6 to 8 nights
63 mls (km)
Scottish Borders
Easy to Challenging
Mar to Oct
£815

A pilgrimage route through Borders hills to Holy Island

  • Panoramic views from the summit of the Eildon Hills
  • Discover the ruins of Melrose and Jedburgh Abbeys
  • Explore the historic market towns of Melrose, Jedburgh and Wooler
  • Walk through the wild beauty of the Cheviot Hills
  • Cross the sands to Holy Island and visit Lindisfarne Priory
📷Lindisfarne Castle on the Holy Island Lindisfarne-St-Cuthberts-Way

Walking St. Cuthbert’s Way

This cross-border trail links sites from the life of St. Cuthbert, a 7th-century saint known for his piety, miracles and love of nature. The route begins in Melrose, where he entered monastic life, and ends at Lindisfarne, his final resting place. But it’s much more than a pilgrimage. With varied landscapes—upland views, wooded paths and open coast—this is a walk for anyone drawn to peaceful, unspoilt countryside. Panoramic hilltops, historic towns and a manageable pace make it ideal for those seeking a reflective but rewarding challenge. Churches along the way continue the tradition of hospitality, welcoming modern-day pilgrims with warmth and shelter.

St Cuthberts Way walking holiday map
Our St Cuthbert's Way Walking Holiday takes you from Melrose to the coast at Lindisfarne

Path Walkthrough

Your walk starts in Melrose, beneath the Eildon Hills, and follows the Tweed to Harestanes via Roman Dere Street. After a short transfer, explore Jedburgh and its impressive abbey. From here, the trail crosses open farmland and passes Cessford Castle on the way to Morebattle. Climbing Wideopen Hill—the highest point—brings sweeping views across the Borders. The path continues into the heather-clad Cheviots before descending into Wooler. The final stretch leads to the Northumberland coast, where, tide permitting, you cross the sands—barefoot if you like—along the ancient Pilgrim’s Path to Holy Island. Terrain is varied but not extreme: quiet river paths, grassy hills, farm tracks and moorland.

St Cuthberts Cave

Following in Ancient Footsteps

St. Cuthbert’s Way is steeped in Christian heritage. You walk through places that shaped the saint’s life, from Melrose Abbey to Lindisfarne Priory. The path passes the legendary St. Cuthbert’s Cave, where monks are said to have sheltered his body from Viking raiders. What makes this walk especially memorable is its rare ending: a tidal crossing to Holy Island, with its spiritual atmosphere and shifting sands. Many walkers time their journey to reach Lindisfarne on foot, just as pilgrims have done for centuries. The route may be ancient, but its landscapes, stillness and sense of purpose resonate just as powerfully today.

Our St Cuthbert’s Way Itineraries

  • Melrose to Lindisfarne (Holy Island)
    Distance: 63 miles (101km)
    SCW1
    8 Nights, 7 Days
    from £1075 pp
    Melrose to Lindisfarne (Holy Island)
        8 nights, 7 days
    Ref: SCW1
    Easy to Moderate, Moderate,
    Grade: Classic
    SCW2
    7 Nights, 6 Days
    from £955 pp
    Melrose to Lindisfarne (Holy Island)
        7 nights, 6 days
    Ref: SCW2
    Moderate,
    Grade: Classic
    SCW3
    6 Nights, 5 Days
    from £815 pp
    Melrose to Lindisfarne (Holy Island)
        6 nights, 5 days
    Ref: SCW3
    Moderate to Challenging,
    Grade: Classic
    • Good standard accommodation at a mixture of guesthouses, farmhouses, local inns and B&Bs with en-suite or private facilities wherever possible
    • Breakfast
    • Luggage transfers
    • Personal transfer between accommodation and path that form a part of our standard package
    • Route planning
    • Walk pack including Trail Guide and mapping, itinerary, accommodation directions and route notes, lunch and dinner information, restaurant recommendations and holiday planning details

    You choose which day you would like your holiday to start on. We will book your holiday in accordance with your requirements.

    Our St Cuthbert’s Way holidays are available to walk March to October.

    The best time to visit is between March and October. The way is very unlikely to be crowded at any point of the year, but July and August are the busiest months to visit.

    By Rail: There are train stations at Tweedbank and Berwick upon Tweed.

    www.nationalrail.co.uk

    There is rail link between Edinburgh Waverley station to Tweedbank. The station at Tweedbank is served with frequent buses coming into the town of Melrose.

    By Bus: A bus from Tweedbank to Melrose takes 9 minutes.

    A bus from Berwick upon Tweed to Melrose takes 1 hour 25 minutes.

    www.travelinescotland.com

    Taxis:

    Lindisfarne to Melrose - prices available upon request.

    Lindisfarne to Berwick-upon-Tweed - prices available upon request.

    Looking for different mileages or a different number of nights? Please contact us to discuss how our itineraries can be adjusted to meet your specific needs. Call one of our helpful team on +44 (0)1291 689774 or e-mail us here.

    St Cuthbert’s Way Client Reviews

    4.8/5 based on 71 reviews
    Are you a walker and a nature lover? Do you enjoy peace and quiet? Would you choose sleeping under 5 stars (B&B:s) instead of a million stars (a tent)? If yes, Celtic Trails is your best choice!
    - April 2025
    Friendly, Professional and Efficient
    - September 2024
    Celtic Trails has a good website and provide personalized service for an excellent adventure walking experience
    - September 2024
    Super well organized, cost effective, super responsive if we had a question
    - September 2024
    Celtic Trails are well organised.
    - September 2024
    A company that can be trusted to fulfil their clients needs, have now completed more than 6 walks and will continue to use this company
    - September 2024
    I felt that Celtic Trails did a great job in preparing us for this trek, including personal recommendations. Nathan and the Celtic Trails team highly responsive and very helpful. They were knowledgeable about the walk and all the required logistics that ensure a smooth trip. They even helped with some of my non-walk specific travel questions.
    - September 2024
    Celtic Trails are very well organised, my experience has been better than any other walking holiday provider.
    - September 2024
    Celtic trails an extremly helpful, competent and expert team! Everything was perfectly organised to the smallest detail with no flaws!
    - July 2024
    Celtic Trails made this experience so easy! I didn't need to reach out for help, because they thought of everything. The accommodations were fantastic and it helped knowing that after a long day of walking, we had a cozy place to come home to.
    - July 2024
    Excellent team to work with. We also did the Ridgeway with you a couple of years ago and had a great experience from your team.
    - June 2024
    Walking St. Cuthbert's Way with Celtic Trails was a near perfect experience. The countryside was stunningly beautiful, the BnB's welcoming, and crossing at low tide to Holy Island a meaningful ending to this lovely pilgrimage. At times the walk was rigorous, but we felt well prepared and supported by Celtic Trails.
    - June 2024
    We actually have recommended Celtic Trails to a member of the staff at church. It really is the best way to arrange a long distance walk. Mark's first walk he planned on his own. It was so difficult and unsettling. He would never do it again. If we do another walk, we would use Celtic Trails.
    - June 2024
    A fantastic walk and planning of accommodation.
    - June 2024
    I felt taken care of and confident that I would have a nice place to stay every night.
    - June 2024
    Flawless! B&B's were excellent, taxi drivers delightful. Celtic Trails gave me help on the trail when lost, which was very reassuring, THE BEST!!
    - May 2024
    Celtic Trails are very well organized and arranged lovely, comfortable accommodations for us. The St Cuthbert's Way had beautiful scenery with varied walking surfaces.
    - May 2024
    Left Celtic do all the hard work - they are professional and responsive and will save you a huge amount of time and effort, so you can concentrate on enjoying the trail.
    - May 2024
    Celtic Trails are friendly, efficient and able to answer questions quickly. My holiday reaffirmed the pleasure and joy of being in the countryside and what a beautiful country we have; it was a spiritual and scenic.
    - May 2024
    I had no hassle booking with Celtic Trails and they were very reliable.
    - May 2024
    Celtic Trails were well organized and thorough with the information provided on all aspects of the trip.
    - May 2024
    Celtic Trails were very supportive and responsive, instructions and guidance are good and the team are helpful and cheerful.
    - May 2024
    Smooth, helpful and informative from initial enquiries to the holiday itself
    - September 2023
    The support from Celtic Trails was excellent. Nathan was knowledgeable about the walk and able to suggest a modification to my rest day requests that ended up being perfect. All emails were responded to promptly and questions answered.
    - September 2023
    Celtic Trails take away the stress of figuring out the details of your walking holiday, so you can enjoy the experience.
    - September 2023
    This walking holiday was refreshing and restorative. Celtic Trails handled everything very professionally.
    - September 2023
    One of the best walking companies around; great B&Bs, food and walk organisation. Transfers were prompt and flawless.
    - August 2023
    Excellent service from a family run business with many, many trips and options from which to choose.
    - August 2023
    I would recommend Celtic Trails, they were very efficient and helpful.
    - August 2023
    Celtic Trails were well organised and we felt that the walking distances for St Cuthbert's Way were sensible.
    - August 2023
    Very professional & efficient. Excellent communication prior to starting our holiday. Celtic trails are spoken highly of by places we stayed at.
    - July 2023
    Celtic Trails are a reliable company for trail walks. I enjoy the sense of achievement going from A to B. Impressive Abbeys. highlights were the hills from Morebattle to Yetholme and Wooker.
    - May 2023
    Celtic Trails are thorough and personal. We had some changes to make en route and they helped us. I thoroughly enjoyed this hike. The people ie locals and travellers and hosts alike were wonderful. The history ie the abbeys and the story of St Cuthberts made the walk much more than and walk. Especially wading through the water on the tidal flat to Holy Island. The scotch was also good!
    - May 2023
    It is such a wonderful way to spend a holiday - relaxing, yet challenging; mediative, yet social (loved meeting other walkers).
    - May 2023
    Celtic Trails are reliable and trustworthy. Much better than other companies. It is a great sense of adventure and achievement to do long distance walks. Especially great when there?s also a sense of history and places like St. Cuthberts.
    - April 2023
    This walk has shown that at 81 years it is still possible to walk 100 km in seven days and feel good, both physically and mentally afterwards. Celtic Trails were Thorough, accurate and friendly.
    - April 2023
    Just a lovely experience. Great to know a bed was booked and clean clothes would be there on arrival. We went as a pilgrimage - it was hugely beneficial to our health and well-being, especially in Holy Week with appropriate readings.
    - April 2023
    Our experience was AMAZING! Your website doesn't convey just how incredible the walk was, but maybe that is not possible. Great transfers! Nice drivers! Celtic Trails were easy to deal with and professional. We would absolutely recommend. I would do any of your UK walks, but The Wye Valley and Dingle Way have been particularly recommended. I most enjoyed the freedom. All I had to do each day was get up and walk. It was wonderful.
    - March 2023
    Our experience with Celtic Trails was excellent. As always, great, cheerful assistance from Nathan. Great value for money. We would, and do, recommend Celtic Trails to others. All of the proprietors rave about Nathan and how great it is to work with him. St. Cuthbert's Way was even better than we expected. Beautiful scenery, great abbeys.
    - March 2023
    Our experience with Celtic Trails was easy and kind. The weather and birdwatching were perfect.
    - October 2022
    St. Cuthbert's is a really good walk, because it can be down within a week, with travel. Really good mix of countryside contrasts. Our experience with Celtic Trails was hassle free, with decent accommodation. Better than other companies. Book early to g
    - September 2022
    Celtic Trails planned our holiday in meticulous detail, and everything worked. Walking to Holy Island through the sands and the roaring of about 200 seals at low tide was a fantastic ending to the walk.
    - August 2022
    I'd enjoy doing another walk someday if God permits. I'd probably see if you could support it. Thanks for your work for me.
    - June 2022
    Dealing with Nathan was a particular pleasure; he recommended this walking route to us after learning more about our past experiences and wishes for the trip. We hadn't previously heard of the route and it turned out to be ideal. We also really apprecia
    - May 2022
    Celtic Trails were well organised; this was a lovely walk - a pilgrimage to a holy place. Nice friendly hosts.
    - May 2022
    Celtic Trails has every detail planned and ensured a smooth and stress-free experience. If any problems arise, there is a contact number to immediately fix the issue. This holiday had a dramatic physical and mental improvement on our well-being. For a f
    - March 2022
    Celtic Trails' organisation made the walk very comfortable - no worry about finding accommodation. Taxis very good. Everyone was very friendly.
    - September 2021
    Celtic Trails were great. A very enjoyable walk.
    - September 2021
    Celtic Trails are very well organised; excellent information, efficient.
    - September 2021
    Really excellent service, start to finish - thank you for really terrific service, Nathan! Thorough, prompt and efficient throughout.
    - September 2021
    Celtic Trails was the first walking company I have booked with. They were first class. Professional. Patient. Impressive attention to detail. Excellent communication. Excellent value. It was a magical experience - good for the soul. Being with nature is the best medicine. St. Cuthbert's Way was a wonderfully varied walk - woodland, farmland, high ridge moors, coast, wonderful history, lovely towns and villages. Thank you for all your help! I have Glyndwr's Way already booked for August.
    - June 2021
    Efficient and friendly service. Good accommodation.
    - June 2021
    A fab holiday! Brilliant organisation, lovely B&Bs, couldn't have been better. I would definitely recommend Celtic Trails to others. I enjoyed all of this walk. Beautiful countryside well marked route and very varied landscapes.
    - June 2021
    Flawless organisation, clear communication, excellent accommodation and very good suggestions for where to eat at each stop. This was pure delight. Easy walking, friendly people and beautiful countryside. Walking across the sand to Holy Island was a high point.
    - June 2021
    Celtic Trails were very organised. This holiday gave me a sense of achievement and an increase in stamina. I'd like to do the West Highland Way, Dales Way and Pembrokeshire Coast next.
    - October 2020
    Celtic Trails are the best - much better than other companies. This walk was just what I needed. Thanks Ben, you did us proud - really enjoyed the walk.
    - September 2020
    I would describe Celtic Trails as efficient - it felt like someone was there in the background, just in case. They took all the effort away, so I could just do the fun part.
    - August 2019
    I have always enjoyed long-distance trails and my husband is now developing a love of them as well. St. Cuthbert's was the most beautiful trail I have ever done. There is quite a lot of road walking in Northumberland, but the views are still amazing. A very good experience - our accommodations being exceptionally good in some places.
    - July 2019
    Everything was very clear and went exactly as planned. We are feeling accomplished and stronger and hope we've inspired friends and family to do a walking holiday of their own. St. Cuthbert's Way was an excellent choice for our first long-distance walk. There were enough others making the walk to feel comfortable and we enjoyed meeting up with them for drinks and meals and the end of each day.
    - May 2019
    The personnel at Celtic Trails are knowledgeable, patient, prompt and friendly; they should great attention to detail and care for their customers. The scenery was beautiful. We enjoyed the lovely villages and found our hosts, local inhabitants and other walkers to be quite friendly, pleasant and helpful.
    - May 2019
    St. Cuthbert's Way is one of the best - some tough bits but a wonderful cross-section of country.
    - May 2019
    I like the personal contact with those organising the trips and the better standard of accommodation.
    - May 2019
    We had a fabulous holidays - all went smoothly. Cannot recommend St. Cuthbert's Way highly enough. We've used Celtic Trails four times before and will be using you again - we have already recommended you to friends.
    - September 2018
    Really enjoyed St. Cuthbert's Way - very good walk, lots of very different types o habitat to walk through. A real pleasure. Thank you Celtic Trails for a great walk.
    - June 2018
    "Really enjoyed St. Cuthbert's Way, very good walks, lots of different types of habitat to walk through, real pleasure".
    - June 2018
    Accommodations all very good.
    - May 2018
    "We enjoyed not having to worry about the daily details, this holiday was the easiest to plan. Though we have never attempted a walking holiday before – we were more than pleasantly surprised! Nathan took care of all the details, we are looking at our calendars and planning out next trip!"
    - August 2016
    "We felt that walking 25 miles in the first two days of the walk was too much for us. As a refinement - we would suggest the option of making the trip a day longer and staying either in St. Baswells or two nights at Allerton House which was one of our favorite B&B's. It was easy enough to take the bus from St.Boswell's to Jedburgh. At Jedburgh we had enough time to visit the Mary Queen of Scots House which was very interesting. The rest day and visit to the Farne Islands was spectacular - one of the highlights of our trip so far. We had a wonderful time and thank-you for all you have done for us!!"
    - June 2015
    "All in all another fantastic walk, and thank you very much indeed once again for all your trouble. We hope everything holds up for next year, and all being well we will be in touch in the new year to plan our next project(s)."
    - September 2014
    "A most memorable and enjoyable walk."
    - September 2014
    "Can't think of anything which is in your control that could be improved upon. We have done a lot of long-distance walks and you provide everything we would expect."
    - September 2014
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