St. Cuthbert’s Way. September 5th to 10th

St. Cuthbert’s Way is a long distance path from Melrose in Scotland to Holy Island off the Northumberland coast.

St. Cuthbert began the monastic life in Melrose and later moved to Holy Island, Lindisfarne. His body was removed from Holy Island after the Vikings raided in 793 and taken, eventually, to the site of what is now Durham Cathedral. His remains remain there.

Our walk has been organised by Shepherd Walks of Rothbury. The company has arranged our accommodation, provided us with information on the route and have kindly offered to take us from their offices in Rothbury to the start in Melrose.

Harvey's maps have a coated. waterproof map of the trail and it is also available as a gpx if you search.

Day 1, September 5th.

We drove to Rothbury and left our cars with Shepherds Walks. The company then had our baggage delivered to the night’s accommodation and had us delivered by taxi to Melrose, the start (or end) of St Cuthbert’s Way.

We arrived in Melrose about midday, had lunch in a cafe and finally set off for the first day’s walk.

Unable to spot what may be an official starting point we chose the information board in the town centre as the beginning, set our GPS devices and strode off.

The longest journey starts with a single step. Confucius, or confused.

This walk is one of the best for markers, making it easy to follow. The Scottish ones look better than the English ones.

We have a sign.

Leaving the board we walked down the street then a short distance up another before we spotted the first sign for St. Cuthbert's Way. Down a back alley then up 130 wooden steps set into the hill side.

Once in the country we took the path between two of the Eildon Hills. Eildon Hill North has a Roman Signal station, Eildon Mid Hill has a cairn which some visited while the rest of us sat on the grass.

Two miles later we came to the village of Bowden which has a Pant well.

Pant Well.

At Bowden we turned east, walking a mixture of woodland and field until we came to the River Tweed, walked the bank and soon arrived at St. Boswells, home for the night.

At this point my camera died and could not be revived with a new battery. I've taken some on my phone and been sent some by the others but I,m not sure exactly where each is, bear with me.

We stayed at The Buccleugh Arms which had a large sign explaining how to pronounce it: BUCK LOO

Distance 7 miles Running total 7 miles

Day 2 September 6th

Leaving St. Boswells we walked a lovely, wooded riverside path following the Tweed for about three miles before taking the old Roman road of Deere Street. (Named for the ancient Britons tribe Deria according to our archaeologist.

Apparently part of a water system for the local big house. The proles used the river!

On our way we passed the site of the 1545 Battle of Ancrum Moor, a victory for Scotland in one of the many scraps with England. In the battle, the fair maid Lilliard lost both legs but bravely fought on on her stumps.

Leaving Deere Street we turned south east and soon reached the next night' accommodation, The Royal Hotel in Jedburgh.

Very friendly hotel in Jedburgh, run by a South African, or was he Australian?

Dinner in an Italian restaurant just across the road.

Distance 13 miles Running total 20 miles.

Day 3, September 7th

Leaving Jedburgh, which has a beautiful Abbey, we walked a mixture of woodland and arable land, including the first stile of the trip! After about 10 miles of easy going we stopped at Morebattles for tea and sugar blasts before the next section. Break over we had a short walk on a road before starting a long steady climb to Wideopen Hill. After a few steps on the steep path it started to rain. A great pity because we reached the top of Wideopen Hill, the highest point on the walk and the halfway mark. The views would have been well worth the climb but the low cloud and heavy rain didn't encourage us so on we went. The rain stopped but a trudge through a field of cabbages kept legs wet. After 17 miles we reached Kirk Yetholm and were welcomed in at the Old Mill BnB.

Tyhe Old Mill, Kirk Yetholm

Possibly one of the nicest Bnbs in the country it had been an old mill, dilapidated and run down but the owner had beautifully rebuilt it. Using oak from trees lost in Storm Arwen, timber salvaged from old houses and some invisible steel work he had created several luxurious rooms and a large dining room. And there was drying equipment.

Dinner in The Border Hotel, last stop on the Pennine Way, longest walk in England/Scotland.

The end of the Pennine Way at the Border Hotel Kirk Yetholm. The end of lots of pairs of boots too.

Distance 17 miles Running total 37 miles

Day 4 September 8th

Leaving the comforts of the Old Mill we were soon on our way on a familiar route having often walked the Cheviots from Kirk Yet Holm. Passing the house once known as the Gypsy King's Palace because of the number of travellers who lived in Kirk Yetholm we headed uphill.

Somewhere between Coldsmouth Hill and White Law we crossed the border into England.

Crossing the border. For foreign readers there is no border office, you don't need a passport, you just cross. A bit like parts of Europe really.

Going downhill we reached Hethpool, a hamlet at the entrance to College Valley and noted for having once been the home of Admiral Lord Collingwood. Nelson's number two at Trafalgar. His wife planted oak trees in the area.

We stopped for lunch, sitting in the sunbefore setting off for a steep climb between Yeavering Bell and the Tors. The word Yeavering has something to do with goats and there are three semi wild herds in the area, but they bwere all hiding today.

General view of the Cheviots above, sign below. Seems to be the one used in England.

After several miles of easy moorland we reached Wooler and headed for the Tankerville Arms for the night.

Distance 14 miles Running total 54 miles

Day 5 September 9th

Leaving the Tankerville Arms we headed uphill to join an easy going track across moorland until, after 8 miles we reached St. Cuthbert's Cave.

St Cuthbert's Cave. Tradition has it that after the Vikings destroyed the monastery on Holy Island St. Cuthbert's Body was taken and carried by a group of monks until eventually they laid him to rest in what is now Durham Cathedral. Originally a small church was built but in the 11th century the present magnificent church was started. It took forty years to build the main body of the cathedral, the towers were added later. St. Cuthbert is behind the great altar.

Leaving th cave after lunch we walked another four miles of woodland to the village of Fenwick. Here, as arranged we were picked up by taxi and taken a few miles to the village of Lowick where we stayed in the White Swan.

Distance 13.5 miles Running Total 67.5 miles

Day 6 September 10th.

Back to Fenwick and the last challenge. Two miles from the start we came to the causeway that crosses to Holy Island. The causeway is narrow and only open when the tide is out. But to complete St. Cuthbert's Way we had chosen to walk across the mud flats. The walk is well marked with poles, (Dave said there were 87) it is muddy, occasionally slippy and parts are covered in some form of grass. We did it barefoot, like good pilgrims should. It is about two miles long and the worst bit is the section covered with shells, some of which are sharp side up.

Rebooting on the island we had time for coffee before we were taken back to Rothbury and our cars. We went to the Ridley Arms to celebrate, eating and drinking.

Crossing to Holy Island, also known as Lindisfarne.

If you want to cross to the island by road or mud, check the crossing times very carefully. The tide can come in very quickly and you may have to resort to one of the refuges. On the causeway you may well lose your car and you will become a sad story on the local TV news.