From Holy Island to Heavenfield, our St. Oswald’s Way walking holidays link historical sites across the Northumberland coast associated with the early 7th century king, highlighting some of the best features of North Eastern scenery in the heather clad moors, impressive castles, genteel towns and fishing communities found along the route.
9 to 10 nights
97 mls (km)
Northern England
Moderate
Mar to Oct
£895
Walking Northumberland’s Finest Landscapes
The holy island of Lindisfarne – where Oswald established his monastery
Bamburgh – Oswald’s royal capital and location of the famous castle, overlooking the coast
Heavenfield – the location where Oswald defeated the Pagan kings of Gwynedd to regain his father’s kingdom
Encounter beautifully preserved castles, quaint fishing villages and gorgeous stretches of golden sand
The ruined priory and Lindisfarne Castle located on Holy Island
Hadrian’s Wall and Heavenfield
Quaint rural villages such as Craster and Rothbury
St Oswald was an early advocate of Christianity who played a major role in bringing the religion to the people of England. Whilst following the history of England's conversion to Christianity, you'll cross paths with traditional villages, picturesque seaside towns and the quaint countryside scenery that makes up the quiet beauty of the Northumberland coast.
St Oswald’s Way walks are straightforward and allow you to explore some of Northumberland’s most fascinating landscapes. The highest point is just over 300m (990ft), making St Oswald’s Way a great choice for all fitness ability levels.
Invigorating walks out in the open air enable walkers to explore the unspoilt English countryside on foot. Our St Oswald’s Way route in particular will take you through heather-clad moors, across impressive fortresses.
Our St Oswald's Way walking route takes you from Holy Island to Heavenfield
Path Walkthrough
The route itself begins with a re-tracing of the final section of St. Cuthbert's Way, crossing the causeway at low tide, before heading inland through Fenwick and up hill into the Shiellow Woods. Much of the route continues in this fashion, with long sections spent along the coast across sand dunes and harbourside paths before walking inland and rejoining the shoreline and seaside towns at a later section.
Over a quarter of the county region is protected as Northumberland National Park, preventing large-scale agriculture or development from building on the outstanding landscapes of the area. As such, you'll find that the inland sections on this route are fairly remote places to walk in, and where the country has been left to its own devices the terrain can be wild, with sustained ascents and descents underfoot.
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 (one bag per walker, max 20 kg per bag)
Personal transfers between the accommodation and path where necessary
Route planning
Walk pack including Trail Guide and OS mapping, itinerary, accommodation directions, local interest leaflets and holiday planning.
You choose which day you would like your holiday to start on. We will book your holiday in accordance with your requirements.
Our St. Oswald’s Way holidays are available to walk March to October.
The Northumbrian coast experiences relatively low rainfall, although the North East of England is one of the coldest regions of the country, with inland sections invariably covered with snow each winter. March to October is our general guideline for a walk that experiences cold winters and takes place through isolated stretches of English countryside.
Nearest airports are located in Newcastle and Edinburgh
Railway stations are located in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Alnmouth and Hexham.
The closest train station to the start of the path is at Berwick-upon-Tweed which links with bus services seasonally to Holy Island. Alternatively, we recommend you take a taxi from Berwick.
The closest train station to the end of the path is at Hexham.
If you prefer to arrive by car, we can advise on car parking arrangements.
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. Oswald’s Way Client Reviews
4.5/5 based on 3 reviews
Very well organised, prompt, efficient, good value. This holiday helped to clear / unclutter the mind. Sean P. Harrison, Gloucestershire - October 2020
Thank you. We have thoroughly enjoyed our walk - especially the personal touch given by yourselves and the hospitality of the B&B owners. Mr & Mrs Sinclair - September 2018
"The organisation on behalf of Celtic Trails was exemplary and all the B&B's were very good." Healey - August 2017
Leave your own review of your St. Oswald’s Way Walking Holiday with us - add review.
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.