Meta description: Discover the best walks from Hatterrall in Longtown, Herefordshire — from Offa’s Dyke on Hatterrall Ridge to the Cat’s Back, Hay Bluff & the Olchon Valley.
Published by Hatterrall | Walking, Nature & The Good Life
One of the great joys of staying at Hatterrall is stepping out of the front door and finding yourself already, quite naturally, somewhere extraordinary.
You don’t need a car. You don’t need a plan. The farm sits right on the edge of some of the finest walking country in Britain — the Black Mountains, the Brecon Beacons National Park, the ancient Offa’s Dyke Path — and all of it is on your doorstep. Whether you’re an experienced hill walker looking for a full day on the ridge, or a family after a gentle stroll before lunch, there is a walk here for every pace and every morning mood.
Here are our favourites.
1. Hatterrall Ridge & Offa’s Dyke Path
Grade: Moderate–Strenuous | Distance: Flexible | Time: 2–5 hours
This is the one. Walk out of the farm gate, lift your eyes to the ridge above, and start climbing. Hatterrall Ridge is the long spine of high ground that runs directly above the farm, and along its top runs the English-Welsh border — and with it, the Offa’s Dyke Path National Trail.
Offa’s Dyke itself is one of Britain’s great ancient monuments, an earthwork built in the 8th century by King Offa of Mercia to mark and defend the border between England and Wales. It is, quite literally, history under your boots. The ridge walk from Hatterrall offers some of the finest views in the National Park — the Vale of Ewyas falling away to the west, the Herefordshire plains stretching east towards the Malvern Hills, and on a clear day, as far as the Bristol Channel.
You can walk as much or as little of the ridge as you like — the beauty of it is its flexibility. A short climb rewards you with sweeping views. Push on further and the world falls away entirely.
Lonely Planet has ranked the Offa’s Dyke Path among the world’s greatest walks. At 177 miles in total, it runs from Chepstow in the south to Prestatyn on the north Welsh coast — but you don’t need to do all of it to understand why.
2. The Darren’s Loop
Grade: Moderate | Distance: Approx. 5–6 miles | Time: 2.5–3.5 hours
Head through Longtown village — past the 12th century Norman castle — and take the Mountain Road up and over the cattle grid. From the car park beneath Black Darren and Red Darren, you can climb between the two rocky outcrops, bearing left up Black Darren for the best views. From there, continue up to join Hatterrall Ridge and the Offa’s Dyke Path before turning back down the Red Darren side in a satisfying loop.
This is a brilliant half-day walk — enough height and drama to feel properly out in it, without being an all-day undertaking. Perfect after a slow Hatterrall breakfast.
3. The Cat’s Back & Black Hill
Grade: Strenuous | Distance: Approx. 6–8 miles | Time: 3.5–5 hours
The Cat’s Back is one of the most distinctive ridges in the Black Mountains — a narrow spine of high ground said to resemble a cat about to pounce — and the walk along it to the summit of Black Hill (640m) is one that walkers remember long afterwards. The views from the trig point take in the Brecon Beacons, the Herefordshire countryside below, the Wye Valley and the Malvern Hills. Wild ponies and sheep graze the moorland, apparently entirely unbothered by the altitude.
From Black Hill you can push on to Hay Bluff (677m), the dramatic flat-topped peak at the northern end of the range, before looping back down into the enchanting Olchon Valley — green and sheltered, with the mountains towering on either side.
A big day out. Worth every step.
4. The Olchon Valley
Grade: Easy–Moderate | Distance: Flexible | Time: 1–3 hours
If the ridges feel like too much, the Olchon Valley is the perfect alternative — a hidden, sheltered place tucked between Hatterrall Ridge and Black Hill, where the landscape is lush, quiet and unhurried. Walking here feels like discovering somewhere the rest of the world has forgotten about. Which, in many ways, it has.
A lovely option for families, or for anyone who simply wants to be outside and moving without the pressure of a summit.
5. Down to the River Monnow & Clodock
Grade: Easy | Distance: 2–3 miles | Time: 1–1.5 hours
Sometimes the best walk is the simplest one. From the farm, you can follow the lane down to the River Monnow — the same river you can see from the farm banks, where brown trout swim and otters hunt in the shallows. Continue along the riverside path to the tiny hamlet of Clodock, with its ancient church and the welcoming Cornewall Arms just over the bridge.
This is a fifteen-minute stroll to a very good pub. We thoroughly recommend it.
6. Longtown to Walterstone & The Carpenters Arms
Grade: Easy | Distance: Under 2 miles | Time: 40 minutes
A gentle cross-field walk from Longtown to the village of Walterstone, with views towards the Skirrid as you go. The Carpenters Arms in Walterstone is a proper, timeless country pub — the kind that feels like stepping back fifty years, in the best possible way. Perfect for a weekend lunchtime outing.
7. Llanthony Priory & the Vale of Ewyas
Grade: Moderate | Distance: Varies | Time: Half day
Drive or cycle the spectacular single-track road up the Vale of Ewyas into Wales, and you’ll arrive at Llanthony Priory — a partly ruined Augustinian priory nestled in a steep-sided glacial valley at the foot of the Black Mountains. The ruins are extraordinary; the setting, almost impossibly beautiful. From here you can walk up to Hatterrall Ridge and join the Offa’s Dyke Path, or simply sit in the valley and let the silence wash over you.
The priory’s partly converted outbuildings house a small pub in the vaults. A pint amongst medieval stonework, in a valley with no phone signal, might just be the perfect end to a walk.
A Few Things to Know Before You Head Out
Boots, not trainers. The hills can be boggy even in summer. Proper walking boots will make your day significantly more enjoyable.
The weather changes quickly. A warm start on the farm can mean mist on the ridge within an hour. Bring a layer, always.
Maps help. OS Explorer Map OL13 covers the Brecon Beacons East area and is the one to have. Most walks above are on it.
Leave no trace. These hills are home to an extraordinary range of wildlife — red kites, peregrine falcons, skylarks, wild ponies. Walk quietly, leave gates as you find them, and take nothing but photographs.
When You Get Back
The best thing about a day in the hills is coming home from it. At Hatterrall, that means a hot tub under the stars, a fire crackling in the grate, and supper on the terrace if the evening is kind.
We can advise on routes, lend you maps, and point you towards the paths that suit your group best. Just ask when you arrive.
Ready to plan your walking holiday? Browse our cottages here and book your stay.
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