Two Iconic Trails, One Woodland Sanctuary: Navigating the North Wales Pilgrim’s Way and Offa’s Dyke

Emlyns Coppice
May 1
3 min read

There is a specific kind of magic in the North East Welsh landscape. It’s where the industrial echoes of the coast fade into ancient Cistercian ruins, and where the spine of Wales finally dips its toes into the Irish Sea.

Whether you’re walking for the soul on the North Wales Pilgrim’s Way or tackling the legendary Offa’s Dyke Path, the stretch around Prestatyn and Holywell is where the story really deepens.

A map showing the route from the Offa's Dyke trail to Emlyn's Coppice Woodland Glamping

The Pilgrim’s Way: A Day One Deep-Dive

If you’re just starting your 135-mile journey to Bardsey Island, your first day is often the most evocative.

The Starting Line: You begin at Basingwerk Abbey. These 12th-century ruins are hauntingly beautiful, especially if you catch the morning mist rolling off the Dee Estuary.
The Ascent: From the Abbey, you trek through the Greenfield Valley. Keep your eyes peeled for Jays and Woodpeckers in the canopy here; they love the ancient vibe of the heritage park as much as we do.

Llanasa Parish Church, 1 mile from Emlyn's Coppice Woodland Glamping

The Milestone: After roughly 9 miles of winding through holy wells and hidden lanes, you’ll reach the nearest point to us. By then, your boots will feel heavy, and the "slow travel" philosophy starts to kick in.
The Sanctuary: We sit just 1 mile off the trail at this point. It’s the perfect end to Day One—close enough to keep the momentum, but secluded enough to actually hear the Tawny Owls once the sun goes down.

Offa’s Dyke: The Penultimate Push

For those walking North, you’ve likely been on the trail for nearly two weeks. You can smell the sea, but the hills aren't done with you yet.

The Detour: As you navigate the Clwydian Range, the detour to Emlyn’s Coppice is 3.2 miles. It’s a deliberate choice for those who want one last night of absolute peace before hitting the "busyness" of the coast.
The Final Leg: Your last morning is a total of 5.4 miles. You’ll head 3.2 miles back to the official trail and then tackle the final 2.2-mile descent into Prestatyn.
What to Look For: This final stretch is spectacular. I’ve been managing this woodland sympathetically for years, and it’s a joy to see the Tawny Owls taking over from the Buzzards at dusk. On the hills outside Prestatyn, keep an ear out for the "cronk" of Ravens and look for the Common Lizards sunning themselves on the limestone rocks. Look out for the Common Frogs in the damp patches of the lower footpaths and, if you're lucky, a Fox darting through the gorse.

The start or end of the Offa's Dyke trail, 5.4 miles walking from Emlyn's Coppice woodland glamping

The Finish: You’ll drop down from the limestone ridges directly toward Nova Beach. Touching that finish plaque feels a lot better when you know you started the day in a woodland garden rather than a roadside hotel.

The Landscape Between the Lines

Walking these routes isn't just about the miles; it's about the transition. You move from the stone-heavy history of Holywell and the Abbey, through the sympathetic woodland we manage here at the Coppice (where I’m often busy with Stormwood projects like hand-carving hiking poles from our own hazel), and finally out to the dunes.

It’s a landscape that demands you slow down. Whether you’re stopping after your first 9 miles or resting before your final 5, the woods are here to help you recalibrate.

Are you planning a trek this season? If you’re looking for a place to pause that values the ecology of the trail as much as you do, come find us. We’re proud to have been named Self Catering Property of the Year 2025 by Go North Wales—a little nod to the fact that we take your recovery as seriously as you take your miles.

If you want to finish (or start) your journey with a soak in a wood-fired hot tub, we’ve got three pods—Offa, Ayr, and Orme—waiting for you. Orme even has its own Finnish sauna, which is basically a miracle cure for "hiker’s knee."

Supporting the trail means supporting the local landscape, so if you do stay, please book direct. It keeps the us (and the harvest mice!) happy, by fully supporting our small local business rather than handing over up to 23% to the big travel sites.