St Cuthbert & St Oswald
Hike and sleep wild among history in rugged Northumberland as you follow two holy (and well-signed) trails.
St Cuthbert’s Cave, also known as Cuddy’s Cove, is a broad void formed by an overhanging outcrop of sandstone. It lies in the wooded picturesque Kyloe Hills in Northumberland and offers lofty views across to Lindisfarne, aka Holy Island. Legend has it that St Cuthbert sought refuge here during his time as a hermit. Today the cave is conveniently located at the junction of two long distance paths; St Cuthbert’s Way and St Oswald’s Way. Both trails tick all the boxes for dramatic departure from the Holy Isle, with stunning coastline, wild Northumbrian hills and brooding castles. Remember to plan ahead by checking the tide charts, as the causeway linking Lindisfarne with the mainland is washed by high tide.
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NU126424 Park on Holy Island (pay & display). Visiting the Priory and Castle is a must before returning and crossing the Causeway via the roadside path for 5.5 kilometres. ‘The Pilgrims Path’ option is not advised without a local guide, due to swathes of unstable mud!
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NU080427 At the end of the Causeway, pick up the signpost ’St Cuthbert’s & St Oswald’s Way’. Follow left along a grassy path alongside a line of WWII concrete defence blocks. After 250m head right along a gravel track for another 250m before heading south again. Follow the grassy path over three stiles until you reach the busy east coast railway line. Phone here to contact the signalman to ensure it is safe to cross the rails.
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NU076416 After crossing the train track, follow the ‘Fishers Back Track’ for 550m gently uphill until you reach a gate and a minor road. Turn right, then immediately left, re-joining the path and passing a disused quarry. Follow a grassy track downhill until a small stone bridge crossing Denham Burn with a row of terraced cottages in front of you. Follow the road past the cottages and the ruins of Fenwick Granary until you reach the busy A1 trunk road.
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NU070402 Cross with care, spotting the St Cuthbert’s Way brown sign on the green opposite. Continue into Fenwick village. Fork left at the signpost for St Cuthbert’s Way (Sustrans cycle route 1). Pass a phone box and follow the minor road uphill for 1.5km (ignoring a bridleway junction halfway up the hill). Reach a stone house at the end of the road (Blawearie). Opposite is a kissing gate signed St Cuthbert’s Way and Shiellow Wood).
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NU062392 Follow the grassy path along the edge of the field.
At the corner of the field turn right, now heading south and keeping Kyloe Wood on your right. Follow the path along the edge of Kyloe wood for 1.5km.
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NU061377 When you reach Shiellow Wood, follow the St Cuthbert’s Way heading gently uphill through the forest. There are a myriad of paths throughout the woodland. Continue along St Cuthbert’s Way for 750m before reaching a fork off to the right.
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NU059369 Follow the path for 200m until you reach the ruin of a round stone tower on your right-hand side (marked on the map as a windmill). Pick up a forestry track and turn right keeping south of Raven’s Crag for 750m until you reach the perimeter of access land. Continue along the broad grassy path (ignoring the sign to Holborn) for 2km until you get to a gate next to a stone wall.
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NU058353 Go through the gate into St Cuthbert’s Cave wood (NT). Follow the path through the wood for 250m forking left. St Cuthbert’s Cave comes into sight ahead of you. The cave is great shelter while taking in the views across to The Cheviot as you pitch up for the night inside the overhanging rock.
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NU060353 From the cave, climb the path to the right and directly above the cave, crossing a stile, then turning left through a gate. Follow the path for 125m to a cairn, offering extensive views back across to Lindisfarne. Re-trace your steps back to the gate, turning left to pick up the St Cuthbert’s Way once more for 1km.
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NU067358 Turn left to continue the return route along the St Cuthbert’s Way through Shiellow Wood. (Or, do what we did and turn right, picking up the St Oswald’s Way via Belford, Craster and Alnmouth, enjoy a second night’s wild camp, before finishing at Warkworth – total distance of 75km).