Step back in time

Mark Sutcliffe explores England’s northernmost town which boasts a colourful border history

Berwick Bridge

The border town of Berwick at the mouth of the mighty River Tweed has been fought over more fiercely than almost anywhere in Britain. Between 1147 and 1482 it changed hands between England and Scotland at least 13 times – partly because medieval Berwick was one of the richest trading ports in the British Isles, rivalling London in the volume of wool and cloth shipped abroad.

To protect its wealth, Edward I raised walls around Berwick in the late 13th century, and these were strengthened gradually over time. They were replaced centuries later by Elizabeth I with a lower, mile-and-a-quarter ring of earth-backed ramparts and bastions, designed to withstand cannon fire.

Below the walls, Georgian merchants’ houses line medieval streets and three bridges – the 17th century Old Bridge (also known as Berwick Bridge), the 19th century Royal Border Bridge, designed by Robert Stephenson, and the 1928 Royal Tweed Bridge span the river, each a reminder that the Tweed itself was long treated as part of the border.

This walk from Berwick Seaview Club Campsite crosses two of those bridges and explores the walls and bastions, offering wonderful views along the coast and over the elegant town.

Directions

1. Leave the site by the main gate and at the end of the drive head right. Cross the road and after 50m take a sharp left on to Riverview Park. Follow the footpath to join a riverside road heading upstream and continue on the pavement. Eventually you’ll join Main St – continue to Berwick Old Bridge.

2. 1.4km – Turn right to cross the bridge and at the far side, take the second right on to the England Coast Path. Follow this path along the town walls past The Chandlery, on your right, and the Main Guard Museum, on your left. Continue around the ramparts enjoying views down the coast to Lindisfarne and Bamburgh.

3. 2.4km – Continue past the gun emplacements and at the gate to the ramparts, head left down some steps then right under a bridge and on to the coastal path. Continue towards the pier at the mouth of the estuary then follow the path as it turns north (left) up the coast.

4. 3km – Follow the path around the edge of a golf course for 500m to a lookout tower then, after another 150m, head left on the footpath crossing the golf course. Beware of flying golf balls! This path runs beside a covered passage which linked a coastal redoubt to the main ramparts.

5. 4.5km – At Berwick Bowling Club, head right along a road and follow it under the ramparts then right through a gate to climb back up on to the ramparts. Head left on the ramparts to Brass Bastion, then follow the path around to the left and continue to Cumberland Bastion.

6. 5km – Continue on the path to cross a bridge over the high street, then follow a footpath down the slope to the Royal Tweed Bridge. Turn right to cross the bridge and at the far side, cross to the left hand pavement and take the asphalt footpath on the left.

7. 5.8km – Follow a path signed Yard Heads past St Cuthbert’s school to Kiln Hill. Turn right to reach Prince Edward Road and turn left. After 100m turn left on to Main Street and then right on to Brewery Lane.

8. 6.2km – Continue along Brewery Lane and at a fork in the road go right on Church Road to reach Well Square. Exit via a footpath in the far right corner and climb gently up Well Road.

9. 6.6km – At a junction head briefly left, then right up some steps into woodland. Continue through the woods, keeping left at the fork to reach a road. Head left and follow the road as it bends around to the right to return to the access road to Berwick Seaview Club Campsite.

Download this route and others to your smartphone or GPS device from the Club’s Outdoor Active page at: out.ac/JaNAH

About the route

• Start/finish: Berwick Seaview Club Campsite, Billendean Rd, Spittal, Berwick-upon- Tweed TD15 1QU.
• Distance: 7.5km/4.7 miles.
• Time: 2 hr 15 min.
• Level: Suitable for occasional walkers with a reasonable level of fitness.
• Terrain: Pavements, streets and coastal footpaths. Undulating with some steep but relatively short climbs.
• Landscape: Elegant border town with historic bridges and many period buildings, fortified walls and batteries and sweeping coastal views.
• Refreshments: Atelier, Bridge Street, Berwick.

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The Caravan and Motorhome Club make no warranties concerning the accuracy or completeness of the routes published, which to the best of our knowledge were correct at the time of publication. Your use of the routes is at your own risk and we accept no responsibility for the suitability or safety of any routes published. Routes may be out of date or affected by changes to the physical environment and, to the extent permitted by law, we accept no responsibility for personal injury or property damage caused by your use of the routes.