St. Cuthbert's Cave Round

Starting point  and OS Grid reference: Car park at Holburn Grange NU 0660353		Ordnance Survey Map OS Explorer 340 Holy Island and Bamburgh Buy this map from List of OS Maps     Note: If you use OS Maps on-line, you can download this route via this link.
Distance: 6 miles	Date of Walk: 25 September 2025
Ascent: Descent: See Walking Time Calculator	574ft (175m) 574ft (175m)
Traffic light rating:    (For explanation see My Walks page)
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To view route as a dynamic Ordnance Survey map click here.

Introduction: St. Cuthbert’s Cave is hidden away in a woodland in remote countryside, west of Belford in Northumberland. It is known locally as Cuddy’s Cave. It is an impressive place comprising a huge overhang in a sandstone cliff, part of the summit of Cockenheugh; ‘heugh’ being a derivative of an Old English word hōh meaning “heel” or “projecting piece of land”. The overhang is reassuringly supported by a chunky pillar of rock.

It was at one time owned by a family called Leather and was a consecrated family burial place. A memorial can be found on a rock to the right of the cave (viewed from the front). It is now owned by the National Trust. The bodies remain buried there!

The cave gets its name from an association with St. Cuthbert, a monk who, after a varied ‘career’, died and was interred on Lindisfarne. When the Danes invaded in 875, the monks fled taking his body with them and they may have sheltered in the cave. Alternatively, St. Cuthbert may have spent time in the cave during his rambles. No one seems to know for sure but the name stuck.

St. Cuthbert’s Way, a 62.5 mile long distance route from Melrose to Lindisfarne, passes close by.

Spectacular as the cave is, two of the best parts of this walk are views of The Cheviots inland and a view out to sea to Lindisfarne (Holy Island)  from Fawcet Hill. The photo does not do it justice.

On the downside, there are sections through plantations of fir trees. However there are also sections of deciduous trees and I would guess there are some good autumn colours to be had. I was a little early.

The plantations have stacks of logs and especially if you have children with you, ensure no one climbs on them, as if they shift…..!

This is a straightforward walk on clear paths/tracks. Picnic spots are few and far between! There was a dilapidated bench on Fawcet Hill and I managed sitting on a log at the curiously named Dick’s Oldwalls ruined farm. Of course, this log may disappear.

The walk starts from Holburn Grange. There are various quite complicated ways to get there but I assume most will come from the A1. To get there, find the village of Belford, just off the A1 north of Alnwick. From Belford, take the B6349, signposted for “Wooler”. Follow this road until you see a right turn for “Hazelrigg” and” Lowick”. Follow this road to a ‘T’ junction and turn right for “Holborn” and “Berw’c”. After a mile and a half, turn right along a ‘No Through Road’ and continue until you reach the car park.

Start: Leave the car park ( NU 0660353) and immediately turn left along a broad track, following a blue bridleway arrow.

Continue to a five-bar gate with a sign pointing right to St. Cuthbert’s Cave (NU 055355). Follow the sign’s direction along another broad track.

You reach another gate with more information about the cave (NU 058352). Go through the gate and continue through the trees for about a hundred and fifty yards. Turn left to the cave which is clearly visible at this point.

After exploration, take the path up the bank at the left side of the cave (as viewed from the front).

After a short climb, reach another track and turn left. As you ascend, keep a look out on the left for a small stile over the fence (NU 059353). Cross this and quickly reach a broad track, part of St. Cuthbert’s Way. Turn right.

At the end of the trees, reach a gate reach a gate with yellow and blue arrows. Go through this and turn left through another gate. Turn immediately right following a blue bridleway arrow and passing a rocky outcrop.

You can see the route stretching across the fell.

As you get to the top of the next rise, Fawcet Hill  (NU 067357) you get a fabulous view out to sea and Holy Island (Lindisfarne).

Follow the path downhill to a metal gate with a three way fingerpost and dilapidated bench. Turn right following the arrow for Swinhoe Farm.

You now stay on this clear, broad track for almost one and a half miles until you get to the farm. On the way, after about a mile, keep a look out on the left for Lower and Upper Swinhoe Lakes (NU 079353). On the date I did the walk, only Upper Swinhoe Lake was visible. Lower was obscured by trees.

When you get to Swinhoe Farm, turn right on yet another broad track (NU 084350), following the public bridleway fingerpost.

After about half a mile, you pass a ruined farm (NU 077346) with the intriguing name of Dick’s Oldwalls.

You pass a broad track on the left, just at the end of a plantation then reach a metal gate with a sign asking horse riders to keep to the bridle path. Continue through this, following a blue bridleway arrow.

At the next gate there is a “Private” sign but the bridleway continues through it. You will soon meet a three way fingerpost. Keep straight ahead following the fingerpost for “Holburn 2½ Miles”.

At (NU 065343) a track drops steeply down to the left but ignore this and take the right hand fork.

This track will link with the outward journey at St. Cuthbert’s Cave and you can return this way if you wish. However for variety I opted for the following which is simply the other way round effectively the same rectangle so no further.  

The track continues with trees on both sides. When the trees on the left stop, you get a great view to the Cheviots, looking across a large field.  At NU 062344 is an interesting rock formation on the right.

Follow the track to the end of that first field and at that point, look out for a gate on the left marked with a bridleway arrow. Turn left here.

The track drops gently to a low point then rises. It starts to level out and you will meet a cross roads of tracks (NU 056741) at a four way fingerpost. Turn right for “Holburn Grange”.

You now follow the clear track back to Holburn Grange which is where the car park is. At the Grange, continue straight between the buildings and at the end of the first building on the right, turn right then left to return to the car park.

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