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The
Lower Wye Ramblers completed the entire Offa’s
Dyke Walk last Sunday – after three years of
walking. |
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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
benefit from great group solidarity and superb organization,”
said Maggie Rowlands of Shirenewton.
Completing the walk entailed 11,000 vehicle miles, 380
hotel nights and contributed around £20,000 to
the Offa’s Dyke economy. |
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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.
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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. |
