The path up to Shiel Dyke is easy, with one small road section....

Anna-Fleur Rawlinson

We walked this route across two days - from Berwick to Belford, and then Belford to Alnwick. The first day is beautiful, with coastal paths which are easy to navigate - when walking from north to south, keep the sea on the left! The woodland above Fenwick is beautiful and calm, offering a very different terrain to the earlier coastal paths. Belford to Alnwick - parts of this route are less scenic than the coastal paths from the day before. After the final crossing of the A1 it is a fair-going route into Alnwick with beautiful views of the castle....

Anna-Fleur Rawlinson

The final stretch above the Coquet River is very good, following a clear and well maintained path through fields and woodland before the final descent into Rothbury on small roads and pavements....

Sarah

The route south from Berwick is easy to find and navigate, making good use of the coast path, with plenty of opportunities to deviate onto the beach and seafront. Once into the fields the going can be muddy, and crossing the A1 can take time, but the route makes good use of St Cuthbert's and St Oswald's Ways. We climbed to the west, through the woodland, to make the road - if the fallen trees are cleared then the path will be usable again, but at present it is not. Going continues good along farm tracks, with a little tricky navigation through the woods at Rock South Farm At Braxfield we opted to not cut the corner through the woodland as again there seemed to be a large number of fallen trees on the path...

Sarah

Other than when passing through the towns of Amble, Warkworth and Alnwick there is only one section of road walking (from Warkworth to the turn onto the footpath at Mill Cottage) but this road is quiet and there is a footpath, along one side or the other of the road, for the entire distance. There are great views out to the coast and Alnmouth from the path between Buston Barns and High Buston. The approach to Alnwick along the ‘heritage’ railway line provides very easy walking for the final couple of miles. The second stile is where the path reaches the road at High Buston (NU 231 087)....

RCS

The route is almost the same as Beraln three except near Holy Island. The odd retracing of the route takes you to Beal Farm campsite, cafe and resturant. There is the option to go across to Holy Island - on a bike use the tidal causeway (check tide times for low water)....

Jhmedland

Generally a good route, some very boddy parts across crop fields in places so good boots essential and a few slight detours that needed to be backtracked on. Not perfect but worth the minor routing errors and muddy conditions for the fantastic views....

James O'Hara

I walked this beast of a route over three days, using the X15 and X18 buses to get to and from my hotel each night. The final stretch from Craster to Alnwick is a little underwhelming in that it’s more road walking (though none that were too bad, always a verge or a quiet enough road) and countryside field hopping, but I was mostly underwhelmed after experiencing the most stunning stretch of footpaths I’d ever walked before! - The route is perfectly drawn except for the bit through the Alnwick Gardens. Instead, just stick to the pavement until you get to the Alnwick Gardens car park, then follow the signs for “town centre” past the café and shop. I’ve drawn this up and posted it below as a picture (orange line is the route you have to take). If you’re coming from Alnwick, follow the purple line until you reach the gated entrance to the castle, and that’s where you turn right onto the orange line I’ve drawn....

mtormey

I walked this route from Amble to Alnwick today 23 March 2022 and will echo the review and comments made by LeighVenus. Not too strenuous and except for one or two soft spots and the serious windfall at Spylaw ( I’m a not very agile 60+) the whole route is relatively easily navigated....

Conxids

It is a varied route through large estate woodlands (suffering from winter storms), low moorlands, mixed farming country with a great coastal stretch into Berwick....

Conxids

Although the catch on the gate is fiddly, rusty, and hard to open, this is a doable alternative for anyone having trouble getting over the narrow stile on the main route....

leighvenus

The High Buston one has a bridleway to the west linking back to the road and route, while the Spy Law one has a heavily rusted and unused gate nearby that could be used for access if you’re stuck (see the images with blue arrows)....

leighvenus

It is a successful route in that it is mainly easy walking and direct, though a large proportion is road walking. The route quickly takes you out of Alnwick, steadily climbing before turning onto the first long section of road walking. There is no sign indicating where the footpath leaves the road and, where the path should be, is blocked by a profusion of sheep pens. After another section of road walking the route joins a footpath gradual descending over grazing land to Pauperhaugh where, after crossing the Coquet on the road bridge, the route joins St Oswald's Way for the final walk along well marked and scenic paths, including a section along the old railway line, to Rothbury...

RCS

This Slow Ways route is a direct, easy to navigate, and enjoyable walk that takes in the village of Warkworth and some stunning views across the Northumberland coast and countryside....

leighvenus