Walk 
6 to 8 nights
62 mls (km)
Scottish Borders
Moderate
Mar to Oct
£630
St. Cuthbert’s Way Walking Holidays
- Ruins of Dryburgh Abbey
- Exploring the market towns of Jedburgh and Wooler
- The war-scarred remains of Cessford Castle, part of many flashpoints along the border in the Anglo-Scottish wars
- The scenic village of Kirk Yetholm
- St Cuthbert’s Cave in the Kyloe Hills – the site where monks hid St Cuthbert’s body when they fled Lindisfarne to escape the vikings
- Crossing the tidal causeway to Lindisfarne
- Touring the ruined abbey and spectacular castle on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne
Walking St. Cuthbert’s Way
Follow St. Cuthbert's Way through the pastoral route taken by St Cuthbert, who spread the Gospel through Scotland and northern England in the seventh century. Cuthbert started his ministry in Melrose in about 650AD. He later became Prior and eventually Bishop of Lindisfarne ( Holy Island ) where he died in 696AD. His remains were taken from the island in 875AD after Viking raids. The relics were eventually laid to rest within a loop of the River Wear, subsequently becoming the site for the magnificent Durham Cathedral.
The St Cuthbert’s Way walk begins in the quaint Borders town of Melrose with its magnificent 12th century Cistercian abbey. Our trail leads us over the Eildon Hills, blanketed in heather and offering spectacular panoramic views to the border country, to where we find the delightful village of Bowden.
The path follows the River Tweed, where St Cuthbert’s Way encompasses the splendid ruin of Dryburgh Abbey. Leaving the Tweed to follow the Roman road of Dere Street and cross the RiverTeviot near Jedburgh, we come acroos a borders market town boasting yet another historic abbey. You continue to the towering Cessford Castle one of several spectacular sites en route to the village of Kirk Yetholm, nestling beneath the Cheviot Hills.
You now cross the Scottish border, over the magnificent Cheviot Hills to the market town of Wooler. Your route leads to St. Cuthbert’s Cave in the Kyloe Hills, which sits on a dramatic sandstone overhang. This is reputedly where monks hid St Cuthbert’s body when they fled Lindisfarne to escape the Vikings.
The final leg of St. Cuthbert’s Way moves down to cross the tidal Causeway (at an appropriate low tide) and leads on to your journey’s end at the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, where the ruined abbey and spectacular castle complete a magnificent journey through centuries of ancient Scots-English heritage.
Path Walkthrough
The trail itself is not heavily used, so the route is not always clearly defined. However every turn-off junction is waymarked with a St Cuthbert's Way signpost, linking with The Border Abbey and St Oswald's Way on occasion. St Cuthbert's Way has been graded 'Moderate' in terms of difficulty, however our SCW1 would make a great introduction to long distance walking. The first two sections of the SCW2 itinerary cover 25 miles over two days, our SCW2 itinerary adds another day to break up the walk into something more manageable.
Walking the St Cuthbert's Way shouldn't prove too challenging, however there are steep and sometimes boggy sections where the going is a little harder - particularly between Kirk Yethholm and Wooler. With the exception of a few, infrequent climbs the trail is fairly level, with prolonged walking uphill on this route bringing you to some of the most memorable views over the Eildon hills.
Our St Cuthbert’s Way Itineraries
Melrose to Lindisfarne (Holy Island)
Distance: 62 miles (99.5km)
SCW1
8 Nights
from £835
SCW1 ~ Melrose to Lindisfarne (Holy Island) ~ 8 / 7
classic
| Day | Location | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1: | Arrive Melrose | |
| Day 2: | Melrose to St Boswells | 7.5 miles/12km |
| Day 3: | St Boswells to Harestanes | 8 miles/12.8km |
| Day 4: | Harestanes to Morebattle | 10 miles/16km |
| Day 5: | Morebattle to Kirk Yetholm | 6.5 miles/10.4km |
| Day 6: | Kirk Yetholm to Wooler | 13 miles/21km |
| Day 7: | Wooler to Fenwick | 11.5 miles/18.4km |
| Day 8: | Fenwick to Lindisfarne, the Holy Island | 6 miles/9.6km |
| Day 9: | Depart Lindisfarne, the Holy Island |
What's Included:
Prices
Extras
SCW2
7 Nights
from £735
SCW2 ~ Melrose to Lindisfarne (Holy Island) ~ 7 / 6
classic
| Day | Location | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1: | Arrive Melrose | |
| Day 2: | Melrose to Harestanes | 15.5 miles/24.8km |
| Day 3: | Harestanes to Morebattle | 10 miles/16km |
| Day 4: | Morebattle to Kirk Yetholm | 6.5 miles/10.4km |
| Day 5: | Kirk Yetholm to Wooler | 13 miles/21km |
| Day 6: | Wooler to Fenwick | 11.5 miles/18.4km |
| Day 7: | Fenwick to Lindisfarne, Holy Island | 6 miles/9.6km |
| Day 8: | Depart Lindisfarne, Holy Island |
What's Included:
Prices
Extras
SCW3
6 Nights
from £630
SCW3 ~ Melrose to Lindisfarne (Holy Island) ~ 6 / 5
classic
| Day | Location | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive Melrose | |
| Day 2 | Melrose to Harestanes (t) | 15.5 mls (24.9 km) |
| Day 3 | (t) Harestanes to Kirk Yetholm | 16.5 mls (26.6 km) |
| Day 4 | Kirk Yetholm to Wooler | 13.0 mls (20.9 km) |
| Day 5 | Wooler to Fenwick | 11.5 mls (18.5 km) |
| Day 6 | Fenwick to Lindisfarne, the Holy Island | 6.0 mls (9.7 km) |
| Day 7 | Depart Lindisfarne (Holy Island) |
What's Included:
Prices
Extras
- Good standard accommodation at a mixture of Guesthouses, Farmhouses, local Inns and B&B’s 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.
A new rail link from Edinburgh Waverley station to Tweedbank has now been opened. The station at Tweedbank is served with frequent buses coming into the town of Melrose. This has been a very exciting new development for the Borders and is proving to be very popular.
By Bus: A bus from Tweedbank to Melrose takes 9 minutes.
A bus from Berwick upon Tweed to Melrose takes 1 hour 23 minutes.
http://travelinescotland.com/welcome.do
Taxis:
Lindisfarne to Melrose - prices available upon request.
Lindisfarne to Berwick-upon-Tweed - prices available upon request.
St Cuthbert’s Way Client Reviews
4.9/5 based on 28 reviews
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
Jenny, Toronto - May 2022
Celtic Trails were well organised; this was a lovely walk - a pilgrimage to a holy place. Nice friendly hosts.
Dick & Nita - 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
Huebert Family - March 2022
Celtic Trails' organisation made the walk very comfortable - no worry about finding accommodation. Taxis very good. Everyone was very friendly.
Anon - September 2021
Celtic Trails were great. A very enjoyable walk.
Anon - September 2021
Celtic Trails are very well organised; excellent information, efficient.
Garry, Bedfordshire - September 2021
Really excellent service, start to finish - thank you for really terrific service, Nathan! Thorough, prompt and efficient throughout.
David French, Dorset - 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.
Veneta - June 2021
Efficient and friendly service. Good accommodation.
David and Liz - Wirral - 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.
Anon - 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.
Anon - 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.
Anon - 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.
Jamie - 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.
J. Jacobs - 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.
Murton - July 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.
W. Edmonds - May 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.
K&M Fairweather - May 2019
St. Cuthbert's Way is one of the best - some tough bits but a wonderful cross-section of country.
Charles - May 2019
I like the personal contact with those organising the trips and the better standard of accommodation.
C.B. - 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.
S&J - September 2018
"Really enjoyed St. Cuthbert's Way, very good walks, lots of different types of habitat to walk through, real pleasure".
Maskrey - June 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.
M - June 2018
Accommodations all very good.
C - 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!"
Bruce - 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!!"
Haddock - June 2015
"A most memorable and enjoyable walk."
Mr & Mrs White - September 2014
"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)."
Mr & Mrs Sharp - 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."
Jackson - September 2014
Booking Request - St Cuthbert’s Way
We will check your details and come back to you within two working days with a personalised estimate based on your requirements. We will then formally request a deposit of £150 per person (£100 per person for a single centre break) and book all your arrangements - find out about our full booking process here.
Please note this does not constitute a booking confirmation, we kindly ask you to refrain from booking any travel until we have confirmed all your arrangements.
Still Have Questions?If you are still unsure on any of your requirements, please do enquire with us first and one of our friendly team will be happy to help you with any queries you have.
Enquire About St Cuthbert’s Way
Our lines are open: 9am to 5pm (GMT), Monday to Friday
Sample Accommodations
Please note: exact accommodation booked will depend on availability.