Offa’s Dyke Path National Trail – The Backpacker’s Guide

Offa’s Dyke Path  – go straight to the contents

This is your ultimate guide to planning a backpacking trip on the Offa’s Dyke Path, with everything you need to know! It’s based on my experience of hiking the trail and covers my costs, transport, wild camping, and so much more! Let’s dive in.

How Many Miles Is The Offa’s Dyke Path?

Anglo-Saxon history is often quite literally under your feet when you walk Offa’s Dyke Path. The Dyke is an impressive earthwork built by Offa, King of Mercia in the 8th century. It follows a line that marked and defended the border of Mercia (now England) and Wales and there are still miles of it intact. Offa’s Dyke was about 2.5 metres high and 20 metres wide, with the ditch on the Welsh side of the border.

Researchers believe that Offa may have connected much older defences to create the continuous Dyke that’s named after him. And I could hardly believe it, but in many places, you actually walk along the top of the Dyke itself.

Although Offa’s Dyke path is 177 miles long, isn’t just about the Dyke itself. There are some impressive sections of trail that wend their way through the Brecon Beacons National Park, the Shropshire Hills, and the Clwydian Range. These sections offer spectacular views out across the landscape from ridges and hilltops alike. And there’s plenty of challenging walking along the way too.

Offa’s Dyke Path is not to be missed – I absolutely loved it!

Offa’s Dyke Path – Ultimate Guide For Hikers

Contents

1. Where Does Offa’s Dyke Start And End?
2. How Long Does It Take To Hike Offa’s Dyke? My Daily Miles
3. Getting To And From The Trail Public Transport
4. Budget For Offa’s Dyke (My Costs)
5. Wild Camping And Campsites Along The Trail
6. My Gear List
7. Places To Eat And Drink  Cafes, Pubs, Groceries and Water
8. Is Offa’s Dykle Well-Signposted? (Signs, Maps And Guides)
9. Anything Else?

Where Does Offa’s Dyke Path Start And End?

About 2/3 of the trail is in Wales, but it winds its way across the border without any ceremony. In fact, the only way you know whether you’re in England or Wales is that the trail signs suddenly change language. They might be English one minute and bi-lingual the next – Llwybr Clawdd Offa, being the Welsh but sadly no one I asked knew how to pronounce it. I’d walked 100 miles before I heard any Welsh speakers and I was too shy to ask by then. Instead, I decided I’d rather ask my Welsh friend when I got back home to Cornwall! (And I haven’t seen him yet so I can’t enlighten you.)

Which Is The Best Way To Hike Offa’s Dyke Path?

The best way to hike Offa’s Dyke Path is south to north because that’s the way I did it haha! Seriously though, it makes no difference along the way. Most of the ‘wow factors’ are at either end of the trail, with the Brecon Beacons in the south and the Clwydian Range in the north. Even so, there are a couple of things that might sway your decision, especially if you want to save the best till last.

But what’s best for you?

Love the sea and a big horizon? Then you need to walk south to north. But if you love deep dark woods with the meandering rivers beneath your feet then north to south is for you. On the other hand, and this is what would sway it for me, most of us want a bit of a celebratory atmosphere at the end of a long hike. And, frankly, Sedbury (at the southern end of the trail) is seriously lacking.

That lump of concrete in the photo above? That’s it. True, the lump of concrete is on the Dyke itself, but that’s the only remarkable thing about it. If you’re heading south you’d end your hike winding through alleyways alongside housing estates to a very disappointing finish. There’s no view whatsoever here, just a meeting of paths – and only the odd dog walker or cow to share your exhilaration with. There wasn’t even a decent-looking pub around (there might be something more appealing in Chepstow though, just a few miles away).

Compare that to what you get if you hike Offa’s Dyke Path the other way round…

Need I say more? No. But I’ll just add that there are loads of cafes, pubs, restaurants, B&Bs, hotels, and places to buy clean socks before you hop on the train right in the bustling town centre. What more could you want?

Once you’ve got your direction sorted, the next question you might want to consider is how long you’ll need to be away.

How Long Does It Take To Hike Offa’s Dyke Path?

This obviously depends on how many miles you’d like to walk each day and where you plan to stay. Your daily miles are restricted if you plan to stay at B&Bs or campsites and you’ll end up walking a fair way off-trail in many circumstances. By far the most flexible approach is wild camping (and you can definitely do this the entire route), but there are a few campsites right on the trail which makes a mix of the two possible.

I decided on an average of 17.5 miles a day from days 2 to 10 (which is exactly how it worked out), with just a few miles on my travel days. I thought (but didn’t specify) that I might stay at 1 or 2 campsites along the way – especially towards the end so I could clean up before the long journey home!

Here’s how my itinerary actually worked out:

My Daily Miles

My itinerary ended up like this (distances are approximate) :

• Day 1: (Travel to Chepstow, walk 1.5 miles to trail start) 6.5 miles to Devil’s Pulpit area
• Day 2: 17.5 miles to Llanvihangel-Ystern-Llewern area
• Day 3: 25 miles to Hatterrall Ridge area
• Day 4: 19 miles to Gladestry (campsite – see below)
• Day 5: 15 miles to Hawthorne Hill area
• Day 6: 11 miles to Graig Hill area
• Day 7: 20 miles to Buttington area
• Day 8: 15.5 miles to Trefonen (campsite – see below) – includes walking off-trail into Montgomery village
• Day 9: 16 miles above Llangollen – includes walking off-trail into Llangollen
• Day 10: 14 miles to Moel Y Gelli area
• Day 11: 22 miles to Marian Ffrith area
• Day 12: 4.5 miles to Prestatyn (Travel home)

Getting To And From The Trail

Public Transport

Where Is The Nearest Train Station To Offa’s Dyke Path?

Chepstow

• Train:  Chepstow Railway Station is the nearest train station to Offa’s Dyke Path in the south (about 2 miles from the start/end of the trail). It’s operated by Transport For Wales but serves various rail companies. Find out how to get the cheapest rail prices with my guide to ‘split-ticketing’.
• Coach: National Express operate a service from London to Chepstow and may also operate services to Chepstow from other areas of the country.
• You could also consider services like Megabus which run to Bristol where there’s a rail connection to Chepstow
• Finally, you could try Check My Bus to see what’s available from your area.

Prestatyn

• Train: Prestatyn Railway Station is the nearest train station to Offa’s Dyke Path in the north. It’s right on the trail in the town centre and is also operated by Transport For Wales. Find out how to get the best prices with my guide.
• Coach: once again Check My Bus is a good way to find out what’s available to and from your local area.

Budget

How Much It Cost To Hike Offa’s Dyke Path

Travel – Train

I used Split Ticketing to find the best price train tickets and then took the details to my local station to buy them. I prefer to do this because I like to speak to an actual person! (Buying train tickets can be complicated because it’s possible lots of train operators are involved.)

• Truro to Chepstow (outward journey): £41.10
• Prestatyn to Truro (return journey): £81.20
• TOTAL: £122.30

Maps And Guides
Bought for planning before I left home and on trail

• Cicerone Map Booklet: £9.95
• Trailblazer Guide Offa’s Dyke Path: £12.99 (was a gift, but included to give a clear picture)
• TOTAL: £22.94

Campsites

• 2 at £10 each
• TOTAL: £20.00

Cafes And Groceries

Includes 7 sit-down lunches/breakfasts, water, soft drinks (I spent a fortune on cold drinks during the 26-degree heat), groceries, and meals for train travel (7 hours out and 10 hours home)

• TOTAL: £148.66
  
  Average of £12.37 per day over 12 days. (I was pleased with this as I usually aim for an average of £12.00 a day.)

Miscellaneous

• £2.50 artist’s card
• 4.99 suncream
• 2.99 can of gas
• TOTAL: £10.48

TOTAL COST: £324.38

Incidentals (not included above):

• x 3 prs dry socks (Llangollen): £7.99 to save foot rot (You can easily avoid this cost by packing enough before you go!)
• Trainers (Prestatyn): £10.09*
• T-shirt (Prestatyn): £6.60*
  *For the journey home. By the time I got to Prestatyn everything I was wearing (or had worn) was absolutely soaked through. Also, my feet stank to high heaven and I didn’t fancy sitting on a train in this state for 10 hours!
• Total £24.68

How much it costs to hike Offa’s Dyke Path is mostly dependent on the cost of travel, I think, especially if you plan to wild camp. The cost of groceries and cafes seemed pretty similar to back home in Cornwall. I took £100 cash with me to try and restrain my spending in cafes…which wasn’t too bad, but could have been a bit better! (I found I spent a lot more on cold, sugary drinks in the heat.)

Can You Wild Camp On Offa’s Dyke Path?

It’s very easy to wild camp on Offa’s Dyke Path, and I felt completely safe all the way.

It’s not actually legal to wild camp without the land owner’s permission – and it’s not always easy to find them. That said, I got permission to camp on a lady’s ‘verge with a view’ (that sounds so wrong!), for example. So if you can, ask.

Wild camping on Offa’s Dyke Path doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll find a pitch with magnificent views though. (There are some of course.) Even so, you’ll find plenty of field edges where you can pitch up out of sight ready to catch a starry sky or a sublime sunset.

If you decide to wild camp on Offa’s Dyke Path there are principles that you should adhere to. They ensure you protect the environment as well as people’s livelihoods and they’re called Leave No Trace. (This article discusses the general principles and suggests 12 practical ways you can put them into practice. Whether you’re completely new to wild camping in the UK or need a refresher, give it a read before you go.)

Discover more about wild camping in the UK with these guides:

• Wild Camping Guides

Campsites On Offa’s Dyke Path

I stayed at 2 campsites on Offa’s Dyke Path and both of them were right on the trail. They’re ideal for backpackers and I had them both to myself so it felt like wild camping with extras!

Here’s what I thought:

Camping At Gladestry

Offa’s Dyke Lodge B&B at Gladestry – Bed and Breakfast, Walkers Camping – £10.00

It was late in the day when I arrived in Gladestry and I could see a massive hill ahead (above) and guessed it would take a while to find somewhere level to pitch. As I was walking through the village though I noticed a sign for a b&b and camping. I called in on the off-chance and I’m glad I did.

The ‘campsite’ is basically an immaculate back garden with a grand view over the hill. Designed solely for backpackers it was incredibly peaceful. The owner, Viv, runs a b&b business, and the campers’ bathroom is fit for the most discerning of them! There’s an outdoor tap and you can order breakfast or a packed lunch too.

Absolutely perfect.

Camping At Nantmawr/Trefonen

Offa’s Dyke Camping – £10.00

This was much more basic and rough-and-ready, but a very peaceful experience and no wild camper would feel out of place. Again, I didn’t phone ahead and just turned up at the gate. (I didn’t even realise it was a camping field – I’d just stuck my head over the gate to ask the time because my phone and watch had died.)

What made this really special was the owner Rachel and her teenage sons’ kindness and willingness to make you feel welcome. As soon as I arrived I was offered a flask of hot water and shown the composting toilet, an outdoor sink, and a shower being fitted and almost ready.

I couldn’t be arsed with a shower, but what I really, really wanted was to wash my stinking, soaking wet feet and to rinse out my socks. I asked for a bucket of water but Rachel and her sons brought over a bucket of hot water, a towel and soap…and a chair! Pure luxury haha!

Also, without asking, Rachel offered to charge my phone and even charged my battery overnight.

Just lovely, thank you Rachel!

NB There’s also a bell tent for hire on Airbnb

My Gear List

Base Weight: 13.4 kg 

(Gross weight added over 500g of food and up to 4.5 L of water/drink in extreme heat.)

A lot of my gear is old and heavy and needs a serious overhaul. Most hikers aim for their fully loaded rucksack to weigh around 20% of body weight — mine was about 7 kg too much! As well as heavy gear, though, I overpacked — including a guide book, hefty sketchbook and pencils. What was I thinking?! On top of that, I also had a metal-cased battery bank, and packed a solar panel. Still, you learn by your mistakes…hopefully!

If you’re wondering what to pack and what mistakes to avoid, check out the guide below.

• What To Pack For A Multi-Day Hike: How To Avoid Overpacking

Cafes, Pubs and Groceries

Tried, Tested, and enjoyed (except for one!):

Cafes, Pubs, Groceries, And Essentials

• Truro: train station cafe
• Newport: train station Costa (on the journey each way)
• Redbrook: Redbrook Village Stores (excellent for basics)
• Monmouth: Caffe Nero (lunch and charging); M&S (soft drinks)
• Hay-on-Wye: Cafe Hay, (breakfast and charging); Shepherds Parlour (lunch)
• Kington: Border Bean Cafe (lunch and charging); Spar (groceries)
• Knighton: Clock Tower Tea Rooms (breakfast) I wouldn’t recommend this cafe at all; Spar (groceries plus takeaway coffee and a bakery)
• Montgomery: Spar (lunch, suncream, groceries – there are tables outside to sit and eat at) (I noticed 2 cafes in the village centre and 2 pubs too)
• Llangollen: Fouzis (breakfast, charging and Costa coffee – excellent!), ProAdventure (gas – excellent service), Spar (groceries) (+ socks from Trespass)
• Trevor: Telford Inn (tea/coffee + cakes to take away)
• Llanymynech: groceries
• Prestatyn: Costa (lunch and charging); M&S food for the journey home (Next and Newlook for clothes for the journey home)

Water

There are a few longish sections where you may find it difficult to get water (eg Hatteral Ridge in the Brecon Beacons). Don’t panic though because there are often farms around where you can ask at the farmhouse or fill up from taps above water troughs, etc. I even found some stables where I picked up a few litres too – just keep an eye out.

Is Offa’s Dyke Well Signposted?

(Signs, Maps, And Guides)

Yes! It certainly is. There are a few places where signs are confusing though, or there ought to be one but there isn’t. Also, you might miss some due to overgrowth or they’re hidden behind parked cars, for example. Not to worry (you’ll soon realise you haven’t seen an acorn for a while), it’s easy to backtrack and you won’t go too far off-trail. However, I recommend taking a map. You’re unlikely to need a compass, but it’s worth having one just in case.

Phone signal is often good but also non-existent or patchy at times, so don’t rely on your phone.

Maps And Guide Books

I was gutted to discover that Collins A-Z Adventure Series official trail map of Offa’s Dyke Path was out of stock. Oh well, I made do with a Cicerone Offa’s Dyke map booklet instead!

• I absolutely love Trailblazer guidebooks and I bought the 5th edition (2019) guide for Offa’s Dyke by Keith Carter and Joel Newton. It’s packed with all sorts of information from accommodation, maps and itineraries, to wildlife and history.
• I have a premium subscription to the OS Maps App, which includes 1:25,000 maps. It includes downloadable maps so you can save battery and use them offline. I also use the OS Locate App (completely free), which gives you your grid reference using gps (so you don’t need a phone signal)
• Silva compass

Anything Else?

Are you ready to plan your hike? If I’ve missed anything you’d like to know just leave a comment below. Also, if you’ve already hiked Offa’s Dyke and you’ve got something to add, we’d love to hear from you too – just leave a comment below!

Happy hiking,