St Cuthbert's Way

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Summary: St Cuthbert's Way is a long distance footpath which begins in Melrose, Scotland and finishes on Lindisfarne Island in England. The route was inspired by the life of St Cuthbert, who began his ministry at Melrose in 650 AD, eventually becoming the Bishop of Lindisfarne. The route provides a link over the Cheviot Hills between the Southern Upland Way (at Melrose) and the Pennine Way National Trail (at Kirk Yetholm) with the Northumbrian Coastline path. From the start at Melrose Abbey the route visits the Eildon Hills, Bowden and Newtown St Boswells on the River Tweed opposite Dryburgh Abbey. It then follows the bank of the Tweed downstream to Maxton. Near Maxton the trail joins Dere Street, which it follows south east past the site of the Battle of Ancrum Moor to Monteviot House on the banks of the River Teviot. From Monteviot Bridge a detour may be taken for an overnight stay in Jedburgh while the Way skirts the north of the town to continue following Dere Street to Crailinghall before the way turns north-east to Cessford Moor, Cessford and Morebattle. Then the route climbs steeply to the ridge of Wideopen Hill, the highest point of the trail at 368 metres, before descending to the villages of Town Yetholm and Kirk Yetholm, where it meets the Pennine Way. Onward into England now as the Scotland section of the walk is left 2 miles east of Kirk Yetholm. On the English side the trail descends through the Northumberland National Park to the village of Hethpool in the College Valley. The trail then climbs through the foothills of the Cheviot Hills, passing just south of the hillforts of Yeavering Bell and Humbleton Hill, to the town of Wooler. From Wooler the Way ascends the valley of the River Till to the twin villages of West Horton and East Horton. It then follows farmland tracks to St. Cuthbert's Cave near Holburn. Near the cave it joins St Oswald's Way and the Northumberland Coast Path to head north through Fenwick to reach the coast just east of Beal. The last section across the sands to Lindisfarne (Holy Island) can only be walked at low tide, either by the modern road or by the historic, more direct, Pilgrims Path, marked by posts. (Source: Wilipedia)