Cicerone Walking St Oswald's Way and St Cuthbert's Way

This guide describes two long-distance trails through the unspoilt scenery of Northumberland and the Borders.

St Oswald's Way begins at Heavenfield and its 97 miles take in rolling farmland and the Simonside Hills before reaching the vast sandy beaches of the coast. The 62 mile St Cuthbert's Way begins at Melrose and crosses the rugged crags and heather moorland of the Cheviot Hills.

Both trails pass through Northumberland National Park to converge on atmospheric Holy Island, before continuing up the coast to Berwick-upon-Tweed. Each can be walked within a week, though there is scope for shortening or lengthening the stages to suit different itineraries.