The Lower Wye Ramblers completed the entire Offa’s Dyke Walk last Sunday – after three years of walking.
The group started the 177-mile walk from Prestatyn on 27 May 2007. They passed through hills, valleys, woodland and mountains, and finished at Sedbury Cliffs on 23 May 2010.
The 32-strong group has an age range of 49-81 years – making them possibly the largest and oldest group ever to undertake the walk - and the 27 degrees heat made the final stretch quite a struggle.
“The walk took us through the stunning beauty of the Welsh borders. There were many challenging ascents but it gave me a real sense of achievement. Lower Wye Ramblers benefits from great group solidarity and superb organization,” said Maggie Rowlands, 62, of Shirenewton.
Completing the walk entailed 11,000 vehicle miles, 380 hotel nights and contributed around £20,000 to the Offa’s Dyke economy.
Walk leader, Terry Summers, said: “The Offa’s Dyke path runs through the most beautiful, deserted countryside. It’s brilliantly signposted from end to end. You hardly need a map, guide or compass. In fact, one of our members insisted on using a guidebook and kept getting us lost!”
The Ramblers Association is currently celebrating its 75th anniversary. They now help over 700,000 people to access the countryside every year on 28,000 walks covering 140,000 miles of footpaths, bridleways and public rights of way. They are supported by 12,000 volunteers.
In May 2011, the Lower Wye Ramblers plan to start the Pembrokeshire Coast Path/Ceredigion Way – a total of 250 miles that will take four years to complete.
If you are interested in walking with the Lower Wye Ramblers you can find contact details on the Lower Wye Ramblers website or ring the Walks Programme Officer on 029 2063 7416.
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