Offa's Dyke

Offa's Dyke is a linear earthwork running roughly 240 kilometers from Liverpool Bay to the Severn Estuary, consisting of a ditch with a raised bank of soil. The formation passes through varied terrain including rolling hills, woodlands, and open fields, with some sections still standing up to three meters high today.

King Offa of Mercia commissioned this massive defensive barrier between 757 and 796 to separate his Anglo-Saxon kingdom from Welsh territories. The construction required thousands of laborers and represented one of the largest building projects in medieval England.

The name comes from King Offa of Mercia, who ruled the Anglo-Saxon kingdom during the 8th century. Today the earthwork serves as a natural boundary marker in the countryside, used by walkers and cyclists to explore the rural borderlands between the two nations.

Visitors can follow the earthwork along the National Trail that traces its route and passes through several towns. Information centers along the way provide maps and orientation for walkers tackling individual sections or longer stretches of the path.

Archaeological studies show remains of wooden posts in some sections, suggesting a possible wooden palisade once stood atop the bank. This reinforcement would have significantly increased the defensive effectiveness and made the barrier harder to cross for attackers.