The medieval monk's journey that became a global travel 'essential'

A 62-mile (100km) walking route through the Scottish Borders to Northumberland is rubbing shoulders with some lofty company.

St Cuthbert's Way has been named as one of the world's top experiences in the Lonely Planet Best in Travel Guide - alongside the likes of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and France's scenic Route Napoleon.

It praises the walk from Melrose to Lindisfarne for taking you "through moorlands, past ghostly hillforts" while being able to stop at village pubs along the way.

How did the route following in the footsteps of a medieval monk end up gaining international recognition?

Despite its historic roots, the walk itself is a relatively modern creation and officially opened in the summer of 1996.

It begins in Melrose where St Cuthbert started his religious life in 650AD and makes its way through the Eildon hills and on past Jedburgh to Morebattle and Town Yetholm.

From there it crosses the border into England passing through Wooler before ending up on Holy Island off the Northumberland coast where St Cuthbert was first laid to rest.

Most people walk it from west to east as that follows the chronology of the saint's life and also benefits from having the prevailing wind at your back.

It is described as enjoying an "ever-changing variety of scenery and spectacular views" and can be "easily completed" in four to six days.

St Cuthbert was born in about 635AD and, after a "divine vision", the young shepherd entered the monastery in Melrose under abbot St Eata in 651.

A decade later, the town was struck by the plague - which he survived - and after that he helped victims throughout the countryside and was reported to have performed many miracles.

He transferred to Lindisfarne with St Eata in 664 but, described as a "hermit by nature", he retired in 676 to Inner Farne.

His efforts to protect birds led to him being recognised as one of the earliest wildlife conservationists.

He was made bishop of Hexham in 684 but again retired to Inner Farne a few years later and a small chapel stands on the site of his final hermitage.

He was buried at Lindisfarne and miracles reported at his grave became so numerous that Cuthbert was called the "wonder-worker of England" and canonised as a result.

His body was moved in 875 to protect it from Viking raids and eventually ended up in Durham Cathedral which, until it was destroyed by King Henry VIII in 1538, was a great pilgrimage site.

To this day, churches, monuments, streets, schools and even a football team are named in his honour.

The Lonely Planet Best in Travel guide contains 50 "inspirational travel destinations" and describes the route as "perhaps the closest thing modern Britain has to a Camino de Santiago".

Writer and editor Tom Hall said it was one of the "things that we think are essential experiences for the year ahead".

"The part of the walk that passes through the Scottish Borders is really characterised by these lovely towns and villages where there's pubs, places to stop and stay alongside the beautiful scenery along the River Tweed," he said.

"It then goes into the Cheviot Hills in England and finishes with a bit of a bang on Holy Island."

He said readers were well aware of parts of Scotland including Edinburgh and the Highlands, but were "much less aware" of the Scottish Borders.

"We think there's a huge amount to celebrate there," he said.

"It often gets overlooked by visitors who are in a rush to head north.

"We think that the Borders make a really fantastic alternative for people who want to see a different side of Scotland."

The hope along the route is that the place in the Lonely Planet guide can deliver a visitor boost.

David Hope-Jones, chief executive of the South of Scotland Destination Alliance, said it was a "proud day" for the area.

"St Cuthbert's Way takes in some of our finest countryside and heritage, from Melrose Abbey and the Eildons to the Cheviots, and the towns and villages along the way are well used to looking after walkers," he said.

"More and more people are discovering what's on offer in this beautiful part of the country, and further recognition like this from Lonely Planet makes a real difference."