Guidance

Offa's Dyke Path: National Trail

Published 24 June 2026

Applies to England and Wales

Offa’s Dyke Path is a 177-mile (285km) National Trail along the border of England and Wales. It’s named after the Dyke that King Offa constructed in the 8th century, which parts of the trail still follow.

The trail starts at Sedbury Cliffs near Chepstow, on the banks of the Severn estuary, and ends in the coastal town of Prestatyn, on the shores of the Irish sea.

The trail goes through 3 National Landscapes – the Wye Valley, the Shropshire Hills and the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley. It also goes through Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park.

About the trail

The trail goes between:

• Sedbury Cliffs near Chepstow
• Prestatyn

You can choose to walk the entire trail, a specific section or two, or find local circular walks that follow some of the trail.

You can find some circular and linear walks on the National Trails website.

When to visit

The trail is open all year.

Signposts on the trail

All National Trails are marked with an acorn symbol or the trail name. You’ll see these along the trail, for example on gates and signposts.

Walking the whole trail

• Length: 177 miles (285km)
• Time to complete: about 2 weeks

You can walk the trail in either direction. Signposts show the route in both directions so you can choose.  

Accessibility on the trail

Many of the stiles on the trail have been removed.

The trail goes through different types of landscape. The flattest section is between Buttington Bridge and Llanymynech, which mostly follows the River Severn and the Montgomeryshire Canal.

Some sections of the trail may be challenging, such as:

• an area of the Shropshire Hills between Knighton and Brompton Crossroads with lots of climbs and descents
• the upland sections of the Brecon Beacons and Clwydian Range, especially in poor weather or visibility

What you can experience on the trail  

There are many things you can experience on the Offa’s Dyke Path, including:

• wildlife  – such as black grouse near Llandegla Forest
• historic and heritage sites – such as Monnow Bridge, Iron Age hillforts and Offa’s Dyke itself
• nature reserves - such as Llanymynech Rocks and Highbury Wood
• local culture, food and entertainment

On the trail you can also visit cities, towns and small villages, including: 

• Monmouth
• Llangollen
• Hay on Wye
• Montgomery

Sections of the trail

You can break the trail into sections that you can walk in a day, or that give you time to visit specific things on or near the trail.  

There’s an example below, but you can find more information online and in guidebooks to help plan your route.

Sedbury Cliffs to Monmouth – 17.5 miles (28km)

Offa’s Dyke Path starts in England overlooking the Severn estuary. At the very start of the trail it meets Offa’s Dyke, close to Sedbury Cliff.

The trail continues north on the eastern side of the River Wye and goes across the border into Wales at Redbrook. This section of the trail finishes in Monmouth, a Welsh border town.

Monmouth to Pandy – 16.75 miles (27km)

This section crosses farmland of Monmouthshire, where there can be livestock grazing. The trail goes through the site of Abbey Grace Dieu and several small villages before it goes to Pandy.

Pandy to Hay-on-Wye – 17.5 miles (28.2km)

The trail climbs steadily from Pandy to the first upland section of the trail in the Black Mountains. This is the highest point of the trail at 2,300 feet (700m). This section straddles the national border on the Hatterrall Ridge.

The trail follows a well-defined ridge walk for about 11 miles to Hay Bluff. Many walkers break the journey with an overnight stay at either Llanthony Priory or Longtown. The trail then goes down into Hay on Wye.

Hay to Kington – 14.75 miles (23.3km)

This section starts off alongside the Wye, before going through the landscape of the Powys and Herefordshire border. At the end of this section the trail rises to over 400m on Hergest Ridge, before it goes to the border town of Kington.

Kington to Knighton – 13.5 miles (21.7km)

After Kington the trail goes over Bradnor Hill and its golf course. On this section the trail joins Offa’s Dyke again, which it follows for most of the rest of the trail to Chirk Castle.

The trail goes over the border from Herefordshire into Powys. It goes down into Knighton (Tref-y-Clawdd, meaning ‘the town on the Dyke’ in Welsh). This is almost the half-way point of the trail.

Knighton to Brompton Crossroads – 15 miles (24km)

This ‘switchback’ section may be considered the most challenging on the trail as it rises and falls through the Shropshire Hills. Just above Newcastle on Clun there’s a midway marker for the midpoint of the trail. There are very few villages on this section.

Brompton Crossroads to Buttington Bridge – 12.3 miles (20km)

This section of the trail is on fairly flat terrain and crosses over the border a number of times.

Towards the end of the section the trail climbs up to Beacon Hill Fort. The section ends by going down to Buttington Bridge where it meets the River Severn.

Buttington Bridge to Llanymynech – 10.5 miles (17km)

This section of the trail is almost flat throughout. The trail follows parts of the Montgomeryshire Canal and the River Severn before it reaches the town of Llanymynech. The Wales and England border is the main street.

Parts of this section can flood when it’s very wet, so you should check for flooding before you set off.

Llanymynech to Chirk Mill – 14 miles (22.5km)

This is a hilly section of the trail, going up Llanymynech Hill, Moelydd, Candy Woods and Oswestry Old Racecourse. The trail climbs up to Llanymynech Rocks nature reserves.

Chirk Mill to Llandegla – 15.5 miles (25.7km)

This section of the trail is the last section that follows Offa’s Dyke, until the edge of the Llangollen Canal.

During summer the trail has a route through Chirk Castle. There’s an alternative route that crosses the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

After leaving the village of Trevor the trail crosses the Eglwyseg Crags near Llangollen. The trail goes over moorland before going down through Llandegla Forest.

Llandegla to Bodfari – 17.5 miles (28km)

From Llandegla the trail continues through the Clywdian Range, mostly following the ridge. The trail passes over or beside a string of iron and bronze age hillforts and then climbs Moel Famau with the Jubilee Tower at its top.

Bodfari to Prestatyn – 12 miles (19km)

This is the most northerly section of the trail, which is still in the Clwydian Range although the hills are smaller now.

There are views of Snowdonia and the North Wales coast from Prestatyn Hillside before the trail goes down into Prestatyn. The trail goes up the high street and ends by the sea. Traditionally, walkers take off their boots and socks and walk into the sea to mark the end of the trail.

Maps for the trail

You can find:

• a map on the National Trails website – you can also download GPX data
• other maps and guidebooks online and in print
• circular and linear walks online and from the local council

The Ordnance Survey (OS) Explorer maps that cover Offa’s Dyke Path are:

• 201 Knighton and Presteigne
• 216 Welshpool and Montgomery
• 240 Oswestry
• 256 Wrexham and Llangollen
• 265 Clwydian Range
• OL13 Brecon Beacons National Park Eastern area
• OL14 Wye Valley and Forest of Dean

Diversions or closures on the trail

You may find minor diversions, seasonal or tidal changes to the route. These will be clearly signposted and you should always follow the signposts on the trail.

Prepare for your visit

Read guidance on how to prepare for your visit for information on: 

• checking the route – including for diversions or closures 
• planning your trip 
• what to prepare before you set off 
• what to do on the trail

Contact

Use the relevant National Trails online form to:  

• report a problem  
• ask a question about accessibility on the trail  
• find out about volunteering opportunities  

Contact the local council to report a problem on a public right of way, for example obstructions, poor maintenance or a misleading sign.