Offas Dyke North to Elmsleigh

The official Offa's Dyke path goes around the edge of Hay-on-Wye and not through it, although hikers may well feel like a visit to one of the many pubs & cafes and to visit the interesting diverse shops.

Cross the town bridge and at the Three Tuns pub, turn right up Belmont Road to the top of the hill where it meets Castle Street; the shops will be on the left.

This road bends around toward Brecon, and shortly after, turn left at the Blue Boar pub onto Oxford Road.

The Tourist Office is on the town side of the pedestrian crossing and there is a stamp box for those recording their walk along Offa's Dyke.

Stay on this side of the road walking alongside the castle wall to the bus stop.  Opposite the bus stop is a lane between houses. After about 100m this lane comes to an end and you enter Cae Mawr ('Big Field') through a gate.

Keep left and follow the path to the far top-left corner of Cae Mawr to a kissing gate. Continue straight on through the second field to another kissing gate.

At this point Offa's Dyke continues straight on, eventually climbing all the way the Hay Bluff, but to get to Elmsleigh, turn left to a 2-way gate that leads to a short path between cottages and a footbridge over Dulas Brook, which is the Wales-England border.

Head up the footpath to the Cusop Dingle road at Rosedale. Turn right up the Dingle, then immediately left up the hill, signposted to St. Mary's Church and Trewern Outdoor Centre.

A short way up the road is a (possibly overgrown) sign for Thirty Acres, which is a circular road. The quickest way to Elmsleigh is via the top/second entrance further up the road, left at Lansdowne.  Elmsleigh is the third house on the right with a gravel drive.

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