Berwick-upon-Tweed has been shaped by centuries of conflict.
Situated on the northeast coast of England, a mere four kilometres from the Scottish border, it was at the centre of a tug-of-war between these two nations for 300 years. After changing hands between England and Scotland a staggering 13 times, the future King Richard III finally claimed it for England in 1482.
Today’s Berwick is quieter and has a thriving arts scene, but it is also a town that wears its battle scars proudly. From Elizabethan ramparts to riverside walks, let’s explore the best things to do in Berwick-upon-Tweed in one day.
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Best Things to Do in Berwick-upon-Tweed in A Day
Walk the Town Ramparts
Start your day in Berwick-upon-Tweed with a walk along its Elizabethan ramparts. This walk provides the best perspective of the town and allows you to mentally bookmark places to explore later.
Known locally as ‘the Walls’, these grey limestone ramparts were built between 1558 and 1570 to keep the invading Scots at bay, effectively turning Berwick into a fortress. The Walls are the most intact defensive walls in the UK and are just over a mile in length.
You can hop onto the Walls at any point and the walk should take you less than one hour. However, I suggest that you take more time than this, coming down from the ramparts to explore places of interest.
Pick up the excellent free Berwick-Upon-Tweed Castle & Rampart map from the Berwick Visitor Centre or Visit Berwick Tourist Information Centre.
Take a riverside walk to view an iconic bridge
As its name suggests, Berwick sits on the shores of the River Tweed, offering ample opportunity for gentle riverside strolls.
I recommend dropping down to the river at the quayside and pausing for a cream tea – a must-try English food experience – at the wonderful Lookout Café.
Then walk off your newly acquired calories by continuing to the Royal Border Bridge.
This iconic Grade I listed railway viaduct, with its 28 graceful, semi-circular arches, spanning a length of over 650 meters, was completed in 1850
Designed by Robert Stephenson, the bridge was the last link in the railway line linking London to Edinburgh.
You’ll notice more than a few silent swans on the river. Berwick is home to the second-largest mute swan colony in Britain.
From this point on the River Tweed, a steep wall – the White Wall – climbs to Berwick Castle.
Once one of the most important strongholds in Britain, the White Wall is the only main surviving part of the castle today.
Construction of the ramparts made Berwick Castle obsolete and it fell into decline. The arrival of the railway sounded the final death knell when much of what remained was demolished to make way for the station.
Visit Berwick’s parks
Close to what remains of Berwick Castle are two lovely landscaped parks overlooking the River Tweed: Castle Vale Park and Coronation Park.
The Castle Parks Trail will take you on a circular scenic route through these riverside parks, both of which were created in the 1930s.
Follow the Lowry Trail
When LS Lowry wanted to escape from it all, he headed to Berwick-Upon-Tweed.
Over the space of forty years, he immortalised the town on canvas and today you can follow in his footsteps on an easy six-mile walk, one of the best things to do in Berwick-upon-Tweed. The Lowry Trail is waymarked by 18 information boards displaying the Lowry painting of that location and providing background information.
Download or pick up a free Lowry Trail leaflet from the Berwick Visitor Centre or Visit Berwick Tourist Information Centre. It should take you around three hours to complete the trail.
Visit Berwick Barracks
Due to its strategic position on the England-Scotland border, for centuries Berwick was a garrison town.
Designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor in the 18th Century, Berwick Barracks were among the first purpose-built barracks in England. At the time, they were a huge hit with the townspeople who no longer had to house the soldiers.
The barracks were in use for over 200 years until closing their doors in 1963. Today, Berwick Barracks host ‘By Beat of Drum’, an exhibition depicting the life of a British infantryman.
Also on site are The King’s Own Scottish Borderers regimental museum and the Berwick Museum and Art Gallery.
- Berwick Barracks are managed by English Heritage. They are open daily, April – October, from 10 am to 5 pm.
- Adult ticket price is £6 (2023 price); free for English Heritage Members
- You can check current opening hours and ticket prices here.
Take a stroll to Berwick Lighthouse
Berwick has its very own lighthouse at the mouth of the River Tweed, reached by a ten-minute walk along the pier.
Your reward? A glorious walk, sweeping views along the coast and the chance to spot seals or even a school of dolphins.
Take to the water with Berwick Boat Trips
If you don’t manage to spot seals or dolphins on your walk to Berwick Lighthouse, why not try your luck on a boat trip?
Berwick Boat Trips depart from the pontoon on the harbour and there is a menu of options, from a one-hour river trip to a two-hour sea safari.
Take a day trip to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne
Ironically, one of the best things to do in Berwick is to get out of Berwick for the day. And I don’t mean that unkindly.
Berwick is the best base for visiting the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, especially if, like me, you don’t have a car.
READ THIS NEXT: A Day Trip to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne
To get to Holy Island from Berwick, take the 477 bus service from Berwick run by Borders Buses. The journey takes around 35 minutes.
The times of this infrequent bus service are scheduled to tie in with safe tide times. As this is a seasonal bus service, doing a day trip to Holy Island by bus is limited to the summer months.
Examine the bus timetable carefully. Due to the safe tide times, your time on the island could be as little as two hours or as much as eight hours.
Plan Your Day in Berwick-upon-Tweed
How to get to Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick is easy to get to.
The town is on the East Coast mainline – it’s an excellent day trip from Edinburgh – and the train station is close to the centre of town. From Newcastle, the journey takes just over 40 minutes.
Alternatively, the X18 and X15 buses run between Berwick and Newcastle.
By car, just keep going up the A1 and you’ll hit Berwick. Parking in most of the car parks in the town centre is free with a Northumberland parking disc, available from ticket machines or designated shops for £1.
Where to stay in Berwick-upon-Tweed
For a town of its size, Berwick has a good choice of places to stay, most of which are guest houses or bed & breakfasts. Because of its size, location should not be an issue.
Alannah House – I stayed in this bed & breakfast close to Berwick Barracks. Lynn and Steve are great hosts and serve a fabulous breakfast.
>>> > CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS & TO CHECK RATES
Here are some alternative choices that I have found:
Premier Inn – I love a good Premier Inn, and one of the newest additions to this budget chain can be found slap-bang in the centre of Berwick.
>>> CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS & TO CHECK RATES
YHA Berwick – if you’re travelling on a budget, I spied this YHA property on my ramparts walk. Although staying in a youth hostel isn’t usually in line with my flashpacking style, I would seriously consider YHA Berwich for a return visit.
This Grade II listed building is a converted 240-year-old former granary and offers rooms with en-suite bathrooms and dorm rooms.
>>> CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS & TO CHECK RATES
Is Berwick-upon-Tweed Worth Visiting?
Confession time. The main reason I visited Berwick-upon-Tweed was for the opportunity to take a day trip to Lindisfarne.
But this underrated town bowled me over with its rich history, easy-going and friendly vibe and sensational scenery. Go before the word gets out.
Solo Travel in England
England is one of the best places to travel alone in the world, especially if you are a first-time solo traveller.
From dynamic cities to seaside towns and rolling hills, England offers a vast variety of places to visit. Like bees to honey, most visitors head to London, but the country is much more than its capital.
It is an English-speaking country, making it an easy destination for visitors from Australia, the US and many European countries.
Public transport is well developed with extensive and frequent rail links across much of the country. Coaches or local buses usually serve places that don’t have a train station nearby.
English people are generally friendly, especially in the north of the country and outside of the main cities. Although Londoners have a reputation for being standoffish, in my experience this is overstated and people will usually try to help you.
As a popular solo travel destination, it’s relatively easy to meet other travellers in England, particularly in the main cities.
About Bridget
Bridget Coleman has been a passionate traveller for more than 30 years. She has visited 70+ countries, most as a solo traveller.
Articles on this site reflect her first-hand experiences.
To get in touch, email her at hello@theflashpacker.net or follow her on social media.