Discover the Scottish Borders with five of the best short walks

Scotland isn’t just the Highlands and the Lowlands. South of the two great cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh lie the Southern Uplands, the border country. Quite different from the rugged mountains of the north, here are rolling grassy hills, surrounding the wide valley of the River Tweed. The Scottish Borders are ideal for hikers seeking walks of up to 3 hours, with a wealth of history, stunning coastlines, lush woodlands, and rivers to explore. Here are five of the best short walks in the region to get you started.

15 Short Walks in the Scottish Borders

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Discover 15 of the best short walks in the Scottish Borders. Each walk comes with easy-to-read Ordnance Survey maps, clear route descriptions and lots of images, plus information on beauty spots and refreshment stops. No challenging terrain or complicated navigation means everyone can enjoy the walks.

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The best walk to see coastal wildlife and seals...

What: St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve
Summary: A clifftop nature reserve famous for its birds and baby seals
Start/finish: Northfield Visitor Centre, just outside St Abbs
Time: 2½hr
Distance: 5.8km (3.6 miles)
Climb: 170m

St Abb’s Head is visited by 60,000 nesting seabirds every year and roughly the same number of human beings – in high summer, this is a busy walk. Meanwhile, seals are breeding in the stony coves below between October and December. Make time to pop down to St Abbs itself, with its pretty harbour. Its small visitor centre (separate from the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) one at the walk start) has telescopes for viewing the birds.

The best walk to visit ancient abbeys...

What: St Boswells
Summary: An easy-going walk along both banks of the Tweed, passing Dryburgh Abbey
Start/finish: Top of Hamilton Place, St Boswells
Time: 2¾hrs
Distance: 7.5km (4.7 miles)
Climb: 50m

This walk heads out from St Boswells along the river to pass the entrance to Dryburgh Abbey. Of all the ruined abbeys of the Borders, Dryburgh is the one Sir Walter Scott chose to be buried in. For those of us still alive, there’s now an entrance charge: well worth paying, as the ruins are beautiful (especially in snowdrop time) and aren’t seen from the riverside paths on either bank. That riverside walking is on good paths, through fields and woods, with a slightly rocky section on leaving St Boswells. There’s also a fine suspension footbridge and a temple to a poet you probably haven’t heard of.

The best walk for a more challenging hill climb...

What: Eildon Hills
Summary: Exploring a fine old town, the Tweed, and the hill so seductive the Queen of the Fairies lives inside it
Start/finish: Melrose Abbey
Time: 3¾hrs
Distance: 8.3km (5.2 miles)
Climb: 350m

The three Eildon Hills, with their Iron Age forts and Roman signal station, dominate a large part of Borders Region with their distinctive pointy shapes. So this tough climb of Eildon Hill North (or climbs, if you add in Mid Hill) is well rewarded. Melrose itself is worth lingering in, with handsome stone buildings, a ruined abbey, and two small gardens managed by the National Trust for Scotland. But do book into a B&B rather than sleeping out under the Rhymer’s Tree…

The best walk to visit a country estate...

What: Bowhill House
Summary: Two lakes, Yarrow Water, and ruined Newark Castle, all in the grounds of handsome Bowhill House
Start/finish: Courtyard entrance to Bowhill House near Selkirk
Time: 3hrs
Distance: 7.7km (4.8 miles)
Climb: 150m

The Duke of Buccleuch, the UK’s biggest landowner by area, made it big during the cattle-thieving 16th century; his ancestor Walter Scott, the ‘Bold Buccleuch’, is celebrated in a border ballad for his daring raid on Carlisle Castle to rescue a henchman. When times became more peaceful, the family built the more comfortable Bowhill House, leaving the fortified Newark Castle passed on the fairly strenuous full version of the walk. The gentler short version circles the ornamental lakes, which were laid out following suggestions from family member and novelist Sir Walter Scott.

The best walk for riverside walks along the Tweed...

What: Pebbles and Neidpath Castle
Summary: A town, a tower, a riverside – and a tunnel. A torch will be useful on this one
Start/finish: South end of Tweed Bridge, Pebbles
Time: 3hrs
Distance: 7.7km (4.8 miles)
Climb: 150m

After exploring a couple of ancient churchyards, this walk takes you on a fairly rough path alongside the River Tweed and under the impressive border strongpoint of Neidpath Castle. After a railway viaduct high above the river, the return route is through a 700m-long railway tunnel – a torch is advised, though a phone will just about do. For those who prefer to stay above ground, the riverside alternative has even better views of the castle.

All these walks (plus 10 more!) are included in our guidebook to 15 Short Walks in the Scottish Borders. Other highlights include the Eyemouth shores, the Waterloo Monument, and the Cademuir Hills. Easy-to-read maps and clear route descriptions make these walks perfect for beginners and families. No specialist gear is needed, and each route includes information on facilities, parking, and highlights.