St Cuthbert’s Way: Northern Synod Pilgrimage 2010

On Monday 26^th July nine intrepid pilgrims set out from Melrose led physically by Henry Gowland, spiritually by David Herbert and Rowena and rescued and chauffeured by John Durell on a white steed with a flashing orange light atop; that is a minibus.

The first day from Melrose to Maxton took us around the contours of the Melrose Hills to Bowden. Here we were privileged to be joined by Mary Low who wrote one of the main guides on the Way. Two or three times a day we stopped to share a ‘Mary Low’ moment and hear stories of the places and the people who dwelt where we were walking over the centuries. It was good to hear Mary share with us direct the story of Lady Grisell Baillie. As we later crossed the chain bridge that she had ensured was built to save the people walking miles around to cross the river the significance of the bridge came alive. My fellow pilgrims realising that some of us were unsure of this bridge insisted on swaying it – the big boys that they are!

We walked along the Tweed with beautiful views of sand martins, herons and the sound of the water to pass the Crystal Well. Water from this was pumped up to Benrig House in the 1800’s. It was good to sit and reflect here. We past Mertoun Bridge and then up past Maxton Church, that we never managed to see inside, to where our chauffeur John picked us up and returned us to Melrose youth hostel where most of us stayed for the first two nights.

We feasted sumptuously each night together. This was not an ascetic pilgrimage and it was good to have people join us. Mary Low dropped in with copies of her book. (you can just see her at the far end of this photo)

The second day was from Maxton to Cessford, although as we were a very slow walking group that stopped to look, take breathers, meditate or just came to a stop because we were busy talking, it was gone 7pm before we finished walking. This length of time walking rather than thinking and resting was an issue throughout the week and must have caused headaches for our esteemed physical leader seen waiting for us in the photo.

For much of the morning we followed Dere Street, a Roman Road that predates Cuthbert and that therefore he probably walked along. We stopped at Lilyot’s Cross, there in memory of a maid who kept fighting with gruesome injuries. This has been a gathering place to settle border disputes over the years. We had lunch in Harestones visitor centre. The walk continued through woodland with beautiful views until we crossed the Teviot over a narrow wooden slatted bridge that again pilgrims had to bounce on and sway.

Highlights were the range of flowers all around, buzzards, an aviary with bald eagles and incredible views of the first days of the wheat harvest with combine harvesters and trucks collecting the grain dancing together up and down the field. Tonight’s pub meal was good we had a room to ourselves but it took 30 minutes to work out the bill as we were £30 short until David suggested perhaps it was the bill that was wrong – which it was!

Cessford to Hethpool was scheduled as the longest day but we shortened it slightly due to our slow pace as a group. We climbed, which made us slower but the views were fantastic, onto Wideopen Hill and the highest and half way point of the walk.

It was obvious we were not going to make the pub before it stopped serving lunches so through patchy reception John was texted and met us in a lay-by by the cemetery with sandwiches he had bought . We did not leave anyone behind there. John came to our rescue several times and it was good to have the support of a minibus driver. On most days we turned a corner and found John, having walked a way to meet us, sitting reading – Reformed Theology or the day’s paper. It became a tradition for the boys' dormitory to do the crossword before lights out.

An hour later we had a drink at the Border Hotel that is at the end of the Pennine Way although we didn’t meet anyone finishing it. Yetholm is known as a gypsy village. It was moving to pass through a gate with a signpost marking the boundary between Scotland and England. We dropped down through a wood that was dark and sinister but was incredible as we came down the pine tunnel and saw a doorway of light opening up before us. John drove up the road from Hethpool and picked us up from among a herd of bulls, cows and calves. We would do that part of the walk in the morning. From tonight most of us stayed in Wooler youth hostel, who had us booked in twice which led to a mild panic as it was not realised. A good meal in the Black Bull in Wooler brought the third day of the pilgrimage to an end.

Hethpool to Wooler: Each morning before setting out on the day’s walk we had a time of reflection on the previous day and took to heart a walking text for the day ahead. Today we had 1½ miles to do down the track not done the day before, with John in the minibus leading the way through the herd of cattle including bulls. We walked through the oak trees of Hethpool built for shipping but not matured enough before steel came in. Then we journeyed on through College Valley across the Burn and through a wood that was being actively logged. Some of the equipment was being maintained and it was fascinating to see it close up. We came out on the hillside where there is evidence of old settlements that Cuthbert may well have visited.

The first to spot a wild goat amongst the sheep would win a bar of chocolate. They were spotted by several simultaneously so as a good band of pilgrims the chocolate was shared. We helped a shepherd with his two dogs gather in the sheep. Then we stopped on a high outcrop for lunch with incredible views. All day we kept passing a larger group of Holiday Fellowship ramblers who kept detouring to do a peak and catching up with our tortoise group again. We passed a row of bee hives for heather honey before entering a boggy bit. Our group circumvented it well but one of the Holiday Fellowship group ended up sat in it. We joked about this group being Husband Finders rather than Holiday Fellowship folk. Then we walked along the top able to see for miles around as the weather was kind to us, breezy and fairly clear. Then we went over Wooler Common into the town itself. For the first time we arrived in time to get to a tea shop for an afternoon cuppa.

The evening found us eating in Milan – an Italian restaurant where Val Morrison and her husband Rod joined us as they are visiting in the synod this weekend.

Wooler to Fenwick. Val and Rod walked with us today as we went

down through Wooler and up onto Weetwood Moor. We came down through high bracken to cross the river Till at Weetwood Bridge. We heard the moving story of the battle of Flodden. We walked a part of the Devil’s Causeway, another Roman Road and speculated about its name. Then had lunch by the river.

Then we climbed up to St Cuthbert’s Cave where a real sense of his presence that had been growing over the week was enhanced. Here we stopped and reflected on St Cuthbert and his life.

Then a real highlight of the Way was to take a slight detour up the ‘Mons Gaudium’ and catch the first glimpse of Lindisfarne. The sun light of the hills we had crossed to reach this point in one direction and the sea in the other was inspirational. Very few photos could do justice to the breadth and splendour of the views. Then through tracks and woods we dropped down in to Fenwick. A final evening meal with additional pilgrims who shared in part of the walk at the Tankerville Arms was enjoyed.

Fenwick to Lindisfarne: Everything was packed and the hostel that had been the home of the land girls following the war was left behind. Val and Rod left us but four other pilgrims joined us on the last day. A gentle walk that involved a treacherous crossing of the A1 and the East Coast railway line took us down to the Causeway across to Lindisfarne. Then it was boots and socks off for most and a good hours walk across the sands. The seals were singing and their voices carried to us. The breeze and sun shimmering on the sands, and the sense of variety having come from hills, river, and wood to sea and sand led to this being a special experience. When we arrived on shore there was warm water and towels for feet to be washed in.

Then it was past the market stall, and the birds of prayer rescue display to St Cuthbert’s centre for a final act of worship and lunch before the pilgrim band said its thanks and dispersed homeward to reflect further on walking St Cuthbert’s Way, the history both natural and social encountered and the life of the Saint and what might be learned for life today from the experience of this pilgrimage.

Rowena Francis