Offa’s Dyke Path Walking Holidays: Experience Wales’ Iconic Walk

An Offa’s Dyke Path walking holiday takes you 177 miles coast to coast, from the River Severn to the Irish Sea, following the course of Britain’s longest ancient monument. Few routes in the UK offer such striking contrasts of unspoilt scenery, while also immersing you in over two thousand years of history and heritage.

Nights
3 to 22 Nights
Distance
27.5 to 184.9 miles
Location
Welsh Border
Difficulty
Easy to Moderate – Challenging
Season
Mar to Oct
Price from
£415

Highlights

Walk Offa’s Dyke: A Self-Guided Walking Holiday Across Wales’ Legendary Borderlands

Pass the Norman castles of Chepstow, White Castle and Chirk
Discover early medieval Tintern Abbey and Llanthony Priory
Browse the famous old bookshops of Hay-on-Wye
Be inspired by the setting of Bruce Chatwin’s novel On The Black Hill
Cross the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in the Pontcysyllte World Heritage site
Walk from Pandy over the Black Mountains and Hatterrall Ridge
From £415 per person
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The Offa’s Dyke Path Experts in Self-Guided Walking Holidays

Celtic Trails' offices are located at the beginning of Offa’s Dyke Path, in the beautiful village of Tintern, overlooked by the world-famous Tintern Abbey in the lower Wye Valley. Since 1997 we've supported walkers on this National Trail, making us the leading supplier of Offa’s Dyke walking holidays in the UK. Our local knowledge is second to none.

We arrange self-guided walking holidays along this breath-taking path for clients who appreciate high standards of customer service, comfort, and organisation. We work with a network of caring hosts who offer warm hospitality in quality accommodations. They are an extension of our team, regularly going above and beyond for Celtic Trails guests.

Our varied itineraries range from ten miles per day to high mileage express routes for those who enjoy a challenge. Choose the perfect pace for you. Whether you want to complete the whole path, opt for half-path options, or break the route into smaller sections, we offer a tailoring service. Your dedicated walk coordinator, Sarah, will look after you from start to finish.

The Offa’s Dyke Path Experts in Self-Guided Walking Holidays

From Chepstow to Prestatyn: Conquer the Full Offa’s Dyke Route

Offa’s Dyke is Britain’s longest ancient monument, named after the powerful 8th-century Saxon King Offa, who ordered a defensive earthen barrier to be built to discourage hostile Welsh Celtic tribes. In the 12th century, the area became a battleground between Welsh nobles and Norman conquerors, leading to the construction of numerous castles—a highlight of this path. Walkers will cross the Welsh-English border over twenty times along the entire path.

The Offa’s Dyke Path offers dramatic and varied scenery with no two days being the same. You will pass through charming towns and villages, ancient bronze, and iron age hill forts, explore castles, and cross mountains. Our walkers often describe this unique experience as their favourite path.

Castell Dinas Bran

Offa’s Dyke Path Walkthrough: Discover the Way

The Offa's Dyke Path follows ancient earthworks that marked the border between England and Wales. However, it doesn't strictly follow the borderline, with some sections missing from the boundary emerging out of the Wye Valley (for reasons that still escape historians).

Following the high ground wherever possible, you will experience wonderful views over the Welsh and English countryside. Walk through the Black Mountains and take in the breathtaking views from Hatterall Ridge. Pass through historic towns such as Monmouth and Welshpool, enjoy the blissfully quiet Welsh Marches of Herefordshire, Powys, and Shropshire, cross the Berwyn Mountains, and stride along the broad, grassy Clwydian Hills.

While steep ascents and descents are not common on this route, the repeated rising and falling can be strenuous. The most challenging sections are between the Black Mountains, Knighton, and Cwm, where there are several steep ascents and descents. However, the view from the Black Mountains is particularly memorable and worth the climb.

Explore the Offa’s Dyke Way with Celtic Trails

We are only a phone call away and will plan your perfect walking break to suit your requirements. Call us today at 01291 689774, and your dedicated walk coordinator, Sarah, will start planning your holiday along Offa’s Dyke Path.

We look forward to meeting you as you pass through Tintern!

Offa's Dyke Walk Map

Choose Your Walk

Our Offa's Dyke Path Itineraries

Chepstow to Prestatyn

177 miles (284.9 km)

Chepstow to Hay on Wye (castles)

49.5 miles (79.66233 km)

Chepstow to Knighton

80 miles (128.7 km)

Llanthony Priory to Knighton

42 miles (67.6 km)

The Heights of Offa's Dyke

27.75 miles (44.7 km)

Knighton to Prestatyn

97 miles (156.1 km)

Prestatyn to Chepstow

177 miles (284.9 km)

Prestatyn to Knighton

97 miles (156.1 km)

Knighton to Chepstow

80 miles (128.7 km)

Key Information

  • Good standard accommodation at a mixture of guesthouses, farmhouses, local inns and B&Bs with en-suite or private facilities wherever possible
  • Breakfast
  • Luggage transfers
  • Personal transfer between accommodation and path that form a part of our standard package
  • Route planning
  • Walk pack including Trail Guide and mapping, itinerary, accommodation directions and route notes, lunch and dinner information, restaurant recommendations and holiday planning details

Customise your trip?

All itineraries can be walked from north to south, as well as south to north. You will find our standard itineraries on our website, but if you would like to make any adjustments to our routes, then please do get in touch - we would be more than happy to tailor a route that meets your needs. Looking for different mileages or a different number of nights? Please contact us to discuss how our itineraries can be adjusted to meet your specific needs.

Offa's Dyke Path Client Reviews

4.7/5 based on 430 reviews

"Good choice of accommodation, Very efficient office back up. Friendly"

Anon
September 2025

"Really well organised trip, all ran smoothly, everything as expected. Directions clear."

Sally
September 2025

"Very efficient and everything worked well."

anon
September 2025

"We received fabulous service before the hike: quick and very helpful responses to all questions! And the chosen lodgings and restaurant recommendations exceeded our expectations."

Vicky S
September 2025

"Attention to details, efficient & reliable. cover most eventualities"

Paul Covell & John Baines
September 2025

"Celtic Trails were reliable, good experienced company, taking our wishes into consideration, choosing the best possible accommodation, friendly, competent. We did this walk to complete the whole of Wales. We enjoyed the scenery, being in the outdoors with all the elements. Discovering parts of Wales you can only reach on foot."

Siân and Rolf
September 2025

"Celtic made it easy to book accomodation along the trail as well as help define a general itinerary and keep logistics simple. We stayed at places that we might not have stayed at and it made the cultural part of the Offa's Dyke experience way more enjoyable."

Thomson, Matthew
September 2025

"Very well organised. The length of the days was well-balanced, not easy to do when accommodation is so sparse for parts of the trail. I loved the holiday, and would do the walk again (if there weren't other walks to consider)"

Paul Barker
September 2025

"Excellent service, with great support both before and during the trip."

Sian Williams
September 2025

Hand-Picked Accommodation: Comfort Along the Way

We seek out the best accommodation of its type available

Hand-Picked Accommodation: Comfort Along the Way

Points of Interest

Hatterrakk Ridge on the Offa's Dyke Path

Hatterrall Ridge

One of the landmarks of taking the Offa's Dyke Path is where the route makes the ascent of the Black Mountains. On your over you'll cross paths with the impressive ruins of Llanthony Priory, before meeting spectacular views over the surrounding countryside from the top of Hatterrall Ridge.

The ridge is met on the Pandy to Hay-on-Wye section of our Offa's Dyke Path itineraries that start or finish in Chepstow, or Chepstow Bridge.

Hay-on-Wye walks in Wales

Hay-on-Wye

The Welsh border town, often abbreviated to just 'Hay', is renowned for its many bookshops - as well as its world-famous literary festival (described by Bill Clinton as 'a festival for the mind'.) The town carries with it a strong sense of identity, to the point where it even declared itself its own independent kingdom in the 1970s (although this was a publicity stunt).

Hay-on-Wye is found on the ODP1to ODP4 itineraries, and is a popular place for walkers spending a rest day on the Offa's Dyke Path.

Media Gallery

Customise your trip?

All itineraries can be walked from north to south, as well as south to north. You will find our standard itineraries on our website, but if you would like to make any adjustments to our routes, then please do get in touch - we would be more than happy to tailor a route that meets your needs. Looking for different mileages or a different number of nights? Please contact us to discuss how our itineraries can be adjusted to meet your specific needs.

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