Guided Trail on the St Oswald's Way complete itinerary

97 miles. 13½ to 19 miles and up to 1,075 feet of ascent.

Day 1: Arrival day

Day 2: Holy Island to Bamburgh - Commencing its 97-mile journey at Lindisfarne Priory on Holy Island, the Way heads towards the mainland, via the tide-exposed Causeway, passing through the small village of Fenwick and on to Shiellow Woods. Once out of the woods, fine views back to Holy Island briefly open up. Our route then leads to Belford, passing by its Norman church and the 18th-century Belford Hall. Belford was a coaching stop on the Great North Road and has an old coaching inn, now the Blue Bell Hotel. From Belford we head back towards the coast, pass Spindlestone Heughs, cross the golf course and enter the charming village of Bamburgh from the north. The much-photographed Bamburgh Castle, once the seat of the Kings of Northumbria, and the Grace Darling museum, are symbols of Bamburgh’s connection to the past. Distance: 19 miles with 925 feet of ascent

Day 3: Bamburgh to Craster - Walking south on the award-winning golden sands, with good views of the Farne Islands, we head towards the bustling village of Seahouses, a popular tourist centre and the embarkation point for visits to the Farne Islands. We leave Seahouses at the harbour and head for the small fishing village of Beadnell which has the only west-facing port on the east coast of England. The historic limekilns now owned by the National Trust can be found near the harbour. Continuing south we cross the sandy expanse of Beadnell Bay where Little and Arctic terns breed in season. The Way crosses Newton Links and arrives at the tiny settlement of Low Newton. The spectacular ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle now draw us towards it around Embleton Bay, and on to the grassy path leading to the village of Craster. Distance: 14 miles with 150 feet of ascent

Day 4: Craster to Warkworth - Today we continue south, leaving Craster by passing the harbour and the herring smokehouses (kippers), then taking the coastal path. This leads us to the volcanic Cullernose Point and around Howick Bay, well known for its geological interest. Along the way a Mesolithic settlement is passed, with a chance to visit the site of a recreated hut. We soon reach Boulmer, home of the Sea King search-and-rescue helicopters, and historically a notorious centre for smuggling activities. Just to the south of Boulmer we reach Alnmouth, the location of our HF Holidays’ Country House, Nether Grange, and after a brief stop set off in the direction of Amble and Warkworth to end the day at Warkworth Castle, situated above the River Coquet. Distance: 13½ miles with 400 feet of ascent

Day 5: Warkworth to Rothbury - Turning our backs on the sea and the imposing Warkworth Castle the route now goes inland to follow the valley of the River Coquet. The Way passes through the villages of Fenton and Weldon Bridge, and close to Brinkburn Priory, before joining a disused railway line. From here we get views across to the Cragside Country Park, and as we take a high-level route into Rothbury good views of Cragside House appear. A steady road descent brings us to the town of Rothbury, ‘capital of Coquetdale’, and our coach pick up point. Distance: 18 miles with 875 feet of ascent

Day 6: Rothbury to Kirkwhelpington - Leaving the market town of Rothbury, the Way turns south once more and visits Lordenshaws, an iron age hill fort and settlement, with its cup-and-ring marked rocks. After a short ascent, heather-clad open moorland is crossed, leading into the extensive Harwood Forest. We should have glimpses of the scenery to the east, including Fontburn Reservoir. We exit the forest near the hamlet of Harwood and follow paths over attractive farmland, offering magnificent far-reaching views, towards Knowesgate then onto the scenic small village of Kirkwhelpington, our destination for the day.Distance: 15 miles with 1,075 feet of ascent

Day 7: Kirkwhelpington to Heavenfield - The final stage is by no means the easiest, but makes a fitting climax to the walk. Kirkwhelpington is left behind as the route heads south through remote but picturesque rolling farmland. The small settlements of Great Bavington and Hallington are passed on the way to the village of Great Whittington. A short stretch south brings us to the course of Hadrian’s Wall Path and the Military Road. Here we head west, following the path until we reach our final destination of Heavenfield where a wooden cross marks the site of the historic battle. Distance: 17½ miles with 1,025 feet of ascent

Day 8: Departure day