Wales is a land steeped in myth and history, where ancient pathways have carried travelers for thousands of years. From Celtic traders to Roman legions, medieval pilgrims to Victorian tourists, these historic routes tell the story of Wales and its people through the ages. Walking these paths today offers a unique perspective on the Welsh landscape and its rich heritage.
At Maslyanaya Morkovi, our historical walking tours of Wales connect travelers with these ancient routes, accompanied by expert guides who bring the past to life. In this article, we explore some of Wales' most significant historic paths and the stories they tell.
The Pilgrims' Way to Bardsey Island
Known in Welsh as Ynys Enlli, Bardsey Island has been a place of pilgrimage since the 6th century. Medieval Christians believed three pilgrimages to Bardsey equaled one to Rome, and the island became known as the "Island of 20,000 Saints" due to the many holy men and women buried there.
The traditional pilgrimage route begins in Clynnog Fawr with its 16th-century church dedicated to St Beuno and follows the northern coast of the Llŷn Peninsula for approximately 30 miles. Modern pilgrims can follow waymarkers featuring a seashell symbol, passing ancient churches, holy wells, and Celtic crosses along the way.
The route traverses dramatic coastal scenery, quiet countryside, and peaceful villages before reaching Aberdaron, where pilgrims would pray at St Hywyn's Church before making the final crossing to the island. The crossing itself is part of the pilgrimage experience, with the sometimes challenging waters representing the transition to the spiritual realm.
Walking the Pilgrims' Way today connects you with centuries of seekers who made this journey for spiritual renewal. Along the route, you'll find:
- St Beuno's Church in Clynnog Fawr, with its ancient sundial and pilgrims' shelter
- Ffynnon Fair (Mary's Well) near Uwchmynydd, a holy well where pilgrims would drink before crossing to Bardsey
- Y Gegin Fawr (The Great Kitchen) in Aberdaron, once a communal kitchen that fed pilgrims awaiting good weather for the crossing
Sarn Helen: Walking in Roman Footsteps
Named after Helen, the wife of Roman Emperor Magnus Maximus (though more likely derived from the Welsh "sarn" meaning causeway), Sarn Helen was part of the extensive Roman road network that connected military forts across Wales. Built between 70-78 CE, sections of the original Roman engineering are still visible today.
The most complete section runs through the heart of Wales from Carmarthen (Moridunum) in the south to Aberconwy in the north. The 160-mile route passes through the Brecon Beacons and Snowdonia, offering spectacular mountain scenery alongside glimpses of Roman Wales.
Walking Sarn Helen provides a tangible connection to Roman Britain, with key sites including:
- Dolaucothi Gold Mines near Pumsaint, the only known Roman gold mines in Britain
- Caer Gai Roman Fort near Bala Lake, thought to be named after Sir Kay from Arthurian legend
- Tomen-y-Mur near Trawsfynydd, a well-preserved Roman fort complex with amphitheater, bathhouse, and parade ground
Parts of Sarn Helen have been incorporated into long-distance trails and cycle routes, allowing modern travelers to experience the excellent Roman engineering that has withstood 2,000 years of Welsh weather.
The North Wales Pilgrim's Way
This 135-mile route connects Basingwerk Abbey in Holywell with Bardsey Island, linking ancient churches and holy sites across North Wales. Established in 2011 but based on historical pilgrim routes, this path offers a spiritual journey through varied landscapes from the Dee Estuary to the Irish Sea.
The route begins at St Winefride's Well in Holywell, one of the oldest continuously visited pilgrimage sites in Britain. According to legend, the well sprang up where St Winefride's head touched the ground after she was beheaded in the 7th century (she was subsequently restored to life by her uncle, St Beuno).
From here, the path passes through the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB, crossing into Snowdonia National Park and following the northern coast of the Llŷn Peninsula to Bardsey Island. The route is marked with pilgrim shell symbols and passes numerous significant sites:
- St Asaph Cathedral, the smallest ancient cathedral in Britain
- St Dyfnog's Well in Llanrhaeadr, with its recently restored wellhouse
- St Grwst Church in Llanrwst, housing the stone coffin of Llywelyn the Great
- Penrhyn Castle near Bangor, built on the site of a medieval monastery
Walking the North Wales Pilgrim's Way provides insight into Welsh religious history while traversing some of the country's most beautiful landscapes. Modern pilgrims can collect stamps for a "pilgrim passport" at churches along the route.
The Cistercian Way
The Cistercian monastic order had a profound influence on medieval Wales, establishing grand abbeys that became centers of spirituality, learning, and agriculture. The Cistercian Way is a long-distance trail connecting these monastic sites across Wales, covering approximately 650 miles in a figure-of-eight route.
The white-robed Cistercian monks, who sought remote locations for their abbeys, were supported by Welsh princes who saw the order as independent from English influence. These monasteries became wealthy through sheep farming and wool production, significantly shaping the Welsh landscape and economy.
Key Cistercian sites along the route include:
- Tintern Abbey in the Wye Valley, one of the most atmospheric monastic ruins in Britain
- Valle Crucis Abbey near Llangollen, with its well-preserved chapter house
- Strata Florida Abbey in Ceredigion, burial place of Welsh princes and possibly the poet Dafydd ap Gwilym
- Neath Abbey, described as "the fairest abbey in all Wales" by antiquarian John Leland
The complete Cistercian Way is a challenging undertaking, but shorter sections provide fascinating insights into monastic life and the relationship between religion, politics, and landscape in medieval Wales.
Offa's Dyke Path
Following the 8th-century earthwork built by King Offa of Mercia to mark the boundary with the Welsh kingdom of Powys, this 177-mile National Trail runs along the England-Wales border from Prestatyn to Chepstow.
Offa's Dyke itself is an impressive feat of Dark Age engineering – a ditch and rampart standing up to 25 feet high in places. Its construction required thousands of laborers and sophisticated planning, demonstrating the power of the Mercian kingdom.
Walking the path today traverses eight counties and crosses the border between England and Wales more than 20 times. The route passes through diverse landscapes including:
- The limestone cliffs of the Wye Valley
- The rolling Shropshire Hills
- The moorlands of the Black Mountains
- The dramatic escarpment of the Clwydian Range
Historical highlights along the path include:
- Castell Dinas Brân near Llangollen, a dramatic 13th-century fortress built on an Iron Age hillfort
- Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Thomas Telford's masterpiece carrying the Llangollen Canal 126 feet above the River Dee
- White Castle in Monmouthshire, one of the "Three Castles" built to secure the Welsh borderlands
- Chepstow Castle, the oldest surviving post-Roman stone fortification in Britain
The Slate Trail
For a more recent historical perspective, the 83-mile Snowdonia Slate Trail explores the industrial heritage of North Wales. The slate industry transformed this region in the 19th century, with Welsh slate roofing the expanding towns and cities of Industrial Revolution Britain and being exported around the world.
The circular route begins and ends in Bethesda, passing through key slate communities including Llanberis, Blaenau Ffestiniog, and Bethesda itself. The trail follows the paths once used by quarrymen to reach their workplaces, passing immense slate caverns, terraced quarry faces, and mountains of waste slate.
Walking the Slate Trail offers insight into working-class Welsh history and the communities shaped by this industry. Along the route, you'll find:
- National Slate Museum in Llanberis, housed in the former workshops of the Dinorwic Quarry
- Penrhyn Quarry near Bethesda, once the world's largest slate quarry and site of one of Britain's longest industrial disputes
- Llechwedd Slate Caverns in Blaenau Ffestiniog, where visitors can tour the underground workings
- Ffestiniog Railway, built to transport slate from the mountains to Porthmadog harbor
In 2021, the slate landscape of Northwest Wales was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognizing its global significance in industrial heritage.
Practical Information for Historical Walkers
When to Go
The best time for walking these historic paths is from April to October when daylight hours are longer and weather is generally more favorable. Spring offers wildflowers and fewer crowds, while September and October provide beautiful autumn colors.
Difficulty Levels
These routes vary in difficulty:
- Easier options: Short sections of the Pilgrims' Way; valley sections of Offa's Dyke Path
- Moderate: Most of the North Wales Pilgrim's Way; lowland sections of Sarn Helen
- Challenging: The Slate Trail; mountain sections of Sarn Helen; Black Mountains section of Offa's Dyke
Resources and Guides
While these paths can be walked independently with good maps and guidebooks, a knowledgeable guide can transform your experience by bringing the history alive and sharing stories not found in guidebooks. Maslyanaya Morkovi offers guided walks on all these routes, with expert historians and archaeologists leading the way.
For independent walkers, we recommend:
- OS Explorer maps for detailed navigation
- The Cicerone guidebooks for Offa's Dyke and the Wales Coast Path
- The Slate Trail guidebook by Aled Owen
The Living Landscape
What makes these historic paths so special is that they're not museum exhibits but living parts of the Welsh landscape. Many remain in use for their original purposes – modern pilgrims still journey to Bardsey Island, and parts of Sarn Helen are incorporated into today's road network.
Walking these ancient ways offers a unique perspective on Welsh history. Rather than viewing the past through glass cases in museums, you experience it through your feet, following the same routes as countless travelers before you. The landscape itself becomes a text that reveals stories of saints and sinners, traders and invaders, pilgrims and protestors.
As you walk, you'll notice how the paths respond to the landscape – following contours, seeking natural crossing points of rivers, connecting settlements in ways that made sense in earlier times. This organic relationship between path and place creates routes that feel right, that work with rather than against the land.
At Maslyanaya Morkovi, we believe that walking these historic paths is one of the most meaningful ways to connect with Welsh heritage. Our guided tours combine historical insight with the simple joy of walking through beautiful landscapes, creating experiences that engage both mind and body.
Whether you're drawn to the spirituality of pilgrim routes, the engineering of Roman roads, or the industrial heritage of the slate trails, Wales offers historical paths that will deepen your understanding of this ancient land and its people.
