calls : In touch with the world	17.83
Post Walk Expenses Total			£93.21
_______________
TOTAL       £496.01

 

Links

The Official Webpage for the Offa's Dyke Long Distance Path was found when I searched the Net for "Offa's Dyke" early in 1997.

Phil Andrews' Offa's Dyke Page also came up at the same time. A long distance walker with many LDPs "under his belt".

I later discovered when revisiting that page that Walter Trimble had come over from the USA in the summer of 1997 to walk the path northwards.