Magical Holy Island
Holy Island, also known as Lindisfarne, is one of Northumberland’s most iconic and special places. It’s also the perfect ~3 hour easy/ medium difficulty E-Bike ride along National Cycle Route 1, right from the doorstep of our Good Times location near Berwick-upon-Tweed. An unmissable and unique experience in pilgrims’ footsteps.
Check out our interactive route guide, must-see highlights, and on-route food & drink recommendations below!
View of Lindisfarne Castle, with tarmac road leading right up for an easy yet scenic adventure.
Key info for this ride: ~25 miles round trip from our Good Times location near Scremerston to Holy Island and back
Approx. 3 hours ride round trip, at a medium pace on an E-Bike (not including time exploring on the island, lunch, photo stops etc)
Easy/ medium difficulty ride along National Cycle Route 1. No busy roads or A1 motorway crossings involved. One section on off-road grassy path with some bumps.
Essential to check the Causeway safe crossing times here before you set off
Not suitable in winter or if heavy rain near the time, as there is one stretch on an off-road grassy path. If that’s the case, we can suggest alternative routes especially our shorter ride across the causeway to Holy Island from Beal
ROUTE MAP: 
Click to check out our interactive route map here (free to use, plus you can download on the Komoot App to follow during your ride)
Top Highlights on the route:Holy Island Causeway: Take the pilgrims route onto the island, only accessible at low tide. Stunning coastal vistas all the way and a memorable experience to venture across. 3 miles long, easy to cycle (although the E-Bike engine helps if windy) and best experienced on a bike!
Lindisfarne Castle: The iconic 16th century castle, with a varied history! The Gertrude Jekyll walled garden is also worth a visit.
Holy Island Harbour: Nostalgic small fishing harbour, between the village and the castle. See the traditional old fishing huts made from upturned old boats, each with their own quirky character (we love the new pink one!). Also a great spot for photos.
The Lough/ Holy Island nature walk: Get off the beaten track, away from the crowd, and see wild Holy Island at its best! This is my personal ‘must see’ way to visit the island. The Lough is an old pond built by the monks, now a flourishing nature reserve with lots of rare birdlife living in the pond and surrounding marshes. It has a new, cosy bird-watchers hut in place, which is the perfect quiet spot to enjoy the view and take a breather. I recommend walking up the Crooked Lonnen lane with good views of the castle (a short walk out of the village, easy to find on Google Maps), then turn left at the end when you meet the beach and follow the sign-posted route to the Lough and around the fields back to the village. Make sure to park and lock up the bikes in the village first, as this track is not suitable for cycling. Approx. 45 mins walk in total.
Cheswick beach & dunes: Huge open sandy beach, with views for miles to Holy Island and Bamburgh Castle. Worth hopping off your bikes as you pass and walking up the short dunes path to see the beautiful beach.
Lindisfarne Priory: Step back in time exploring the historic 12th century ruins of the Priory, with a museum nearby.
Middle Shiel point: Pause as the coast bends away to enjoy the views across the causeway. Quiet spot to take a breather and snap the obligatory off-road cycle photos, before finishing the fields section and re-entering civilisation.
Cocklawburn beach: Pretty beach right next to the route. Sometimes with the bonus of the local Forte Bros ice cream van too.
Where to eat & drink along the route:Pilgrims Coffee: An iconic local hotspot, with coffee roasted on site and conveniently located in a walled garden on the village’s main street. Will usually have a queue, but worth it!
Barn at Beal: Our go-to favourite for lunch or an afternoon snack on this route. Yes, they’re not technically on Holy Island but that’s a plus - because their view is off-the-charts stunning, looking across the full vista of Holy Island and Bamburgh. Plus a great menu of well-cooked, hearty dishes using lots of locally-sourced produce. They have also built an excellent off-road cycle track, connecting the Barn easily to this route with only a short detour and no cycling through traffic.
Pop-up food trucks/ fresh crab sandwich shacks: These vary year-to-year, but there are usually a few independent food trucks offering a small menu (fresh, local crab rolls and similar) in the summer. Look out for them by the harbour or near the car park. Rustic but tasty.
793 Spirit & Soul: A new gin distillery based on Holy Island. Their beautiful shop is worth a visit for a souvenir (we love their candles, as well as the artfully bottled spirits), plus they have a new hidden/ speak-easy gin bar on-site with a great castle view opening soon.
This route is our personal favourite, so we hope you enjoy it as much as we do! Any questions just get in touch.
