St Oswalds Way

Having finished St Cuthberts Way.Next on my list is St Oswalds Way.Anyone done it any tips on camping spots etc

Hello.did you find camosites along route were going do this one next year cheers

I've not done St Oswalds in its entirety but I visit the coastal strip of Northumberland quite regularly. Which end are you starting from?

The first (or last) couple of miles take you along the Pilgrims Causeway which crosses the sands from Holy Island to Beal on the mainland.you need to check the tide times and plan your day accordingly because the causeway is innundated by the tide for roughly two hours before and three hours after high water. The majority is on firm sand but it's muddy in places and very wet so you might find it easier to sling your boots round your neck and walk it barefoot. It's rather eerie walking out there once you get away from the roadway.

After an inland diversion from Beal, you'll be following the coast as far as Warwkworth. There are quite a few campsites on this section. If you click this link to UKCS Search it should list most of them on a map. The C&CC run two of them - Dunstan Hill and Beadnell Bay.

However, if you prefer to avoid campsites, there are quite a few places along the coast where you will get away with rough camping (I prefer to say 'rough camping' rather than 'wild camping' because the Northumberland coast is definitely not wilderness). Camping is not allowed but I've found if you pitch late and leave early in secluded spots you are unlikely to be moved on. Obviously avoid areas with easy road access. For instance, north of Embleton, the coast is mostly dunes and the coast road is never far away; south of Craster there are low cliffs and it is slightly more secluded.

From Warkworth the route follow the River Coquet (pronounced locally to rhyme with coke not cock) valley inland to Rothbury but I don't know of any campsites immediately around Rothbury itself however.

Good luck - enjoy the hike.

Ave just finished hadrains wall this is my next hike thank you for the advice

Just done the bit between Warkworth and Rothbury as 2 day walks, its an excellent walk, I did not notice any campsites.
Its mostly farmland, pastures and riverside walk , but you will also find yourself walking through woodlands every couple of miles or so.
No walkers about at all except to the east of Felton.

I don't have any specific camp places but if you camp late rise early ...

If you can not find any campsites camping in woods may be best bet as most open country is insight of farms, use google earth and have a look just west of A1 on route, and to south west of Weldon bridge etc.

The area south of Simonside hills southwest of Rothbury is wildish grassland/conifer forest so may go undisturbed here although the Simonside hills themselves are generally very busy with walkers.

On the coast as said a few campsites about or if not suitable maybe the dunes between alnmouth and warkworth, the kyloe forest north of Belford.
You will find yourself walking through/near quite a few farmyards, so could ask if ok to pitch, Terry Scott had success with this approach in Carry on Camping.

there is a bunkhouse at a pub in felton which is 12 miles on the route to the east of rothbury and six miles from warkworth the pub is called the stags head contact 07850351115