Itinerary

q       Day 1:  Arrive Melrose. An opportunity to explore the town and visit the Abbey church, a 12th century foundation that is now a magnificent ruin. Recent discoveries at the site include what is thought to be the heart of Robert the Bruce, buried in a lead casket. Dependent on your time of arrival it may also be possible to visit Sir Walter Scott’s former home at Abbotsford 3 miles away, using taxi or local bus service. If you arrive early enough it is also possible to do the first part of the Day 2 walk over the Eildon Hills as far as Newtown St Boswells, returning to Melrose by bus or taxi in the evening. Melrose to Newtown St Boswells 5 miles.

q       Day 2: Melrose to Ancrum 14 miles. We start with the longest day! Walk over the steep-sided Eildon Hills (402m and 404m), which provide panoramic views of the Tweed valley. We descend to Newtown St Boswells and follow the banks of the Tweed. Just across the River Tweed and accessible by a footbridge is Dryburgh Abbey, another superb ruin and the site of Sir Walter Scott’s grave.  From St Boswells we continue along the riverbank footpath for about 4 miles to Maxton, and then strike off along Dere Street (an ancient Roman roadway) towards Harestanes, where we need to bear off the route a bit to reach our accommodation at Ancrum.

q       Day 3: Ancrum to Morebattle 12 miles. We need to return to Harestanes and then cross the River Teviot. At Jedfoot bridge we join the old Roman Road of Dere Street for a few miles until fairly near to the hamlet of Crailinghall. Next the trail passes the tower of Cessford Castle, which was built in the 15C by the Ker clan and abandoned in the 17thC. Then we reach the neat Borders village of Morebattle for our overnight stay.

q       Day 4: Morebattle to Kirk Yetholm 6.5 miles. Today is only a relatively short day, but has a steep ascent. From Morebattle the route crosses the Kale water river before ascending steeply to Wideopen Hill 369m where the views are literally wide open! Shortly we descend to stroll alongside and then cross-attractive Bowmont Water.  We then come to our next night’s stop at Kirk Yetholm, just at the northern end of the Pennine Way, Britain’s first long distance trail.

q       Day 5: Kirk Yetholm to Wooler 13 miles. Today we cross the border into England. The terrain becomes hillier, the trail steeper and the views wider as we traverse the northern sector of the Cheviot Hills within the Northumberland National Park, crossing the beautiful College Valley, before descending to Wooler, a market town since the 13th century.

q       Day 6: Wooler to Fenwick 12 miles  (Transfer to Lowick 3.5 miles by road) The route crosses the rolling terrain of Westwood and Football Moors, passing St Cuthbert’s cave, where the saint’s body was taken during the flight of the monks from Lindisfarne in 875AD after a Viking raid. You then descend through forests and agricultural land to reach Fenwick near the main road (A1). There is a phone box here to enable you to phone the Inn where you are staying tonight in order to transfer you to Lowick.

q       Day 7:  Fenwick to Holy Island 5.5 miles.  In the morning you will be transferred back to Fenwick, from where you gingerly cross the main roads before taking the appropriately named ‘Fisher’s Back Road’ down to the causeway across the sands to Lindisfarne. The causeway is covered by the tide for up to 5 hours in every 12, so correct timing is essential. This should be preplanned when you book your holiday (we can inform you of the timings). While exploring the island you should visit the Priory ruins (12th to 16th century), and between April and September, the 16^th century castle, which is filled with Flemish furniture and featured in the films ‘Macbeth’ and ‘Cul-de-Sac’ by Roman Polanski.

q       Day 8. Depart after breakfast. Ideally take a taxi (not included) to Berwick Upon Tweed for national rail connections.

Extension 

q       Day 8: Holy Island to Bamburgh 13 miles The next stop of the tour is back on the mainland at Bamburgh, in the designated Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. From Lindisfarne you can travel part of the way with the baggage and then walk from Belford to Bamburgh, or, wind and tide permitting, it may be possible to go by boat instead. There is however no scheduled boat service between Lindisfarne and Bamburgh. The Castle of Bamburgh looms large on the coast and is very well preserved. Henry VI tried to rule his disintegrating kingdom from here for some time.

q       Day 9: Bamburgh to Craster / Dunstan 12 miles.  Today you can either follow the coastal path past the impressive ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle, which got wrecked in the English Civil War in the 1640s. You then head to the village of Dunstan near to Craster, famous for its kippers (smoked herrings). If you are staying an extra day in Bamburgh or if you want a change from walking you will have the opportunity for a boat trip from Seahouses to the Farne Islands National Nature Reserve (price not included and dependent on the weather and tides), a haven for seals and seabirds. Then get a bus or taxi from Seahouses to Craster and walk to your hotel at Dunstan.