Rhuallt

Rhuallt is a small village on the limestone plateau above the Vale of Clwyd, nine miles south of Prestatyn and the traditional end point of Day 1 of Offa's Dyke Path. Most people who know the name Rhuallt are walkers; most walkers are grateful to reach it. It is not a destination in itself, but its position on the path makes it a place that thousands of people pass through each year and almost none explore.

Rhuallt on Offa's Dyke Path

Day 1 of Offa's Dyke Path runs from the beach at Prestatyn to Rhuallt — nine miles and approximately 370 metres of ascent, with the hard climbing done in the first three miles as the path leaves the coast and gains the limestone ridge. By the time walkers reach Rhuallt they have crossed from the Irish Sea catchment to the Vale of Clwyd watershed, and they have the Clwydian hills properly in view for the first time.

The village has a pub (The Smithy Arms) which has historically provided the welcome that the end of a nine-mile day requires. Accommodation in Rhuallt itself is limited — most walkers book the pub rooms well in advance or arrange transport to nearby towns. Prestatyn or Rhyl can be reached by taxi; St Asaph (four miles south) has more accommodation options and a bus connection.

The Village

Rhuallt is a scattered agricultural settlement without a centre in the conventional sense — a church, a pub, some farms, and the lanes that connect them. The church of St David stands slightly apart from the main road. The landscape at this elevation — 200 metres or so — is open pasture and mixed farmland, with the Vale of Clwyd visible to the south and the limestone ridge continuing north towards Gwaenysgor and Prestatyn.

Day 2 from Rhuallt

The second day continues south from Rhuallt to Bodfari — a shorter stage that takes walkers properly onto the Clwydian Ridge and past the first of the Iron Age hill forts. Bodfari has better transport connections than Rhuallt, making it a viable alternative end point for Day 1 if you are nervous about the Rhuallt accommodation situation. Bodfari is approximately four miles further, bringing the combined first day to thirteen miles.