Forth to Farne Way

The Forth to Farne Way – 72 miles – 7 days – North Berwick to Lindisfarne

The Forth to Farne Way embodies the historic relationship between the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, the County Palatine of Durham and the Bishopric of St Andrews. Medieval pilgrims walked the coastal route between these great centres of pilgrimage and were able to cross the Firth of Forth by ferry from North Berwick.

Walking this way you will visit holy places linked to Christianity’s earliest days in Scotland and the Celtic saints Baldred, Cuthbert, Aidan and Ebba. Weaving together three existing long-distance footpaths – the John Muir Way, Berwickshire and Northumberland coastal paths – and linking together beautiful places of natural and human creation, this route showcases some of the most glorious coastal scenery that Northern Britain has to offer.

Beginning from the lands once owned by the well-endowed nuns of North Berwick, you head south from the misty Firth of Forth before coming to Whitekirk’s holy well, made famous by the Countess of Dunbar having a miraculous healing there in 1295 and subsequently building a chapel in gratitude. You proceed to Dunbar Castle, and along the North Sea coast to picturesque St Abbs Head, where Cuthbert was warmed by otters after a hypothermic prayer session in the sea. Next is nearby Coldingham Priory, one of the largest Scottish Benedictine monasteries. Later, you cross the River Tweed at Berwick before carefully treading across Lindisfarne’s sands to reach the iconic Holy Island.

Highlights

• Historic basis of the link between the start and end point
• Walking to places associated with the early Celtic saints
• Ravishing coastal scenery
• Following three waymarked long-distance footpaths

Holy Places along route listed in our book Britain’s Pilgrim Places: St Abbs/Coldingham; Holy Island.

Low-cost hostels along route – Dunbar, Berwick-on-Tweed; and across region, Scottish Hostels.

Get the guidebook Forth to Farne on Rucksack Readers.

GPX file credit: Rucksack Readers 2020.

NB The GPX file in download button is offered on these terms:
1. You understand that it is offered for your personal use only, and you use it at your own risk.
2. It corresponds with the route as documented in the 2020 Rucksack Readers guidebook.