Historic pilgrimage through Scottish Borders named as one of 2027's hottest travel experiences

The Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2027 guide named St Cuthbert's Way - a 62 mile long distance trail between Melrose in the Scottish Borders and Lindisfarne off the coast of Northumberland in England - as one of its “best experiences” of 2027.

The route, which begins in Melrose, where St Cuthbert started his religious life in 650AD and ends on Holy Island, his eventual resting place and his original pilgrimage shrine, is described in the Lonely Planet as passing though “some of Britain's most sparsely inhabited corners” and is lauded as a “beautiful but unsung British pilgrimage route”.

Two other locations with historic Scottish connections - Dunedin in New Zealand, which is dubbed the “Edinburgh of the South” due to its early Scottish settler population and architecture and New Caledonia in the South Pacific, which was originally so called because it reminded explorer James Cook of Scotland - also appear on the list of Best in Travel.

Other “best experiences” to make the list include Killary Fjord in County Galway, Ireland, which is described as “a strong contender for the most breath taking place in the country and the chance to turn temporary lighthouse keeper at Rose Island Lighthouse, Rhode Island in the US. Meeting Jane Goodall’s chimpanzees in Tanzania and riding the Darjeeling Himalayan railway in India are also among the 25 not-to-be-missed experiences listed.

Its list of 25 “best places” includes Quebec, Canada, surfing and history in Moroccan capital Rabat and the Tsavo East and West National Parks in Kenya.

Vicki Miller, chief executive of VisitScotland, said: “We’re thrilled that Lonely Planet has included St Cuthbert’s Way in its Best in Travel 2027 list. The Scottish Borders has so much to offer. Its stunning scenery, rich history and distinct culture calls to visitors from around the world, and St Cuthbert’s Way offers this in abundance as it winds its way through the region.

“The South of Scotland is hugely popular for active outdoor pursuits, such as walking and cycling, and in line with the ambition of the South of Scotland Responsible Tourism Strategy, we continue to work with our partners to inspire visitors and develop the visitor experience. This accolade is a huge opportunity to help spread that slow tourism message on the global stage, encouraging visitors to take their time to discover the region."

The Lonely Planet author described the route as travelling through the “wild uplands” of the English-Scottish border region.

They said: “It feels as though the landscapes you cross could have been familiar to Cuthbert himself.”

They added: “I started my walk four days earlier in Scot-land among the ruins of Melrose Abbey where Cuthbert trained as a young man. Eventually the Cheviot Hills loomed, the path winding over barren moorlands and passing ghostly hillforts and Anglo-Saxon settlements.

“The England-Scotland border arrived as a fence in a field - but in the quietest and most beautiful parts of St Cuthbert's Way, you sense you might be on another kind of border, between the mundane and the metaphysical, the modern and the mystical.”