Overview

Walking Holidays
13 - 16 Nights
177 miles / 285 km
  • Prices from: £1330 per person
  • Start: Chepstow, Monmouthshire
  • Finish: Prestatyn, Denbighshire
  • Availability: Any start date from April to October
  • Grading: Strenuous
  • Way-marked: Yes

Offa’s Dyke Path Highlights

The challenge
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Take on the challenge of walking the length of Wales from south to north, crisscrossing the ancient borderland between England and Wales.

Picturesque towns and villages
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Visit border towns and attractive villages including Monmouth, Hay-on-Wye, Knighton, Montgomery and Welshpool.

Charming Chepstow
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Springing up around the Norman castle built at a strategic point overlooking the River Wye, Chepstow was a major medieval powerhouse. Nowadays, it’s a lively town that combines the best of ancient and modern Wales.

Shropshire Hills
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Challenge yourself as you walk through the beautiful Shropshire hills, taking in the magnificent views all around.

Wye Valley
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Walk in the wonderful Wye Valley and discover a book-lovers’ paradise at Hay-on-Wye. 

Historic castles and abbeys
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Explore historic castles and abbeys dotted along the trail including the magnificent Powis Castle at Welshpool, and the 12th-century Cistercian abbey at Tintern.

Discover the Historic Borderland of England & Wales

The Offa’s Dyke Path is a popular National Trail which stretches 177 miles from the Severn Estuary near Chepstow to the coast of north Wales at Prestatyn. This diverse route passes through no less than 8 different counties and crosses the border between England and Wales over 20 times.

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Offa’s Dyke is believed to date from the late 8th century, when King Offa ordered a great dyke to be built to mark the western boundary of his kingdom with Wales stretching from sea to sea. In places, it is still visible as a bank up to 25-feet high with a deep ditch alongside.

The path explores the tranquil Marches and passes through the Brecon Beacons National Park on the spectacular Hatterall Ridge. In addition, it links no less than three Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty—the Wye Valley, the Shropshire Hills and the Clwydian Hills.

For over half its length, the route keeps company with Offa’s Dyke but the landscape varies throughout the journey. It passes through remarkable scenery of great beauty and variety, ranging from the woodlands of the spectacular Wye Gorge to the windswept ridges of the Black Mountains and from the rolling hills and secluded valleys of mid-Wales to the heather-clad Clwydian Hills.

Along the way, it also visits a succession of historic border towns and attractive villages including Monmouth, Hay-on-Wye, Knighton, Montgomery and Welshpool. The walled towns, castles and remains of fortifications are visually stunning and of great historical interest. These include Chepstow Castle, the first stone fortress built in Wales, Tintern Abbey on the banks of the River Wye and one of the greatest monastic ruins of Wales, and the magnificent Powis Castle at Welshpool.

Offa’s Dyke Path Route Map

Recommended Itinerary

Our most popular itinerary is ODP2 which covers the route in 13 days / 14 nights.

Travel to Chepstow for your first night’s accommodation
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Arrive in Chepstow and spend the evening at your first night’s accommodation.

Day 1: Chepstow to Redbrook (13 miles / 21 km)
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From the bridge by Chepstow Castle follow a well-marked trail northwards for the day. Chepstow Castle dates from 1067 and is open throughout the year.

The path is often high above the river affording good views of the wooded valley. You will pass by Tintern Abbey, founded in 1131 by monks of the Cistercian Order before you arrive in Redbrook which overlooks the River Wye.

Day 2: Redbrook to White Castle (15 miles / 24 km)
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From Redbrook you climb above the River Wye before the route descends into Monmouth, a lovely historic town with a castle and beautiful 13th-century gatehouse on the bridge over the River Monnow.

From here you follow field and woodland paths through a picturesque rural landscape to Llantilio Crossenny, before ending your day at White Castle, a 12th century Norman stronghold. You will spend the night in the nearby town of Abergavenny.

Day 3: White Castle to Longtown or Llanthony (11.5 miles / 18.5 km)
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This morning you will return to White Castle, where your route crosses farmland, which accompanies you by way of Llangattock Lingoed and Pandy. Then it’s a long, steady climb up onto the panoramic Hatterall Ridge to the first summit of the Black Mountains (464m) followed by an easy, gradual climb to the highest point (703m).

Depending on availability, you will spend the evening in either Llanthony – with its famous Priory, or Longtown – a lovely village in the Olchon Valley.

Day 4: Longtown or Llanthony to Hay-on-Wye (13 miles / 21 km)
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A steep climb this morning take you back to rejoin the ridge, which follows not only the English/Welsh border but the boundary of the Brecon Beacons National Park. This superb ridge walk ends at Hay Bluff from where there is a fantastic view north over Hay and the Wye Valley and west towards the Brecon Beacons. From here you descend steeply and mostly through farmland to the border town of Hay-on-Wye.

Hay-on-Wye is a pretty little town, famous for its wealth of second-hand book shops. There are bookshelves on the street and in back yards, on walls and in tin sheds, in a cinema, in gardens, cafes, and the biggest of all is in the castle!

Day 5: Hay-on-Wye to Kington (14 miles / 22.5 km)
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This is an enjoyable day of contrasts which stays on the Welsh side of the border for most of the day. It takes you along the River Wye, through a short stretch of forest and up onto a couple of lovely stretches of the moor before descending to Kington.

Day 6: Kington to Knighton (14 miles / 22.5 km)
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Offa’s Dyke is your constant companion today. Although hilly the walk is relatively straightforward with superb views and features some of the best-preserved examples of the dyke along the whole route. A steep descent brings you into the small town of Knighton.

Half way! Knighton`s Welsh name, Tref-y-Clawd, is Town on the Dyke, indicating that Offa’s Dyke actually passes through the town. Suitably enough, the Offa’s Dyke Centre opened here in 1999.

Day 7: Knighton to Brompton (15 miles / 24 km)
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This section of Offa’s Dyke is bleak and challenging and perhaps the hardest day of the walk. The relentless pattern of hills means steep climbs, a relatively level section of the ridge then a steep drop, followed by another brutal climb. Nevertheless, the scenery is spectacular.

The section of the route near Llanfair Hill is often regarded as the finest on the route, both for seeing the dyke and for the views. We recommend an early start to allow for plenty of rest stops

Day 8: Brompton to Welshpool (12 miles / 19 km)
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Today is on the easy side after the hills of the previous day with pleasant, flat walking which gradually builds to steep ascents. A short detour can be made into the delightful town of Montgomery, overlooked by its castle ruins.

Long Mountain dominates the skyline in front of you. Follow the Roman road up Long Mountain before branching off through woodland to Beacon Ring Iron Age hill fort. From here you descend to Buttington, before continuing to your accommodation in Welshpool; a 13th-century market town that developed under the protection of Powis Castle.

Day 9: Welshpool to Trefonen (16.5 miles / 26.5 km)
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From Buttington, Offa’s Dyke Path follows the River Severn northwards for a considerable distance. This flattish day then takes you by way of Four Crosses on to Llanymynech, where the English/Welsh border runs down the main street.

Passing through the villages of Porth-y-waen and Nantmawr, you climb once more to take in the fine views from Moelydd (285m). You will spend the evening in nearby Oswestry.

Day 10: Trefonen to Llangollen (15.5 miles / 25 km)
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From the hills, you return to tourist territory in Llangollen, a bridging point of the River Dee.

The section along Craig Forda to the former Oswestry Racecourse is delightful in all seasons and ahead is Chirk Castle, a magnificent 14th Century home. The route then takes you through an area dominated by remnants of the industrial age of the early 19th Century. There is a fine railway viaduct on the Wrexham line, the Llangollen Canal and best of all the towering 120-foot arches of Thomas Telford’s Pontcysyllte canal aqueduct constructed in 1805.

Day 11: Llangollen to Clwyd Gate (13.5 miles / 21.5 km)
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Then you return to the magnificent countryside with the superb Eglwyseg ridge above Llangollen. Beyond the Eglwyseg Mountain, another climb takes you into the Llandegla Forest before descending into the attractive village of Llandegla.

From the base of Moel y Waen it’s a steady climb to the top of Moel y Plas. From the top of Moel Llanfair, the view into the valley below is dominated by the Denbighshire town of Ruthin with its red stone castle. You will spend the evening in nearby Llanferres.

Day 12: Clwyd Gate to Bodfari (11.5 miles / 18.5 km)
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After being transferred back to Clwyd Gate, your penultimate day on Offa’s Dyke Path continues as you make your way through the wild beauty of the heather-covered moors along the Clwydian Range. You will climb to reach Moel Famau, the highest point of these hills at 544m and topped by the ruins of the Jubilee Tower, erected in 1810 to mark the jubilee of George III.

Further hills and accompanying hill forts lead you north before descending to the tiny village of Bodfari.

Day 13: Bodfari to Prestatyn (12 miles / 19 km)
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There are several stiff ascents to tackle on this final day but ahead are alluring coastal vistas as you head towards the coast at Prestatyn.

North of Rhuallt you gain expansive views of the sea to the north and west. A wonderful grand finale is the hair-raising section of path along a clifftop before descending to Prestatyn where your walk ends on award-winning sands.

Onward travel
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After breakfast, you will start your journey home after a wonderful walking holiday on the Offa’s Dyke Path.

What’s Included?

Your Offa’s Dyke Path walking holiday includes:

  • Carefully selected accommodation along the route and trail transfers when applicable
  • En-suite or private bathroom facilities whenever possible
  • Daily door-to-door baggage transfers
  • Comprehensive information pack, kit list, guidebook and map (one set per room)
  • Personalised itinerary with details of your accommodation, route and recommendations for lunch and dinner
  • Traditional Welsh / English breakfast
  • 24-hour emergency contact number
  • Full financial protection

Your walking holiday doesn't include:

  • Travel insurance
  • Transport to and from the start and end of the walk
  • Lunches and evening meals

Itineraries & Prices

We offer 5 suggested itineraries for walking Offa’s Dyke Path. Our most popular itinerary is ODP2 which covers the route in 13 days.

As well as the entire route, we also offer two shorter sections of the Offa’s Dyke Path: the South section (ODP4) and North section (ODP5) are both excellent walks in their own right, and give those with less time the opportunity to complete the trail over two stages.

Tour code
Itinerary
Average miles infoAverage miles per day
Difficulty infoLevel of difficulty
Price per person
ODP1
12 Days / 13 Nights
15 miles per day
Strenuous
From £1330
Average miles infoAverage miles per day 15 miles per day
Tour code: ODP1
Difficulty infoLevel of difficulty Strenuous

12 Days / 13 Nights (ODP1)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

  • Standard: £45 per night

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag there is a solo walker supplement of £20 per day in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Chepstow for your first night's accommodation
1
Day 1 Chepstow to Monmouth 17 miles / 27 km
2
Day 2 Monmouth to Pandy 17 miles / 27 km
3
Day 3 Pandy to Hay-on-Wye 18 miles / 29 km
4
Day 4 Hay-on-Wye to Kington 14 miles / 22.5 km
5
Day 5 Kington to Knighton 14 miles / 22.5 km
6
Day 6 Knighton to Brompton 15 miles / 24 km
7
Day 7 Brompton to Buttington 12 miles / 19 km
8
Day 8 Buttington to Trefonen (overnight Oswestry) 16.5 miles / 26.5 km
9
Day 9 Trefonen to Llangollen 15.5 miles / 25 km
10
Day 10 Llangollen to Clwyd Gate (overnight Llanferres) 13.5 miles / 21.5 km
11
Day 11 Clwyd Gate to Bodfari 11.5 miles / 18.5 km
12
Day 12 Bodfari to Prestatyn 12 miles / 19 km
Depart Onward travel from Prestatyn

Prices

Standard
Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels
From £1330 per person

Good quality and comfortable B&Bs, guest houses and some hotels located as close to the trail as possible. We will prioritise en-suite facilities or a private bathroom, although in remote areas with limited accommodation this may not always be possible.

ODP2
13 Days / 14 Nights
13.5 miles per day
Strenuous
From £1460
Average miles infoAverage miles per day 13.5 miles per day
Tour code: ODP2
Difficulty infoLevel of difficulty Strenuous

13 Days / 14 Nights (ODP2)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

  • Standard: £45 per night

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag there is a solo walker supplement of £20 per day in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Chepstow for your first night's accommodation
1
Day 1 Chepstow to Redbrook 13 miles / 21 km
2
Day 2 Redbrook to White Castle (overnight Abergavenny) 15 miles / 24 km
3
Day 3 White Castle to Longtown or Llanthony 11.5 miles / 18.5 km
4
Day 4 Longtown or Llanthony to Hay-on-Wye 13 miles / 21 km
5
Day 5 Hay-on-Wye to Kington 14 miles / 22.5 km
6
Day 6 Kington to Knighton 14 miles / 22.5 km
7
Day 7 Knighton to Brompton 15 miles / 24 km
8
Day 8 Brompton to Buttington 12 miles / 19 km
9
Day 9 Buttington to Trefonen (overnight Oswestry) 16.5 miles / 26.5 km
10
Day 10 Trefonen to Llangollen 15.5 miles / 25 km
11
Day 11 Llangollen to Clwyd Gate (overnight Llanferres) 13.5 miles / 21.5 km
12
Day 12 Clwyd Gate to Bodfari 11.5 miles / 18.5 km
13
Day 13 Bodfari to Prestatyn 12 miles / 19 km
Depart Onward travel from Prestatyn

Prices

Standard
Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels
From £1460 per person

Good quality and comfortable B&Bs, guest houses and some hotels located as close to the trail as possible. We will prioritise en-suite facilities or a private bathroom, although in remote areas with limited accommodation this may not always be possible.

ODP3
15 Days / 16 Nights
12 miles per day
Strenuous
From £1660
Average miles infoAverage miles per day 12 miles per day
Tour code: ODP3
Difficulty infoLevel of difficulty Strenuous

15 Days / 16 Nights (ODP3)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

  • Standard: £45 per night

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag there is a solo walker supplement of £20 per day in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Chepstow for your first night's accommodation
1
Day 1 Chepstow to Redbrook 13 miles / 21 km
2
Day 2 Redbrook to White Castle (overnight Abergavenny) 15 miles / 24 km
3
Day 3 White Castle to Longtown or Llanthony 11.5 miles / 18.5 km
4
Day 4 Longtown or Llanthony to Hay-on-Wye 13 miles / 21 km
5
Day 5 Hay-on-Wye to Kington 14 miles / 22.5 km
6
Day 6 Kington to Knighton 14 miles / 22.5 km
7
Day 7 Knighton to Newcastle 7.5 miles / 12 km
8
Day 8 Newcastle to Brompton 7.5 miles / 12 km
9
Day 9 Brompton to Buttington 12 miles / 19 km
10
Day 10 Buttington to Llanymynech 10.5 miles / 17 km
11
Day 11 Llanymynech to Castle Mill (overnight Chirk) 14 miles / 22.5 km
12
Day 12 Castle Mill to Llangollen 9 miles / 14.5 km
13
Day 13 Llangollen to Clwyd Gate (overnight Llanferres) 13.5 miles / 21.5 km
14
Day 14 Clwyd Gate to Bodfari 11.5 miles / 18.5 km
15
Day 15 Bodfari to Prestatyn 12 miles / 19 km
Depart Onward travel from Prestatyn

Prices

Standard
Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels
From £1660 per person

Good quality and comfortable B&Bs, guest houses and some hotels located as close to the trail as possible. We will prioritise en-suite facilities or a private bathroom, although in remote areas with limited accommodation this may not always be possible.

ODP4
6 Days / 7 Nights (South Section)
13.5 miles per day
Strenuous
From £740
Average miles infoAverage miles per day 13.5 miles per day
Tour code: ODP4
Difficulty infoLevel of difficulty Strenuous

6 Days / 7 Nights (ODP4)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

  • Standard: £45 per night

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag there is a solo walker supplement of £20 per day in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Chepstow for your first night's accommodation
1
Day 1 Chepstow to Redbrook 13 miles / 21 km
2
Day 2 Redbrook to White Castle (overnight Abergavenny) 15 miles / 24 km
3
Day 3 White Castle to Longtown or Llanthony 11.5 miles / 18.5 km
4
Day 4 Longtown or Llanthony to Hay-on-Wye 13 miles / 21 km
5
Day 5 Hay-on-Wye to Kington 14 miles / 22.5 km
6
Day 6 Kington to Knighton 14 miles / 22.5 km
Depart Onward travel from Knighton

Prices

Standard
Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels
From £740 per person

Good quality and comfortable B&Bs, guest houses and some hotels located as close to the trail as possible. We will prioritise en-suite facilities or a private bathroom, although in remote areas with limited accommodation this may not always be possible.

ODP5
7 Days / 8 Nights (North Section)
13.5 miles per day
Strenuous
From £850
Average miles infoAverage miles per day 13.5 miles per day
Tour code: ODP5
Difficulty infoLevel of difficulty Strenuous

7 Days / 8 Nights (ODP5)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

  • Standard: £45 per night

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag there is a solo walker supplement of £20 per day in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Knighton for your first night's accommodation
1
Day 1 Knighton to Brompton 15 miles / 24 km
2
Day 2 Brompton to Buttington 12 miles / 19 km
3
Day 3 Buttington to Trefonen (overnight Oswestry) 16.5 miles / 26.5 km
4
Day 4 Trefonen to Llangollen 15.5 miles / 25 km
5
Day 5 Llangollen to Clwyd Gate (overnight Llanferres) 13.5 miles / 21.5 km
6
Day 6 Clwyd Gate to Bodfari 11.5 miles / 18.5 km
7
Day 7 Bodfari to Prestatyn 12 miles / 19 km
Depart Onward travel from Prestatyn

Prices

Standard
Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels
From £850 per person

Good quality and comfortable B&Bs, guest houses and some hotels located as close to the trail as possible. We will prioritise en-suite facilities or a private bathroom, although in remote areas with limited accommodation this may not always be possible.

Offa’s Dyke Path Accommodation

All of the accommodation that we reserve for you has been personally selected by our expert team to ensure it meets our exacting standards. We regularly review our extensive database.

We will always prioritise accommodation as close to the walking trail as possible. Occasionally, your accommodation may be located a short distance from the trail, or you may need to spend more than one night in the same place, in which case we will provide return transfers.

Travel Information

As an environmentally conscious tour operator, we actively encourage the use of public transport by providing clients with a detailed breakdown of travel options in their information packs. The following information may help with your pre-trip planning.

Getting to Chepstow
By Air

Nearest International Airports: London Heathrow or Cardiff 

From London Heathrow you can take the Heathrow Express to London Paddington. There is a fast rail service from London Paddington to Chepstow (journey time 2 hours 50 min). 

Alternatively, there are direct National Express coaches between London Heathrow and Chepstow (journey time 2 hours 10 min). 

 A frequent train service also runs between Cardiff and Chepstow (journey time 40 min). 

By Public Transport

Nearest Railway Station: Chepstow

Chepstow is well served by train and there are frequent services from London Paddington or Euston (journey time 2 hours 50 min) or from Cardiff (journey time 40 min). From the North, there are also direct trains from Birmingham (journey time 2 hours). 

There are direct National Express buses from London Heathrow to Chepstow (journey time 2 hours 10 min) or from Cardiff to Chepstow (journey time 50 min).

 

By Car

If you plan to travel by car, it is sometimes possible to leave it at the start or end of your walk, for the duration of your holiday. We can check this for you when your booking is confirmed.

Departing from Prestatyn
By Air

Nearest International Airport: Manchester Airport 

There is a direct train service which operates between Prestatyn and Manchester Airport (journey time 2 hours). 

By Public Transport

Nearest Railway Station: Prestatyn

There are regular trains from Prestatyn to Manchester. There are also one or two direct trains to London Euston each day (journey time 2 hours 35 min). From Manchester or London, you can connect with onward services throughout the UK. 

National Express coach services serve Prestatyn direct to Liverpool (journey time 1 hour 35 min) or Birmingham (journey time 4 hours 30 min) from where you can connect to onward transport.

By Car

If you have left a car in Chepstow you can take a train from Prestatyn to Newport and connect with a service to Chepstow.

Additional Days

We would be delighted to arrange additional accommodation for you along Offa’s Dyke Path.

You may wish to plan a rest day or have an additional night at any of the locations along the route which offer activities or sightseeing opportunities – we’ve made some suggestions below. Please request this when you make an enquiry.

Hay-on-Wye
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  • A good choice for a rest day, particularly if you are keen on books. There are bookshelves on the street and in back yards, on walls and in tin sheds, in a cinema, in gardens, cafes, and the biggest of all is in the castle!
  • Canoe down the River Wye with Wye Valley Canoes
Knighton
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  • Take in the half-timbered houses lining the attractive winding streets of Knighton  
  • Visit the Offa’s Dyke Centre
Llangollen
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  • Relax by the canal in Llangollen – a pleasant old Welsh town with plenty to see and do
  • Hop on board the Llangollen Railway and enjoy a scenic ride along the Dee Valley
  • Enjoy a horse-drawn boat trip along the canal
Welshpool
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  • Visit the magnificent Powis Castle and Gardens 
  • Ride the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway from Raven Square to Llanfair Caereinion
  • Explore the Georgian buildings of Welshpool’s main streets

Make an enquiry

Offa’s Dyke Path

Need something more tailored?
Contact us via email:
enquiries@absoluteescapes.com

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