St Cuthbert’s Way

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Overview

Route

What’s Included?

Itineraries & Prices

Accommodation

Travel Info

Additional Days

Overview

Walking Holidays

5 - 8 Nights

62.5 miles / 100 km

Prices from: £705 per person
Start: Melrose, Scottish Borders
Finish: Holy Island of Lindisfarne, Northumberland
Availability: Any start date from March to October
Grading: Easy to Moderate
Way-marked: Yes

St Cuthbert’s Way Highlights

Melrose

Begin your walking holiday in the delightful Scottish Borders town of Melrose – home of Melrose Abbey.

Idyllic countryside

Explore the rolling hills, sparkling rivers and lush woodland of the Scottish Borders and the Cheviot Hills.

Abbeys and castles

Discover the ancient castles, abbeys and priories which litter the once-turbulent borderland of Scotland and England.

Cross the border

Experience beautiful and varied scenery as you hike from Scotland into England.

Pilgrim’s Path

Enjoy an unforgettable walk across the Pilgrim’s Path to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne.

Holy Island of Lindisfarne

Step back 1,400 years and discover Lindisfarne’s incredible Castle & Priory.

A Peaceful Pilgrimage from Scotland to England

The St Cuthbert’s Way is a wonderful long-distance walking route which stretches for nearly 63 miles across the peaceful Scottish Borders to the Northumberland coast. This is a beautiful walking route which offers both religious and historical interest.

The St Cuthbert’s Way begins in Melrose, the location of the Celtic monk St Cuthbert’s early monastic life and ends in Lindisfarne (Holy Island), the area of his later ministry and death. The walk across the sands onto the beautiful Holy Island of Lindisfarne, with its ruined abbey and spectacular castle, is truly memorable.

From its start at the gates of Melrose Abbey, the St Cuthbert’s Way winds its way over the Eildon Hills, along the banks of the River Tweed, across wild and open moorland before climbing the northern slopes of the Cheviot Hills to cross the border into England.

This beautiful and varied walk culminates in the crossing to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne along the famous sandy causeway. Please note that the causeway road and the Pilgrim’s Path across the sands to Holy Island can only be crossed during low tide.

St Cuthbert’s Way Route Map

Recommended Itinerary

Our most popular itinerary is SCW3 which covers the route in 6 days / 7 nights.

Travel to Melrose for your first night’s accommodation

Arrive in Melrose and spend the evening at your first nights’ accommodation in this lovely market town in the Scottish Borders.

Day 1: Melrose to Harestanes (15.5 miles / 25 km)

The St Cuthbert’s Way leaves Melrose and heads between the distinctive peaks of The Eildon Hills providing panoramic views over the Tweed Valley. After following the banks of the River Tweed past the picturesque ruin of Dryburgh Abbey and the site of Sir Walter Scott’s grave, leave the river and follow the old Roman ‘road’ of Dere Street towards Harestanes. Transport is provided to Jedburgh for accommodation this evening.

Day 2: Harestanes to Morebattle (10 miles / 16 km)

From Harestanes the route re-joins Dere Street for a few miles before passing Cessford Castle, an imposing fortified tower built in the 15th Century by the Ker Clan, before reaching the Borders village of Morebattle.

Day 3: Morebattle to Kirk Yetholm (6.5 miles / 11 km)

From Morebattle the St Cuthbert’s Way route ascends steeply to Wideopen Hill where you will enjoy fabulous views of the beautiful Borders countryside.

The route continues and descends to Kirk Yetholm which is also the end of the Pennine Way, a route which runs for 270 miles through the spine of England.

Day 4: Kirk Yetholm to Wooler (13 miles / 21 km)

Soon after Kirk Yetholm you cross the border into England. The terrain becomes hillier with wonderful scenery as you cross the wild and remote Cheviot Hills and the College Valley at Hethpool.

The walk passes between the summits of Easter Tor and Yeavering Bell before climbing over Coldberry Hill and descending to the small market town of Wooler.

Day 5: Wooler to Fenwick (11.5 miles / 19 km)

The Way leaves Wooler and heads over Weetwood Moor. Further on you reach St Cuthbert’s Cave, a dramatic sandstone overhang where the monk’s body was brought for safety in AD875, to escape from the Viking raids on Lindisfarne.

There are magnificent views of the coastline, including Holy Island and Bamburgh Castle before you reach Fenwick. Transport is provided to Lowick for accommodation this evening.

Day 6: Fenwick to Lindisfarne (6 miles / 10 km)

The last day of your St Cuthbert’s Way walk is deliberately short as the tides will determine your arrival time on Holy Island! The causeway is flooded by the sea for 5 hour periods over high tide – so there is plenty of time every day to make the crossing and we will help you choose your time to suit the tides.

It is a spectacular walk across the causeway onto the Holy Island with its ruined abbey and castle – a wonderful way to end your walk along the St Cuthbert’s Way.

Onward travel

After breakfast, you will start your journey home after a wonderful walking holiday on St Cuthbert’s Way.

What’s Included?

Your St Cuthbert’s Way walking holiday includes:

Carefully-selected accommodation along the route and trail transfers when applicable
En-suite or private bathroom facilities whenever possible
Daily door-to-door baggage transfers
Comprehensive information pack, kit list, guidebook and map (one set per room)
Personalised itinerary with details of your accommodation, route and recommendations for lunch and dinner
Traditional Scottish / English breakfast
24-hour emergency contact number
Full financial protection

Your walking holiday doesn't include:

Travel insurance
Transport to and from the start and end of the walk
Lunches and evening meals

Itineraries & Prices

We offer 4 suggested itineraries for walking the St Cuthbert’s Way.

Our most popular itinerary is SCW3 which covers the route in 6 days.

Tour code

Itinerary

Average miles

Difficulty

Price per person

SCW1

4 Days / 5 Nights

15.5 miles per day

Moderate

From £705

Average miles : 15.5 miles per day

Tour code: SCW1

Difficulty : Moderate

4 Days / 5 Nights (SCW1)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Additional information

The causeway road and the Pilgrim’s Path across the sands to Holy Island can only be crossed during low tide. Please contact us to check the safe crossing times before confirming your holiday.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag there is a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Melrose for your first night's accommodation

Day 1 Melrose to Harestanes (overnight St Boswells) 15.5 miles / 25 km

Day 2 Harestanes to Kirk Yetholm 16.5 miles / 27 km

Day 3 Kirk Yetholm to Wooler 13 miles / 21 km

Day 4 Wooler to Lindisfarne 17.5 miles / 29 km

Depart Onward travel from Lindisfarne

Prices

Premium

Best available Guest Houses, Inns & Hotels

From £805 per person

Carefully selected guest houses, inns and hotels throughout your walk, which will be the best available in each location. As premium accommodation is in short supply on this trail, please note that some establishments will be of a higher standard than others. En-suite facilities or private bathroom guaranteed.

Enquire Now

Standard

Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels

From £705 per person

Good quality and comfortable B&Bs, guest houses and some hotels located as close to the trail as possible. We will prioritise en-suite facilities or a private bathroom, although in remote areas with limited accommodation this may not always be possible.

Enquire Now

SCW2

5 Days / 6 Nights

12.5 miles per day

Moderate

From £765

Average miles : 12.5 miles per day

Tour code: SCW2

Difficulty : Moderate

5 Days / 6 Nights (SCW2)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Additional information

The causeway road and the Pilgrim’s Path across the sands to Holy Island can only be crossed during low tide. Please contact us to check the safe crossing times before confirming your holiday.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag there is a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Melrose for your first night's accommodation

Day 1 Melrose to Harestanes (overnight St Boswells) 15.5 miles / 25 km

Day 2 Harestanes to Morebattle 10 miles / 16 km

Day 3 Morebattle to Kirk Yetholm 6.5 miles / 11 km

Day 4 Kirk Yetholm to Wooler 13 miles / 21 km

Day 5 Wooler to Lindisfarne 17.5 miles / 29 km

Depart Onward travel from Lindisfarne

Prices

Premium

Best available Guest Houses, Inns & Hotels

From £915 per person

Enquire Now

Standard

Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels

From £765 per person

Enquire Now

SCW3

6 Days / 7 Nights

10.5 miles per day

Easy

From £935

Average miles : 10.5 miles per day

Tour code: SCW3

Difficulty : Easy

6 Days / 7 Nights (SCW3)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Additional information

The causeway road and the Pilgrim’s Path across the sands to Holy Island can only be crossed during low tide. Please contact us to check the safe crossing times before confirming your holiday.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag there is a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Melrose for your first night's accommodation

Day 1 Melrose to Harestanes (overnight St Boswells) 15.5 miles / 25 km

Day 2 Harestanes to Morebattle 10 miles / 16 km

Day 3 Morebattle to Kirk Yetholm 6.5 miles / 11 km

Day 4 Kirk Yetholm to Wooler 13 miles / 21 km

Day 5 Wooler to Fenwick (overnight Lowick) 11.5 miles / 19 km

Day 6 Fenwick to Lindisfarne 6 miles / 10 km

Depart Onward travel from Lindisfarne

Prices

Premium

Best available Guest Houses, Inns & Hotels

From £1075 per person

Enquire Now

Standard

Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels

From £935 per person

Enquire Now

SCW4

7 Days / 8 Nights

9 miles per day

Easy

From £1035

Average miles : 9 miles per day

Tour code: SCW4

Difficulty : Easy

7 Days / 8 Nights (SCW4)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Additional information

The causeway road and the Pilgrim’s Path across the sands to Holy Island can only be crossed during low tide. Please contact us to check the safe crossing times before confirming your holiday.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag there is a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Melrose for your first night's accommodation

Day 1 Melrose to St Boswells 7.5 miles / 12 km

Day 2 St Boswells to Harestanes (overnight St Boswells) 8 miles / 13 km

Day 3 Harestanes to Morebattle 10 miles / 16 km

Day 4 Morebattle to Kirk Yetholm 6.5 miles / 11 km

Day 5 Kirk Yetholm to Wooler 13 miles / 21 km

Day 6 Wooler to Fenwick (overnight Lowick) 11.5 miles / 19 km

Day 7 Fenwick to Lindisfarne 6 miles / 10 km

Depart Onward travel from Lindisfarne

Prices

Premium

Best available Guest Houses, Inns & Hotels

From £1155 per person

Enquire Now

Standard

Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels

From £1035 per person

Enquire Now

St Cuthbert’s Way Accommodation

All of the accommodation that we reserve for you has been personally selected by our expert team to ensure it meets our exacting standards. We regularly review our extensive database.

We prioritise accommodation as close to the walking trail as possible. Occasionally, your accommodation may be located a short distance from the trail, or you may need to spend more than one night in the same place, in which case we will provide return transfers.

Travel Information

As an environmentally conscious tour operator, we actively encourage the use of public transport by providing clients with a detailed breakdown of travel options in their information packs. The following information may help with your pre-trip planning.

Getting to Melrose

By Air

Nearest major International Airports: Edinburgh Airport and Newcastle Airport.

All airports run regular public transport services to the city centres. An airport shuttle bus and tram runs from Edinburgh Airport to the city centre (journey time 30 min). From Newcastle Airport to Newcastle city centre the metro takes 25 min.

From Edinburgh or Newcastle, you can connect with onward train or bus services to Melrose. Melrose is located 40 miles south of Edinburgh and 70 miles north-west of Newcastle.

By Public Transport

Nearest railway station: Tweedbank.

A frequent train service operates from Edinburgh Waverley Station to Tweedbank Station (journey time 55 min). Tweedbank station is only 2 miles from Melrose town centre. There are regular buses to Melrose, or you could take a taxi.

Frequent services operate on the East Coast Mainline to Berwick-upon-Tweed from Newcastle (journey time 45 min), or from Edinburgh (journey time 1 hour 30 min).

Bus services are available to Melrose from Berwick-upon-Tweed (journey time 1 hour 30 min), or from Edinburgh (journey time 2 hours).

By Car

If you plan to travel by car, it may be possible to park at your accommodation in Melrose for the duration of your holiday. We can advise you about parking options when you make your enquiry.

Departing from Holy Island of Lindisfarne

By Air

Nearest major airports: Edinburgh Airport and Newcastle Airport.

Berwick-upon-Tweed is located approximately 15 miles from Lindisfarne. We recommend taking a taxi from Lindisfarne to Berwick-upon-Tweed train station, which would cost approximately £25. It is possible to do this journey by Borders Buses, but this service is limited and subject to tidal times.

Berwick-upon-Tweed is conveniently situated on the East Coast Main Line. Direct rail services frequently run to Edinburgh (journey time 45 min), Newcastle (journey time 45 min) and London (journey time 3 hours 40 min).

All airports run regular public transport services to the city centres.

By Public Transport

Nearest railway station: Berwick-upon-Tweed.

As the train services can be very busy, we recommend booking in advance.

By Car

If you plan to travel by car, it may be possible to park in Berwick-upon-Tweed for the duration of your holiday. We can advise you about parking options when you make your enquiry.

Additional Days

We would be delighted to arrange additional accommodation for you along the St Cuthbert’s Way.

You may wish to plan a rest day or have an additional night at any of the locations along the route which offer activities or sightseeing opportunities – we’ve made some suggestions below. Please request this when you make an enquiry.

Melrose

Explore the ruins of the magnificent 12th century Melrose Abbey
Discover the Roman history of this region at Trimontium Museum
Relax and soak up the charms of this picturesque Borders town

Holy Island of Lindisfarne

Enjoy peaceful walks observing the abundant birdlife on the dunes and beaches
Spent time exploring wonderful St Cuthbert’s Priory and the nearby castle built by Henry VIII

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