{"id":37481,"date":"2025-07-09T14:21:02","date_gmt":"2025-07-09T12:21:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/naturetravellab.com\/niet-gecategoriseerd\/in-the-footsteps-of-st-cuthbert-a-long-distance-trail-along-the-anglo-scottish-border\/"},"modified":"2026-06-25T16:30:44","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T14:30:44","slug":"in-the-footsteps-of-st-cuthbert-a-long-distance-trail-along-the-anglo-scottish-border","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/naturetravellab.com\/en\/england\/scotland\/in-the-footsteps-of-st-cuthbert-a-long-distance-trail-along-the-anglo-scottish-border\/","title":{"rendered":"In the Footsteps of St. Cuthbert: A Long-Distance Trail Along the Anglo-Scottish Border"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

St. Cuthbert’s Way, a hiking trail through nature, abbeys, and history<\/h1>\n\n

We\u2019re going on a pilgrimage in the border region between England and Scotland. The long-distance St. Cuthbert\u2019s Way<\/em> trail is 100 kilometers long. Abbeys, nature, and delicious food take center stage on this impressive journey. Read about this beautiful route and our practical tips. <\/p>\n\n

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By ferry to Newcastle<\/h2>\n\n

What a wonderful way to start a trip: driving onto the ferry from IJmuiden to Newcastle in the evening and disembarking the next morning, well-rested, on the other side of the North Sea.<\/p>\n\n

We have to resist the temptation to go for a walk along Hadrian\u2019s Wall<\/strong> here in the area. We\u2019ll save that for another time. On the way to the starting point of the St. Cuthbert\u2019s Long-Distance Trail in Melrose, it\u2019s nice to make a stop in Alnwick. <\/p>\n\n

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Stopover: Magical Alnwick Castle<\/h2>\n\n

The impressive Alnwick Castle in the English county of<\/a> Northumberland was built around 1100. Today, many tourists visit this castle because the first Harry Potter<\/strong> movie was partially filmed here. So don\u2019t be surprised if you run into groups of children (and adults) wielding broomsticks at the real Hogwarts. <\/p>\n\n

It was also an important filming location for *Downton Abbey<\/strong>*. Alnwick Castle is the second-largest inhabited castle in the United Kingdom. The owner, the Duke of Northumberland, lives there only in the winter. <\/p>\n\n

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The duke owns one of the most important private collections in Great Britain. Be sure to take a look inside the castle, where you\u2019ll find beautiful paintings by famous artists such as Titian, Canaletto, and Van Dyck. The gardens (and the views that resemble a Constable landscape painting) are also well worth seeing. <\/p>\n\n

Alnwick is about an hour and a half’s drive from the Scottish Borders, where we are preparing for the St. Cuthbert Pilgrimage Route.<\/p>\n\n

Melrose on the River Tweed<\/h2>\n\n

Melrose is a charming little town on the River Tweed (which we will also follow during our pilgrimage). The three peaks of the Eildon Hills are the most striking landmark. In the spring, the hills around Melrose turn yellow with blooming gorse. <\/p>\n\n

Before we really set out, we\u2019ll start with a visit to Melrose Abbey<\/a>, near the River Tweed. The abbey is now partly in ruins, but it\u2019s still well worth a visit, if only because it was Scotland\u2019s first Cistercian abbey. <\/p>\n\n

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The route: from Melrose to Holy Island<\/h2>\n\n

Most hikers take the route from Melrose in the Scottish Borders to Lindisfarne in England on the North Sea. And that\u2019s a smart choice because then you\u2019ll\u2014usually\u2014have the wind at your back. The route is also marked in the opposite direction, but then you can be sure you\u2019ll have the wind against you almost the entire way. <\/p>\n\n

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