St Cuthbert's Way

St Cuthbert’s Way is a fairly straightforward hiking trail. If you hike regularly or lead an active lifestyle, you’ll enjoy it. The trail is generally well maintained and easy underfoot, with no difficult technical sections.

To get ready, we suggest hiking regularly before your trip and adding some hills to your routine. Be sure to check the daily mileage and elevation changes listed in your day-by-day itinerary.

Most of the route follows well-maintained trails, bridle paths, open fields and a few quiet country roads. Some of the hillier sections can be a bit rougher underfoot.

This route ranges from easy-to-moderate to moderate, depending on which itinerary you choose. Within each tour, individual days may vary in difficulty – some sections might be a bit tougher or easier than the overall grade suggests.

Accommodation is in hand-picked B&Bs, guesthouses, inns and small hotels, chosen to give you a warm welcome, traditional hospitality and delicious local food.

In the first half of the full itinerary, the trail passes through Harestanes, where there’s no suitable accommodation. So we’ve built a transfer into your itinerary to nearby Jedburgh, the closest town with comfortable places to stay and a good choice of restaurants.

Yes, solo travelers are very welcome. There will be a supplement because some costs, like transfers, aren't shared. Or if you'd like to book a single room, just ask. These are available for a supplement.

A hearty breakfast is included each morning, while lunch and dinner aren't included so you're free to choose from the available options. Your accommodation will often be happy to provide a packed lunch on request, or our app will point you toward recommended lunch spots along the way. Dinner is available either at your accommodation or at nearby pubs and restaurants - we'd recommend booking ahead for your night on Holy Island, as options there are more limited.

This tour is available from April to September, starting on any day of the week. April and May are traditionally the most popular months, with many believing the weather is kindest then, though in our experience any time between April and September makes for a great tour.

In mid-June each year, the Borders Book Festival takes place nearby, and the area gets busy with limited availability, so it's best to avoid booking over those dates if you can.

Your bags will be collected from your accommodation each day and moved onto your overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg/44lbs per person.

It's vital that you adhere to these limits. Heavier bags, or additional items might not be transferred, and you may be charged locally. Airlines may have different allowances, but our luggage handlers do not have the same capacity or equipment, and their health and safety is our priority.

The route is well-waymarked throughout and easy to follow.

Navigation is straightforward using our app which has maps, tracks and daily route info. Simply download the information and tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone. Once on the trail you do not need signal for the app to work and follow your progress.

Recommended Reading

If you would like more information on the route please see our recommendation below:

St Cuthbert's Way from Melrose to Lindisfarne (Rucksack Reader)

Getting to the Start

Edinburgh and Newcastle are the closest airports.

Edinburgh is the best gateway for US travelers, with nonstop flights from several US cities. United, Delta and American Airlines all fly direct to Edinburgh, with year-round service from the New York area and seasonal flights from cities such as Chicago, Boston and Atlanta. Flight times are roughly 6 to 8 hours, depending on where you’re flying from. Newcastle doesn’t currently have direct flights from the US, but it’s easy to reach with one connection through London, Dublin or a major European hub like Amsterdam or Paris.

From Edinburgh Airport, you can take the tram (approx. 35 mins), the airport shuttle bus (approx. 25 mins) or a taxi (approx. 20 mins) into the city center. From Newcastle Airport, it’s a short taxi ride (approx. 20 mins) or a Metro trip (approx. 35 mins) to the central train station.

Your route to the start depends on which tour you choose.

St Cuthbert’s Way (full tour), starting in Melrose

From Edinburgh, take the train south to Tweedbank (approx. 1 hr), then a short bus ride to Melrose. Check the Borders Buses website for timetables. From Newcastle, take the train to Berwick-upon-Tweed, then the bus to Melrose.

National Express buses also serve Melrose and Jedburgh, but schedules from the airports can be limited, so we recommend booking ahead.

Planning to drive? We’d generally suggest public transportation instead, as secure long-term parking in Melrose is limited.

St Cuthbert’s Way Highlights Short Break, starting in Wooler

Take the train to Berwick-upon-Tweed from Newcastle or Edinburgh (approx. 45 mins from either). Your transfer from Berwick-upon-Tweed to Wooler is included.

Getting from the End

Your trip finishes on Holy Island, and getting back to the mainland is easy with a little planning. A pre-booked local taxi to Berwick-upon-Tweed is usually the easiest option. Borders Buses route 477 also runs to Berwick-upon-Tweed, but the service is limited, with no buses on Sundays or early and late on other days.

From Berwick-upon-Tweed, take the train to Edinburgh or Newcastle (approx. 45 mins from either), with connections across the UK. Left your car in Melrose? Take the bus from Berwick-upon-Tweed back to Melrose to pick it up.

You'll need good hiking shoes or boots, comfortable hiking clothes, waterproofs, a daypack, and we recommend hiking poles. A portable charger for your cell phone is essential. On booking, our Tour Info will give you a complete packing list.

On certain days you can shorten the route or skip it entirely by using a taxi or public transport.

Part of this route crosses to Holy Island, which isn't always accessible on foot. Twice a day the tide covers the causeway linking it to the mainland, and crossing isn't possible - or safe - for a few hours either side of high tide. Tide times shift daily, so there's no single safe window that applies all year. We'd recommend checking the official safe crossing times the night before you cross, and again on the morning itself.

We highly recommend that you have travel insurance when you book with Macs Adventure. Your policy should cover medical treatment (including repatriation and emergency evacuation by air ambulance or helicopter), injury, death, third-party liability, and trip cancellation