Special Offa

Jonathan Manning cycles in the shadow of Offa’s Dyke Path on this testing ride which skirts the England-Wales border

Borderlands never fail to surprise. Politics and government demand that a frontier has to exist, but landscapes and communities rarely divide themselves so neatly. And so it is on this ride, setting off from Pandy Club Campsite in Monmouthshire, which crosses almost immediately into England, yet passes a series of villages and buildings with Welsh-sounding names, such as Llanveynoe, Upper, Middle and Lower Maes-coed and Cwmbologue.

Centuries of contested Anglo- Welsh rivalry is evidenced by the ruined castle at Longtown. Its thick stone walls are losing the battle with the elements, but the free-to-visit fortress retains a photogenic appeal.

If skirmishes were once the order of the day here, today peace reigns.

It’s exceptionally quiet, beyond the occasional mew of a buzzard soaring over the hills. Cyclists will be relieved that the ride doesn’t climb to the imposing ridgeline that carries Offa’s Dyke Path, but there’s still plenty of ascent to challenge lungs, thighs and e-bike batteries – the long and sustained uphill sections sweetened by gleeful descents.

Divine inspiration for pedalling skywards is in abundant supply, with the churches at Clodock, Longtown and Michaelchurch Escley being particularly attractive. Alternatively, the Carpenters Arms at Walterstone, with its vivid traditional advertising signs on the outside walls, offers olde worlde charm at an ideal break point in the ride.

In theory, this should be an easy route to navigate, but due to the absence of road signs in a few places, it’s definitely advisable to download the GPX file from Strava to follow on your bike computer or phone.

You can download this route from our dedicated Strava page here. 

Directions

1. From Pandy Club Campsite turn left and continue for 10km, passing through Clodock and Longtown (the ruined castle is worth a quick stop) to reach a road on the right opposite a house and barn.

2. 10km – Turn right, signposted to Michaelchurch Escley, heading downhill and then climbing up the far side of the valley to reach a T-junction.

3. 12.4km – Turn left at the junction and continue into Michaelchurch Escley. After passing the church on the right, take the right turn (opposite a black and white house) signposted to Vowchurch and Hereford, and climb a hill to reach a crossroads at Crossways Farm.

4. 15.4km – Turn right at the crossroads, signposted to Newton, Bacton and Pontrilas. Continue for 6.5km to reach a T-junction.

5. 21.9km – Turn left at the T-junction, signposted to Ewyas Harold and Dulas, and continue for about 400m before taking a road on the right, signposted to Balls Cross. Continue for another 2.2km to reach a white cottage on a corner on the right. Turn right here and continue uphill to a T-junction.

6. 24.5km – Turn right at the T-junction, signposted to Walterstone and Pandy, and continue for 7km to reach a T-junction.

7. 31.7km – Turn left at the junction and follow the road back to the Club campsite on the right hand side of the road.

About the route

• Start/finish: Pandy Club Campsite, Pandy, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, NP7 8DR, Wales.
• Distance: 16miles/32km.
• Time: 2 hours.
• Level: Suitable for fitter riders and e-bikers, due to hills.
• Terrain: Asphalt all the way, uneven in places.
• Landscape: Farmland, hills and valleys.
• Refreshments: Carpenters Arms, Walterstone.

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The Caravan and Motorhome Club make no warranties concerning the accuracy or completeness of the routes published, which to the best of our knowledge were correct at the time of publication. Your use of the routes is at your own risk and we accept no responsibility for the

suitability or safety of any routes published. Routes may be out of date or affected by changes to the physical environment and, to the extent permitted by law, we accept no responsibility for personal injury or property damage caused by your use of the routes.