Posts Tagged ‘ODP’

Offa’s Dyke Path: itinerary

Sunday, April 27th, 2014

As we prepared for walking the Offa’s Dyke Path (see here for packing, planning and so forth) we decided that our first priority was to have a good time and that finishing Offa’s Dyke Path would be preferable but not required. So when planning the stages, I made sure that we would have time to rest and do some sight seeing and also have some points along the route where we could return to our starting point. In fact, we even packed a larger tent in case the weather would be awful or we were not up to walking the Path.

The books used during the walk are Offa’s Dyke Path North (2008 edition) and Offa’s Dyke Path South (2010 edition) by Ernie and Kathy Kay and Mark Richards. These were fine and weigh 500 grams.

ODP Book

At the start of the ODP with the book. Backpack is rather flat here, since there is hardly anything in it.

So, below is a table with what I planned and below that what we actually did. All locations include a campsite. I will write another blog post about the facilities in the campsites and towns along the Path.

Day Destination Distance Details
1 Harwich StenaLine ferry from Hoek van Holland to Harwich
2 Chepstow By car to Upper Sedbury House*
3 Beeches Farm Campsite  11km Beeches Farm Campsite
4 Monmouth  18 km Monmouth Caravan Park
5** Llanveterine 19 km Great Tre-rhew Farm. Campsite with no shower. Also possible to book a room at the farm itself. Directions from White Castle. Could not find a website.
6 Llanthony Priory  17 km Campsite with no shower at 6 pound per night. Or stay at the hotel.
7 Hay-on-Wye  21 km Radnor’s End.
8 Hay-on-Wye
9 Kington  24 km Fleece Meadow Caravan & Camping Site
10 Knighton  23 km Panpwnton Camp Site
11 Knighton
12 Brompton  23 km Mellington Hall Holiday home
13 Buttington  20 km Green Dragon Inn
14 Visit Welshpool By bus
15 Four Crosses  14 km The Golden Lion hotel. Website does not mention it, but several walkers report that you can pitch a tent there.
16 Carreg-y-big Farm  20 km Carreg-y-big Farm
17 Llangollen  20 km Wern Isaf
18 Llangollen
19 Gweryd Lakes  22 km Gweryd Lakes campsite
20 Bodfari  24 km Station House Caravan Park
21 Prestatyn  19 km ?
22 Chepstow By train
23 Groningen Details

* We chose Upper Sedbury House as campsite because the website (no longer available) advertised it was possible to leave our car  during the walk. However, when we arrived the owners were moving and it was not possible to leave our car there but we pitch the tent for a night. The neighbors across the road, Chepstow Cottages, were so nice to help us. Perhaps you can give them a call if you are also looking for a place to leave your car.

** Because of a rather tight schedule and we were on holiday after all, we explored possibilities to skip some parts of the walk. In Monmouth you can take the bus to Pandy via Abergavenny. Bus tickets are very reasonably priced.

ODP Book

Erwin leads the way towards Carrreg-y-big Farm

The table shows what we actually did. We were relatively untrained, but this was doable. However, a post with things I wish I had thought of earlier will come online soon. We camped out unless mentioned otherwise.

Day Destination Distance Details
1 Harwich StenaLine ferry from Hoek van Holland to Harwich
2 Chepstow By car to Upper Sedbury House
3 Redbrook  21 km Tresco B&B (B&B because absolutely soaked). Northern end of Redbrook Rd in Redbrook.
4 Monmouth  9 km Mono Bridge Caravan Park
5 Hay-on-Wye  28 km Bus to Pandy. Stay at Radnor’s End.
6 Hay-on-Wye
7 Kington  24 km YHA Kington (hostel because tired)
8 Knighton  23 km Panpwnton Camp Site
9 Knighton
10 Newcastle 12 km Clun Valley Camping
11 Brompton  14 km Mellington Hall
12 Buttington  20 km Green Dragon Inn
13 Welshpool By bus.  Bus stop is in front of inn.
14 Llanymynech  19 km Bradford Arms Hotel (because we’ve earned it)
15 Carreg-y-big Farm  15 km Carreg-y-big Farm
16 Llangollen  20 km Wern Isaf Farm
17 Llangollen
18 Gweryd Lakes  22 km Gweryd Lakes campsite
19 Bodfari  24 km Station House Caravan Park
20 Prestatyn  19 km Nant Mill Touring Park
21 Prestatyn
22 Chepstow By train
23 Groningen Details
Erwin multitasks at the camp site

Erwin does two important things at once

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Offa’s Dyke Path: hints and experiences and preparing for the path

Sunday, February 23rd, 2014

In august 2013 Erwin and I walked the Offa’s Dyke Path (ODP) in Wales south to north. I used many websites, blogs and review sites when preparing for our walk. Therefore, I would like to return something to the walking community. The blogs that I will publish in the next weeks will contain descriptions of our gear, our travel itinerary, information about shops and resupplying, and writings about things I wish I had known before we started off on Offa’s Dyke Path.

Start ODP

Erwin at the startpoint of Offa’s Dyke Path

Before ODP, the longest distance Erwin walked was about 20 km. Ten years ago, I walked the West Highland Way but had not had much practice since.  We did do a two day walk to test our gear. Unfortunately, on the second practice walk, I got a huge blister which did not heal well. This meant that we could not practice anymore. So in the end,  the ODP itself was our training. We were both in reasonable shape, although not very fit, and we did alright.

Halfway Offa's Dyke Path

Half way there.. and having a very good time!

For me, this was the best holiday I have had so far. The walk is beautifully situated. The people we met along the walk are amazingly friendly and always ready to chat about.. well, everything really. We talked politics,  the aftermath of the second World War in Berlin, Spanish tiles, real ale and how to get a refill for free. We talked about J.K. Rowling and Sporty Spice, health care, and Prince William and Prince Harry, how glass tea cups are probably not the cleverest thing to take along when hiking and, of course, about the weather. Apart from the amazing scenery and people, I also enjoyed the food. We did bring along our own cooking gear, but we did not want to miss the opportunity to sample the local cuisine! Pork pies, sticky toffee pudding, fish, chips and mashed greens, some respectable British breakfasts including black pudding, lots of tea with milk, several real ales, pasties, spotted Dick, Victoria sponge, Fisherman’s Pie.. It is fortunate we walked so much!

End of Offa's Dyke Path

We made it!

(To be) published articles:

  • Gear
  • Travel itinerary
  • Things I wish we had known in advance
  • Shopping, resupplying and campsites

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