Join Elmar Teegelbeckers from hiking-trails.com and @_thru_hiking as he recounts a four‑day solo hike along St Cuthbert’s Way, a quiet 100 km pilgrimage route from Melrose to Holy Island.
Hiking a Hidden Gem Pilgrimage in the UK
In August this year, I had the chance to walk the St Cuthbert’s Way pilgrimage. While I’m an avid long-distance hiker, this was my first pilgrimage, so it felt like Scotland and England, two countries I love, would be the best place for this. Four days along the border, ending at Holy Island, was a great way to spend a few days alone with nature.
The route runs from Melrose in the Scottish Borders to Holy Island on the Northumberland coast. It’s a point-to-point trail that crosses between Scotland and England, following the path of St Cuthbert toward his final resting place. While I’m not religious, I saw the pilgrimage as a time to think and really slow down as I walked, and I really enjoyed setting the intention to do so as I hiked.
I slept in Melrose before beginning early the next day at the gates of the Melrose Abbey. The first climb came straight away over the Eildon Hills. It was a steady effort to begin the trail with, and the views were of the surrounding hills. Once I reached the top and took a minute to enjoy the quiet, I then descended down through farmland and woodland to the village of Bowden. The River Tweed moved beside me and kept me company, as I saw almost no one else on this trail. But what I liked most was that I could just stop where it made sense, sit on one of the low walls, eat and watch the birds along the hedges. I ended in Jedburgh that night, which made for a good day’s walk.
Day two started with crossing the Monteviot Suspension Bridge, which is a highlight of the area. The trail then followed the River Teviot for a while before moving back into woodland. Eventually, I passed Cessford Castle, which was a great place to pull out a snack. Once I had finished all my reserves, I was happy to pass through Morebattle, where I had a chance to restock my food. There aren’t very many chances along the trail, so this was perfect. From there, climbing Grubbit Law toward Wideopen Hill came next, which was exciting, as it’s the high point of the St Cuthbert’s Way. After I had a chance to take it all in, I walked to Kirk Yetholm, a small town that had everything I needed and where I would spend the night. Here, Hillwalk Tours had booked me in to the Border Hotel, which is also the end point of the Pennine Way, so I met lots of other hikers. It’s a special place!
The third day started with a climb past Green Humbleton to the Scotland-England border. It’s a clean line, but nothing changes. While it was a bit monotonous at times, it gave me a chance to admire the small things as I went. I took a short detour to see Eccles Cairn, then crossed into Northumberland National Park, England’s best-kept secret of a National Park. The Cheviot foothills were far ahead, calm and empty. I passed Yeavering Bell, an ancient hillfort, and then descended into Wooler, where I spent the night.
The last day was the longest. It always feels that way, no matter how many days you’ve been hiking. Leaving Wooler, I crossed Weetwood Moor and stopped at some prehistoric rock carvings on the stone. Then it was just quiet (ancient Roman) roads and fields until St Cuthbert’s Cave, which was solid sandstone and very impressive. After that, the land opened toward the coast. The wind shifted to be colder and fresher. When I reached Fenwick, I stopped and checked the tide times. That’s the rule here: Holy Island isn’t reachable whenever you want. If you hike St Cuthbert’s Way, you move with the tide. Low tide came late afternoon, so I waited, drank some water, and stretched. Once the causeway opened, I crossed toward the island, along with all of the cars that were also headed there. The Pilgrims Path crosses the sands, but the road was right for the tide time. The last kilometers felt like walking out of one world into another with the absolute highlight of seeing the amazing Lindisfarne Castle.
Solo hiking St Cuthbert’s Way gave me what I came for: space and quiet. The trail is considered easy, and technically it is. There are clear paths, guesthouses each night, no alpine exposure and villages spaced just far enough to make it a full day. But hiking it alone adds edge. You watch the weather roll through. You check your water. You avoid cows when they decide the track is theirs. You handle your pace and your timing all on your own.
The appeal of St Cuthbert’s Way isn’t dramatic highlands or stunning coastlines. It’s the rhythm of the woodlands. This trail was a great way to experience the lesser-known areas of Scotland and England along the border. It was great to see how culture changes even from town to town, and to know that wherever I went, I would receive a warm welcome. The St Cuthbert’s Way is a route that’s great for beginning long-distance hikers who want to test their legs, or people just curious about what it’s like to hike along a border. All in all, I’m glad I got to experience it.
Hike St Cuthbert’s Way with Hillwalk Tours
Elmar worked with Hillwalk Tours to organise his tour on the St Cuthberts Way. Hillwalk Tours offers self‑guided hiking holidays built around flexibility, expertise, and personal attention. The team operates nearly 400 itineraries across 24 trails, all managed directly without third‑party providers, and every route is personally walked to create detailed, reliable route notes. Travellers can begin on any date, choose from three fitness‑based difficulty levels and walk entirely at their own pace. All tour documents are available online and GPS navigation is included through our partnership with HiiKER. With 24/7 phone support, consistently strong customer reviews and only a small deposit required to book, each hiking holiday is straightforward, dependable and stress‑free.
Want to read more on St Cuthbert’s Way?
If you would like to read more about the St Cuthberts way, check out our St Cuthbert’s Way Ultimate Guide – Hike from Scotland to England’s Coast.
Author: Elmar Teegelbeckers
Elmar spends months of his time on the trail. He’s usually on the lookout for hidden gems in one of his favourite countries, such as Slovenia, Switzerland and Japan. He founded hiking-trails.com and @_thru_hiking on Instagram in search of a European long-distance hiking community where detailed information about the trails is easily available.
Check out this link to book your own self-guided St Cuthbert’s Way hiking tour with Hillwalk Tours.
