Churches Tourism Association

St Cuthbert's Way is a 62-mile (100 km) walk through attractive and highly varied countryside between the Scottish Borders town of Melrose and Lindisfarne (Holy Island) off the coast of Northumberland.

The route is named after the 7th century Saint Cuthbert. A native of the Borders, he spent his life in the service of the church, starting at Melrose Abbey. He achieved the status of Bishop, and when he died he was buried on Holy Island.

Unlike St Oswald’s Way, there is no official website for St Cuthbert’s Way, but   useful descriptions can be found at visitbritain.com/...st-cuthberts-way and at scottish-walks.co.uk/cuthbert.

The route starts at the historic Scottish Borders town of Melrose and the remains of Melrose Abbey, believed to be the burial place for Robert the Bruce's heart. It passes Jedburgh Abbey, one of Scotland's most spectacular ancient monuments, then via the village of Kirk Yetholm, only a mile away from the English border, and on to Wooler at the edge of the Cheviot Hills and Northumberland National Park.

10 miles east of Wooler is St Cuthbert's Cave, a large sandstone outcrop where the saint's body is said to have rested after leaving Holy Island in 875AD when Vikings attacked Lindisfarne, forcing the monks to flee.

St Cuthbert's Way finishes at Holy Island. The island is reached by crossing a causeway at low tide only, so checking crossing times is essential!