Scotland to England Through Border Country

St Cuthbert’s Way, a 62.5 mile (100 km) walk, crosses from the Scottish Borders to the Northumberland Coast. St Cuthbert, who was canonised in the 7th century, was a native of the borders. Although this beautiful walk can be enjoyed in either direction, this route follows chronologically the life of St Cuthbert.

The walk begins in Melrose, the location of St Cuthbert’s early monastic life, and ends in Lindisfarne (Holy Island), the area of St Cuthbert’s later ministry and death. Along the way places associated with the life and work of St. Cuthbert can be seen along with features from Roman and medieval times reflecting the long periods of strife in this border area. The final stage of the walk is spectacular as it culminates in the crossing to Lindisfarne Island along a causeway which is only exposed at low tide. It affords one of the most amazing views in Britain.

Melrose Abbey was where the young Cuthbert began his work and where he eventually became Bishop. Holy Island is the place of his burial. He was canonised eleven years after his death when his coffin was opened and his remains were found to be perfectly preserved. Some monks moved his coffin to St. Cuthbert’s Cave, which is featured on the walk, to escape Viking raiders.

Starting from the attractive border town of Melrose, which is said to be the burial place of Robert the Bruce’s heart, in the remains of its famous Cistercian abbey, the walk heads over the conical covered Eildon Hills, with spectacular views of the Tweed Valley. The trail continues onto the little village of Ancrum and then across countryside and moorlands to the village of Kirk Yetholm which is at the northern end of the Pennine Way. It then skirts the northern slopes of the Cheviot Hills, crossing the beautiful College Valley, and on to the small market town of Wooler, finally crossing the border into England. The walk crosses moors and pastures to Fenwick from where there is a short transfer to the accommodation at Lowick. The final day’s walk crosses the famous sandy tidal causeway to Lindisfarne with its castle and Abbey ruins.

There is an optional two night extension to Bamburgh and then on to Craster, past two amazing castles. Weather permitting, you may like to take a boat trip to the Farne Islands, a group of 28 islands about two miles off the coast from Bamburgh. The Farnes are a National Trust reserve that protects the largest breeding population of Atlantic Grey Seals and a whole host of bird species.

The Farne Islands are also famous for being where Grace Darling lived and where her father was lighthouse keeper. They lived on Brownsman Island, one of the Farne Islands. Many of the islands are hidden by the water as the tides can be exceptionally high.

Inn to Inn 8 Days
Duration: 7 nights/8 days or 9 nights/10 days
Tour Code: WSC
Grade: Moderate
Day Stages: Minimum 5.5 miles, max 15 miles

Accommodation

7 nights/8 days
Our first night stop is at a charming B&B right by the ancient Abbey of Melrose. At Ancrum our B&B is part of a row of houses built around 1750. In Morebattle we stay in a recently refurbished establishment which is directly on the St Cuthberts Way. The hotel is the hub of the village in Kirk Yetholm and offers good food and ale. In Wooler our guesthouse is a charming 17th century stone-built house with all the usual modern comforts. At Lowick, (near Fenwick) our accommodation started life in the 17th century as an inn and it continues to be popular with locals and visitors today. The pub has an emphasis on home cooked, value for money meals. Our final night is spent on the island of Lindisfarne where we stay in a modern guesthouse that has beautiful views over the causeway and Cheviot Hills.

9 nights/10 days
On the 10 day tour the first night you spend at a well equipped hotel in Bamburgh beneath the towering castle walls. The final night is spent in a small hotel at Craster

Notes
Waymarks – The route is marked with the distinctive St Cuthbert’s Cross waymark as follows:


Accommodation and Meals
Bed and breakfast throughout, in comfortable Inn’s, B&B’s and guesthouse’s. Ensuite facilities most nights.

Start and End of Tour
The starting point is Melrose, reached by bus (not Sundays) from Berwick-upon-Tweed (the nearest train station) or from Edinburgh. Both stations are on the East Coast main line route from London. The nearest airports are Edinburgh and Newcastle.
The tour ends after breakfast on Day 8 at Lindisfarne. Taxi to Berwick Upon Tweed train station (approx £15). It is possible to do this journey by bus, but the schedule is rather unpredictable because of the tide. Edinburgh is only 50 minutes and London is reached in a little over 4 hours by train.

On the 10 day tour there are local buses to the mainline rail stations at Alnmouth and Newcastle Upon Tyne.

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