An Introduction to St Cuthbert's Way

Why should you walk it?

This short long-distance route links several sites associated with the life of the seventh-century St Cuthbert: Melrose Abbey, of which St Cuthbert was prior; St Cuthbert's Cave, where monks fleeing from Lindisfarne carrying the saint's body and other relics stopped to rest; and Holy Island itself, where St Cuthbert was prior and later bishop.

St Cuthbert's Way is divided roughly equally between the Borders and Northumberland, visits three of the great Border abbeys and several unspoilt villages, before crossing the Cheviots and winding through more history-studded landscape to the Northumberland coast. Both St Oswald's and St Cuthbert's Way meet and share routes at times with other, well-known trails, including the Pennine Way and Hadrian's Wall Path meaning that the signage is mostly very good and directions are easy to follow.

Best time to walk St Cuthbert's Way?

St Cuthbert’s Way can be walked at any time of year. However, the weather is generally at its finest from May to July, and as a result this period together with August sees the largest number of visitors.

December and January are usually the wettest months – although sustained periods of fine weather are not impossible in January in the Borders, on the Northumberland coast and in Northumberland National Park.

Winter walking over snow-covered hills can be extremely beautiful for those suitably prepared, although recent winters have seen fairly extreme snowfall, which effectively shut down the local infrastructure, including public transport, and resulted in enormous snow drifts and obliterated trails.