The Walk

Maps

The walk is waymarked as a separate walk, some sections are marked also as part of Dere Street, the Pennine Way and Northumberland National Park.
We therefore advocate that an up to date map to a scale of atleast 1:50000 is used and the walker comes prepared with compass. The OS Landranger maps relevant to the walk are Nos. 73,74 & 75.

In addition to the O/S maps there are several route specific maps produced, some with supporting information on the route. There is the official guide for the walk republished in 2009 by Birlinn. This books ISBN is 13:978 1 84183 131 2
Another guide with fold out maps is published by Rucksack Readers and you can get information on this publication by clicking on www.rucsacs.com/books/St-Cuthberts-Way.

Terrain

This has been divided into a section for each of the days, and may be of specific help for those who are undertaking only parts of the route.

Day Section Terrain

1 Melrose to Maxton Climbing up and down the Eildon Hills followed by mainly River bank walking. Can be muddy in parts and some parts slightly rough. Walking boots a must.

1 Maxton to Harestanes Some road then farmland and woodland tracks without any steep inclines. Can be wet and boots are required.

2 Harestanes to Crailinghall This is on mainly Dere Street an old Roman Route but it is now a rough line of farm tracks deeply pitted in parts. Boots are essential.

2 Crailinghall to Morebattle Presently on minor roads until diversionary route is replaced by moorland and farmland alternative.

2 Morebattle to Town Yetholm Extensive climbing on open Cheviot Hills. Can be very exposed on the top ridge so good protective gear is required along with walking boots.

3 Town Yetholm to Wooler Nearly all on the Cheviot Hill with high level sections open to the elements. Considerable climbing and some part can be very wet underfoot. Walking boots essential.

4 Wooler to St Cuthbert's Cave Moorland, minor road and farm tracks. No extreme climbs and ground is relatively easy for walking. Can be wet in parts and walking boots are advised.

4 St Cuthbert's Cave to Beal Moorland, field and forest track, but sometimes rough and wet in parts. A section of road before field and seaside track. Boots strongly recommended.

4 Beal to Holy Island This can be either on the roadway or on the Pilgrims' Way. The former is flat and trainers could be worn. The latter is over the sand once the tide has gone out but it is still wet in parts. Bare feet, wellingtons or waterproof boots are required.

Weather

This can vary from day to day and area to area. Some of the walk is in hills and high level moorlands, so mist and low cloud can be present to make visibility and navigation more difficult. The weather is as likely to be bright and in this circumstance there are only limited sections where the trees will afford a break from sunlight.

For information on the weather forecast within the region you can call Weathercall. (This is a premium rate telephone service run by the Met Office.)
Relevant Regions and Dial Numbers:

Region Walking Day Dial Number

Edinburgh, Fife, Lothians & Borders 1-2 09068 232 792

North East England 3-4 09068 232 788

Alternatively access the Met Office Website.

Communications

Communications in the form of mobile phone cannot be relied upon throughout the route but are generally available at the start and end points. There are variations between the various networks.

Day Mobile Signal Public/Emergency Telephone

1 Generally good but limited around the Eildon Hills Adequate facilities in Melrose, Bowden, Newtown St Boswells, St Boswells and at Harestanes Centre

2 Generally good although some limitation around Morebattle to Yetholm Facilities in Morebattle and Town or Kirk Yetholm

3 Generally patchy and in parts non existant Available in Kirk Yetholm and Wooler

4 Generally not far from a signal and improving as you near the coast Facilities in Wooler, Fenwick and the Holy Island

Refreshments

Day Location with shops/snacks Location for prepared food

1 Melrose, Newtown St Boswells, St Boswells Melrose, Bowden, Dryburgh, St Boswells, Harestanes

2 Morebattle, Yetholm Harestanes, Morebattle, Yetholm

3 Yetholm, Wooler Yetholm, Wooler

4 Wooler, Holy Island Wooler, Holy Island

Emergency Precautions

The walk takes you onto hills and high moorland where you are possibly going to see very few other individuals. This may be one of the charms of this walk, but it is also important to recognise that assistance in an emergency will not necesarily be at hand. We also know that mobile telephone reception can be poor in some of the remoter areas, sometime being possible with one provider and not with another. It is therefore recommended that walker leave word with someone on the route being taken and the expected time of arrival at the days destination. We also recommend that each group has one person carrying some basic first aid kit, and that the group has water and some high energy food in case of having to stop for assistance. Proper outdoor clothing is required as on inclement days a walker could become very wet and cold without the right protection.

Souvenir Certificates

If you are going to complete St Cuthbert's Way in a continuous walk you are entitled to receive a Souvenir Certificate with you name inscribed on it. You do first need to have proof of walking and this is done by having a log sheet stamped at various points along the route.
When you have completed the route and had the log stamped send this to:
Tourism Department, Berwick-uon-Tweed Borough Council, Wallace Green, Berwick-upon-Tweed, TD15 1ED
Certain official publications will have the blank logs, but you can download one by clicking here and printing off your own log prior to your departure date.

O/S Grid References

This route is waymarked and should present few directional problems. We do however recommend that nobody walks the route without the associated maps.
To further assist Walking Support (a part of SCSupport Ltd) has prepared detailed walking instruction based on O/S Grid References that are the perfect addition to the Ordnance Survey maps. Over many years walkers have found this a useful additional piece of information and it can be obtained on line for a modest fee of �2.90. Simply click on the BUY NOW button below and Walking Support will send you an e-mail with the grid reference table attached. Allow up to 2 working days for receipt of the grid reference tables from successful payment on-line.