Still trying to make up my mind which UK trail to do during 2011 and I have a query about baggage transfer along the whole length of Offas Dyke (Welsh coast to coast). It states in the Sherpa guide that they do not handle baggage for this route and that we should make our own arrangements. Question: What are peoples experiences in arranging this baggage transfer?

Well, mine was to transfer on my own back. In fact I dont think we came across anyone doing it any other way. It is not a route exactly teaming with people. We did it mid summer and in 12 days only came across 6 other people doing the route.
Dave.

Slogger. I know that there are a lot of comments about this route. But how would you rate it?
Difficulty..........
Interest................
Accommodation........
Daily mileage.........
Any worrying points....
Etc?

Did you do the whole width of the Welsh peninsular or just the bit advertised?

Difficulty..Very undulating but climbs moderate.
Interest....Superb views of patchwork fields and of course the
Dyke.
Accommodation....Our B&Bs were fine apart from a miserable lady
owner at Trevor.
Daily mileage... Was between 16 and 22 miles, with aday off in
Knighton.
Worrying points...None at all.

Welsh peninsular? Clarify your meaning.
Dave.

Slogger. I answered my own stupid question by looking at the map. Chepstow to Prestatyn 177 miles in 14 days.

By penisular... I was looking at the map showing the wiggly bit that pokes out of England between the River Seven and Chester where all the short hairy people live, who according to ancient history, are the only true decendants of the people who originally populated Britain.

I looked at doing this walk, but was put off by the cost of baggage transfer (I'm not tough enough to carry it by myself!).

There is no baggage transfer company, but you can arrange for a local taxi to move your bag, however it costs about a pound a mile, so most days would be 20-25pounds.

Several of the guided walk companies include the bag transfer in the accom fee if you book through them, the B&B owners generally moving driving your bag to the next stop. This wasn't an option for me as I was going to be camping.

Its a pity because it looks like an interesting walk !!

I did Offas Dyke a couple of years back and it cost me £180 in baggage transfer - mostly arranged through B&Bs. I overnighted 2 miles north of Chepstow; Monmouth; Pandy; Hay; Kingston; Knighton; Little Brompton; Llanymynech; Llangollen; Clywd Gate; and Bodfari. B&Bs generally weren't that expensive so the costs didn't work out too badly.

My view was that Offas Dyke was my second favourite walk after the Pennine Way. I actually preferred it to the coast to coast.

Difficulty..........

Not hard - but some sharp climbs here and there. The path follows the dyke sometimes and they built the dyke wherever - not really thinking about the terrain.

Interest................

Very varied walking - interesting things throughout. The two big hills stages - Black Mountains and the Clwydian Range - are spectacular. All sorts of other interesting things elsewhere.

Accommodation........

Generally cheap and cheerful - there wasn't a bad place I stayed.

Daily mileage.........

I did an average of 15 1/2 miles a day

Any worrying points....

Nothing worrying that I recall (apart from Prestatyn).

I would strongly recommend Offas Dyke.

When I booked this I was able to get my B&Bs to do the baggage transfer without a problem. Unfortunately because of the foot & mouth epidemic I wasn't able to go. I was gutted.I would love to do this walk as it is the one remaining LDP I really fancy but nowadays my knee just wouldn't stand up to it.

Enjoy.

Re: baggage transfer.

So from what I understand from the above posts...........

I book the B&B for the night. When I arrive there I ask the owner to send my baggage to the next B&B and they arrange everything....?

Looks like an interesting coast to coast.

So the next question is....do I walk from South to North, or North to South...?