Walks And Walking – Hay Bluff Walking Route

Walks And Walking – Hay Bluff Walking Route

This is a 12 mile linear walk in Wales to Hay Bluff and back, with a starting point being Hay-On-Wye and covering a good section of Offa’s Dyke Path in the Brecon Beacons.

Now, I’m not a big fan of what I would describe as being ‘there and back walks’ but I found a waterfall at the back of Hay Bluff that looked quite interesting and couldn’t make a circular walking route out of it. After the previous day’s leg busting 12 miles I was also quite keen to keep this walk simple and straight forward so I was really glad to have my Craghoppers Walking Poles with me for extra stability and to help me keep a good stride.

Walks And Walking – Hay Bluff Walking Route – Craghoppers Walking Poles

Waking up early again to the wonderful sound of lambs and birdsong at Newburn Farm Kington I took the 20 minute drive to Hay-On-Wye and parked in the main car park by Hay Castle. The weather was warm but frustratingly cloudy so knew I wasn’t going to get many good photographs, which was such a shame when in such beautiful Welsh countryside.

Walks And Walking – Hay Bluff Walking Route – Offas Dyke Path

I walked to the top of the car park, turned right and then right again at the old wooden signpost for Offa’s Dyke Path nailed to the side of the stone building, and followed it down to the field at the back of the car park. The rest of the walk was very simple and super easy to follow as it is so clearly signposted for the Offa’s Dyke Path.

Walks And Walking – Hay Bluff Walking Route – Offas Dyke Path Stone Waymarker

Walks And Walking – Hay Bluff Walking Route – Hay Bluff On The Left Hand Side

Walks And Walking – Hay Bluff Walking Route – Lord Herefords Knob

After CadwganFarm and Tack Wood I then crossed over Dab-y-Capel to join the lane on my right hand side all the way up to the stone waymarker for Offa’s Dyke Path on my left hand side, and Lord Hereford’s Knob ahead of me to the right. (I know, that made me laugh too!).

With Hay Bluff clearly on my left hand side I continued my walk to the waterfall along the lane, passing two small car parks to Gospel Pass and the turning to Parc Bach on my left hand side. It was at this stage, 6 miles in to my walk that I realised the waterfall was as big as I originally anticipated….

Walks And Walking – Hay Bluff Walking Route – Waterfall

Anywhere else and I would have been a bit disappointed but I do find something quite magical about the Brecon Beacons. The soft rolling mountains and the clean fresh air are so therapeutic that I was really that disappointed at all, and I was almost glad to be retracing my footsteps back exactly the way I came, it meant I could put my map away and just switch off and let my mind wander as I walked all the way back to the car park, 12 miles and 5 hours later.