Trailblazer Guide Books

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Budgeting

Your budget will depend largely on the type of accommodation you use and
your eating habits. If you camp and cook your own meals you will be able to
keep costs to a minimum. These escalate as you go up the accommodation and
dining scales and will also be affected by the extent to which you use the ser-
vices offered to guests, such as transportation of luggage, packed lunches and
other refinements.

CAMPING

You can get by on as little as £10-15 per person per day, pitching your tent at
official sites and where B&Bs allow camping in their garden or land and cook-
ing your own food. Typically, camping costs £4-8 per person per night, some-
times plus an extra £1 for the use of a shower.
 Most walkers will find it hard to live that frugally and will indulge in the
occasional cooked breakfast when it’s offered (from around £5), the odd pint of

beer (around £2.20) and a pub meal after a long hard day (£7-10). It’s probably
more realistic to budget on at least £15-20 per day.

HOSTELS/BUNKHOUSES

Rates for YHA hostels vary according to the season and the type of room and
can start at £14 but be as high as £17.50. Typically rates in the summer season
are about £2 higher than the base rate. Where YHA hostels offer catering, you
can expect to pay around £8.40/6.15 adult/child for an evening meal; £4.20/2.45
for breakfast and £4.80/3.80 for a packed lunch.
 Independent hostels charge a similar rate to YHA hostels while the more
basic bunkhouses can be as cheap as £10pp.

B&B-STYLE ACCOMMODATION

You should allow £25-35 per head for an overnight stay and breakfast plus a
further £10-16 for an evening meal. If you include a packed lunch (about £5) as
well you won’t be far wrong on £40-56 per person per day. These figures
assume two people sharing a room. If you’re travelling alone you will almost
certainly be charged a supplement of £5-15 for single occupancy, unless the
B&B has single rooms. Guesthouses are likely to be a bit more expensive so
budget for about £50-60 per day.

The tariff for hotels is likely to be £40 and upwards per person with some
saving for two people sharing a room. Some hotels have adopted the continental
system of charging for the room only rather than per person, which for a couple
doing the walk together may prove an economical proposition when you con- sider that two people paying £60 for the room will be the same as £30 each, not much more than the rate of an average B&B. However, the room rate may not
include breakfast. If the hotel charges a room rate lone walkers may have a
discount. Watch out for the extras though, such as service charge and VAT,
which can add to the bottom line when the bill is presented.

EXTRAS

Don’t forget to set some money aside for the inevitable extras, such as batteries,
postcards, buses, taxis, drinks, snacks, phone calls and entrance fees – or, rather
more crucially, any changes of plan. Around £50-100 should be about right.

When to go

SEASONS
The months when the weather is less likely to be inclement are May to
September, although April and October often bring days that are bright and
breezy when the walking and the surroundings are at their best. Typically, the
seasons are likely to present the following conditions:
Spring
The weather in spring is as unpredictable as the rest of the year. In April it can
be warm and sunny on odd days, but seldom for sustained periods. Conditions
are more likely to be changeable, with blustery showers and cold spells remind-
ing you that winter has only just passed. On the other hand, less rain falls on
average in spring than at any other
time of the year. This, coupled
with the milder weather of May
and June, and the proliferation of
wild flowers early in the year,
makes it one of the best times to
tackle the trail.

Summer
July and August are the tradi-
tional holiday months and the con-
ditions are usually good for walk-
ing with a greater likelihood of
long periods of warm settled
weather and many hours of day-
light. Unlike many parts of Britain
the Border Country is not afflicted
by mass tourism. Thankfully there’s no need to worry about crowds apart from when passing through the tour-
ist hotspots of Prestatyn, Hay-on-Wye and Llangollen. You can lord it over the
daytrippers with your rucksack and big boots: let them look and wonder. Once
you’re back out among the fields and hills you can leave the hordes behind.

Autumn
Late September and October are a good time to get out on the trail to appreci-
ate the full benefit of the autumn colours in the woodland and the leaves under-
foot. Although the air temperature should remain relatively mild, October can
see the first frosts, and rain is an ever-present threat, intensifying as the year
draws to its close. Nevertheless, many connoisseurs consider autumn, espe-
cially early autumn, the best time of year for walking.

Winter
Only the hardiest of souls will attempt the walk in winter. Once the days have
shortened you will want to be at your day’s end by 4-5pm. Colder days, wind
and driving rain are not the best accompaniment for a good day on the path
although you can hit lulls when the sun comes out and you imagine things are
improving.

Some winters see continuous rain for several months with severe flooding
when parts of the path become impassable and others can be cold with plenty
of snow.

ANNUAL EVENTS

The following events may need to be considered when planning your walk:

Hay Festival of Literature, Hay-on-Wye
The famous book and literary festival (  www.hayfestival.com) held in the last
week in May, with talks and readings all week from top names in the world of
writing. It is one of the few opportunities for readers to meet their favourite authors and the town’s streets are thronged with visitors – although the events
themselves are held in a series of marquees set up outside the town. Naturally
enough every available room is booked months ahead. You should either book
very far in advance or avoid this week altogether.

International Musical Eisteddfod, Llangollen
This major festival of music and the performing arts to which groups and indi-
viduals come from all over the world is held in the first or second week in
July. Accommodation in the town and surrounding area is booked solid for the
whole week. For further information see  www.international-eisteddfod.co.
uk; see also p106.

Royal Welsh Show, Builth Wells
The last week in July is a big date in the farming calendar for the whole of mid
and south Wales, attracting visitors and competitors from a huge area. The show
(  www.rwas.co.uk) makes severe demands on local accommodation so it
would be best to avoid this week if possible. Kington and Hay-on-Wye are the
two centres on the path most likely to be affected.

Knighton Show
The last Saturday in August is an important day for the local community but
likely to put pressure on accommodation and pubs for the one day only. See
 www.visitknighton.co.uk for details.

Itineraries

All walkers are individuals. Some like to cover large distances as quickly as
possible. Others are happy to amble along, stopping whenever the whim takes
them. You may want to walk the Offa’s Dyke Path in one go, tackle it in a series
of days or weekends, or use the trail for a series of linear day walks; the choice
is yours. To accommodate these different options, this guide has not been
divided up into strict daily sections, which could impose too rigid a structure on
how you should walk. Instead it has been devised for you to plan an itinerary
that suits you.

The planning map opposite the inside back cover and table of facilities on
pp32-3 summarise the essential information for you to make a plan. Alternatively,
to make it even easier, have a look at the suggested itineraries (see box p36)
and simply choose your preferred speed of walking. There are also suggestions
on pp36-8 for those who want to experience the best of the trail over a day or a
weekend. The public transport map and table (pp48-52) may also help.

Having made a rough plan, turn to Part 4 where you will find summaries
of the route, full descriptions of accommodation options, places to eat and other
services in each town and village, with detailed trail maps.