Steve Butterfield
When I was planning this article earlier this month I suffered a massive arthritis flare up very shortly after receiving my first COVID jab. This resulted in a night in accident and emergency at Leighton Hospital. The next morning the doctor said I had arthritis in my right hip and asked “did you do a lot of sport when you were younger?” There was an irony in this question as the topic I had planned to write my blog about was running the London Marathon and walking the Coast to Coast which I did exactly 10 years ago. So I decided not to proceed with that article!
The topic I have chosen is the “St. Cuthbert’s way”. Those who went on the group holiday to Melrose in Spring 2019 will remember the fantastic scenery and walking we had around Melrose in Southern Scotland.
St Cuthbert’s way starts in Melrose at the Abbey and part of the first days walk coincides with the walk we did over the Eildon hills on our Holiday to Melrose. I’m sure we all remember with affection the lovely scenery and walking we had. The border country of Southern Scotland and Northern England is, in my opinion, much under rated. The views are often extensive and the walking surprisingly varied.
I walked St. Cuthbert’s in 2016 with 2 friends. We had a very enjoyable few days as we walked form Melrose to Lindisfarne on the North East Coast. It is a walk I would recommend to you all. Not over long, and not too demanding but with varied days and plenty to see.
So, St. Cuthbert’s way is a 100k (60 mile) walk. It was opened in 1996. It visits places closely associated with St. Cuthbert’s life. As the guide book says “it is full of historical interest and natural beauty”
The official guide book is by Ron Shaw and the latest edition published by Birlin.
“St Cuthbert’s way” 20th Anniversary edition by Ron Shaw ISBN: 978-1-78027-257-3 (cost £12.99 in 2016). There is also a website: www.stcuthbertsway.info
We walked It from Melrose to Lindisfarne but the guide book also includes instructions for walking it the opposite way should you choose to do that instead.
As with all walking holidays a great deal of planning is required. Travel to and then back to the start, accommodation along the way and taxis etc to get from place to place. Also, baggage transfer so you don’t have to carry everything with you. But one extra bit of planning was needed for this trip; we needed to know the times of the high and low tides at Lindisfarne. We had the idea of walking across the sands to Holy Island, following what is called the Pilgrims path.This goes directly across the bay and doesn’t follow the road. We would need the tide to be at its lowest point when we started the crossing.
So, once all the planning and preparation is done the easy bit (and most enjoyable) is to do the walk!
We started very early on Monday 25th July. We left a car at Jedburgh and had breakfast (we would return here after today’s walk). We caught a taxi to Melrose and started the walk by the noticeboard at Melrose Abbey about 10am.
The first part is steeply uphill over the Eildon hills with fantastic views all around. We meet a man who has managed to lose his wife on the various paths around the tops of the 3 hills. We walk on, passing St Boswell and Deere Street which is an old Roman road. Our destination is Harestanes visitors centre which we reach at 5pm after 14.5 miles. We meet the man again - he never did find his wife that day. I’m sure their conversation over dinner would have been an interesting one!
The next morning, we get our baggage and things sorted for the rest of the walk. We put the surplus gear into the car, and pack what we will need for the next few days into bags and leave for the baggage company “carry lite” to take to our next accommodation.
After breakfast we get sorted for today’s walk. It is an 18.25 miles walk to Kirk Yetholme. Fortunately, the paths are easier and the walking a little quicker than yesterday. There are more wide open views and some lovely terrain. We eventually arrive at the Border hotel in Kirk Yetholme and after a couple of welcome pints we book a table for out evening meal. The border hotel is finishing place for the Pennine way so is well used to ragged looking walkers turning up after a long days walking. Our accommodation is in a small cottage close by.
The next morning we are now into our routine, so after breakfast we pack, leave a bag to be carried to the next accommodation and set off for todays walk to Wooler which is 14 miles. We spend the whole day walking in the Cheviot hills. Very nice indeed but quite a lot of ups and downs!
Today we also cross the border into England. Cross a stile with a finger post pointing one way to Scotland and the other way to England!
Another familiar routine is at the end of the days walking, a few pints, shower, have an evening meal, another few pints and it’s folk night. So we sleep well tonight.
Day 4 see us going from Wooler to Lindisfarne. The journey is 18 miles and we have to plan for the tide. Luckily as we approach the coast the paths get wider and flatter so the going is much easier. Our target is Fenwick which we reach at 3pm. The tide is completely out so we are able to do the crossing across the sands safely. We follow the Pilgrims path and the line of tall poles that mark the way. The sand is firm and water not too deep in places and we can make the crossing safely in about an hour. Once crossed we breathe a sigh of relief and make our way to the Manor House Hotel on Holy Island. We have our photo taken by the St Cuthbert’s board by the Priory, we have reached the end of our walk.
Once the tides comes in, we are on the Holy Island until tomorrow lunchtime and we have the island to ourselves along with the local people.
So that is it. We have done St. Cuthbert’s way. There are other ways of doing it - probably better with shorter days walking. But we have planned to do a few more days down the North East Coast. So it suited us to do it the way we did.
The next day we start the St Oswald’s way. We walk down the coast, visiting Bamburgh and Dunstanburgh Castles visiting Seahouses and finishing at Craster. The walk goes further but we decided to stop and spend the next day on a boat trip to the Farne Islands.
This is a lovely part of England and the borders are a great place to visit and walk. So much to see and some lovely wide open views. I would recommend this walk to all of you. Please let me know if anyone else has done it or is planning to do so. It would be a good walk to do later this year or sometime next year.
