Photo: Adrian Pingstone (Public domain), via Wikimedia Commons
Walking the Offa's Dyke Path
Offa's Dyke Path follows the 8th-century earthwork that King Offa of Mercia raised along the Welsh border — 177 miles from the Severn Estuary at Chepstow to the sea at Prestatyn, crossing the border more than twenty times. Castles, book towns, hillforts and one spectacular aqueduct: it's the most varied of all the trails.
The stages below match the classic twelve-day walk, each with places to stay nearby.
The route
Offa's Dyke Path
🥾 Before you set out
Trail conditions, diversions and closures change — check the official trail site before you travel, carry a paper map for the remote sections, and book baggage transfer with your beds if you'd rather walk light.
Stage by stage
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1
Chepstow
Start beneath Britain's oldest stone castle, above the Wye.
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2
Monmouth
The lower Wye Valley — Tintern Abbey is the detour everyone makes.
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3
Hay-on-Wye
The town of books, at the foot of the Black Mountains.
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4
Kington
Over Hergest Ridge on the airiest miles of the path.
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5
Knighton
Tref-y-Clawdd — "the town on the dyke" — home of the Offa's Dyke Centre and the halfway point.
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6
Buttington (Welshpool)
The Severn valley interlude, Powis Castle nearby.
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7
Llangollen
Cross Thomas Telford's sky-high Pontcysyllte Aqueduct — a World Heritage Site.
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8
Bodfari
The Clwydian Range's heathery hillforts, one after another.
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9
Prestatyn
Down the last hill to the promenade and into the Irish Sea — boots optional.
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Community notes
Tips, conditions, and the things only someone who's been can tell you.
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Good to know
- How long does the Offa's Dyke Path take?
- Around 12 days for the full 177 miles — the stages on this page break it into real walking days, and every one works as a section walk too.
- Should I book accommodation ahead?
- Yes — beds along the popular trails go months ahead for summer. Each stage lists places to stay nearby so you can book the whole walk before you lace up.
- Can I get my bags carried?
- Baggage-transfer services operate on all the major trails, moving your bag between overnight stops so you walk with a daysack. Book it alongside your beds.
- Do I book through this site?
- No — every listing links straight to the holiday operator and you book with them at their live price. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.