St Cuthbert's Way Named in Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2027

North Northumberland's walking country has been put in front of a worldwide audience. St Cuthbert's Way, the long-distance pilgrimage route that ends on Holy Island, has been named in Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2027. The list picks 50 destinations and experiences from around the world, and the route is the only UK experience on it.

For Alnwick, that is good news, even though the route does not pass through the town. It means more walkers heading to this corner of Northumberland and looking for places to stay, eat and explore before and after the walk.

Where the route goes

St Cuthbert's Way runs for 62 miles, from Melrose Abbey in the Scottish Borders to Lindisfarne. It follows the journey of the 7th-century saint from the monastery at Melrose to his final resting place on Holy Island. Most people walk it over four to six days, passing St Boswells and Kirk Yetholm before crossing the Cheviot foothills into England.

Once over the border, the route drops down to the market town of Wooler, which is less than 20 miles from Alnwick by road. From there, the final stage crosses Weetwood Moor and the River Till and passes St Cuthbert's Cave, now cared for by the National Trust. Tradition says monks carrying Cuthbert's body may have sheltered there. Walkers then go on through Fenwick and finish across the tidal causeway to Holy Island.

The Alnwick connection

Close to the cave, St Cuthbert's Way joins St Oswald's Way and the Northumberland Coast Path. St Oswald's Way passes close to Alnwick, following the coast through Alnmouth and Warkworth. That makes Alnwick a practical base for walkers who want to combine the two pilgrim routes, or simply walk the Northumberland end of St Cuthbert's Way as a day out. If you plan to cross to Holy Island on foot or by car, always check the published safe crossing times first, as the causeway floods twice a day.

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"This is fantastic news for Northumberland and a real tribute to everything our county offers visitors," said Cllr Glen Sanderson, leader of Northumberland County Council.

Why it matters locally

Tourism already matters a great deal to Northumberland's economy. According to the county council, visitor spending reached a record £1.58 billion in 2025. A place on a global list like this should bring more walkers to the hotels, cafés and shops of north Northumberland, including Alnwick's.

For walks closer to home, see our guide to the best walks from Alnwick.

You can read the Northumberland County Council announcement, and there is more detail in Time Out's report.

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