Walking in the Scottish Borders
Cheviots, Tweed, Ettrick, Moffat and Manor hills
Walking in the Scottish Borders
Cheviots, Tweed, Ettrick, Moffat and Manor hills
Guidebook presenting 45 day walks and one long distance route in the Scottish Borders. The day walks cover five areas: the Cheviots, Tweeddale, the Ettrick Hills, Moffat Hills and Manor Hills. The walks are a mixture of high and low-level routes and can be fully customised using multiple variants.Discover the wide open landscapes and rich history of the Scottish Borders, where rolling hills, peaceful river valleys and rugged coastal scenery create one of southern Scotland’s most rewarding walking regions. From the sweeping uplands of the Cheviot Hills to the winding banks of the River Tweed and the dramatic cliffs of St Abb's Head, the Borders offer an impressive variety of landscapes to explore on foot.
Walking in the Scottish Borders is a comprehensive Cicerone guidebook featuring 45 day walks and one long-distance route exploring the best of this diverse region. Written by experienced guidebook author Ronald Turnbull, the guide covers routes across the Cheviots, Tweeddale, the Ettrick Hills, Moffat Hills and Manor Hills, with day walks ranging from 5–23km (3–14 miles) and suitable for a variety of walking abilities.
- 45 varied day walks across the Scottish Borders are included, plus a summary of a 7-day, 121-mile long-distance walking route from Gretna to Berwick-upon-Tweed, exploring landscapes from the Cheviot Hills to the Tweed valley
- Routes are organised across five key walking areas — the Cheviot Hills, Tweeddale, the Ettrick Hills, Moffat Hills and Manor Hills — showcasing the diverse hill ranges and valleys of the region
- 1:50,000 Ordnance Survey mapping accompanies every walk, with clear route descriptions and downloadable GPX files to help you navigate confidently across the remote hills and valleys of southern Scotland
- Walks pass historic landmarks and natural highlights, including the Eildon Hills, Grey Mare's Tail waterfall and the bird-rich cliffs of St Abbs Head
- Additional background on local geology, wildlife and historical sites — from Iron Age hill forts to Border Reiver towers — adds depth to every walk across the Scottish Borders countryside
From peaceful riverside paths and historic abbey towns to long days on the grassy hills of the Cheviots, the Scottish Borders offers walkers an inspiring blend of natural beauty and heritage. With detailed route descriptions, clear mapping and expertly chosen routes, Walking in the Scottish Borders provides everything you need to discover some of the finest walks in this captivating corner of southern Scotland.
Walking in the Scottish Borders – Quick Facts
Guidebook name: Walking in the Scottish Borders
Location: Scottish Borders, southern Scotland
Number of walks: 45 day walks plus one long-distance route
Distance: 5–23km (3–14 miles) for day walks
Long-distance route: 121 miles (7 days) from Gretna to Berwick-upon-Tweed
Route format: Circular day walks plus a multi-day linear route
Key walking areas: Cheviot Hills, Tweeddale, Ettrick Hills, Moffat Hills and Manor Hills
Terrain: Upland hills, open moorland, river valleys, coastal cliffs and rural countryside
Difficulty: Easy to strenuous, with routes suitable for a range of walking abilities
Navigation: Step-by-step route descriptions with 1:50,000 Ordnance Survey mapping and downloadable GPX files
Highlights: Eildon Hills, Grey Mare's Tail waterfall, and the cliffs of St Abb's Head
Best season: Year-round routes included; spring to autumn for the best weather and hill-walking conditions
Author Highlight
“ It’s a land of little green valleys and the shining rivers that run through them – whether those drain northwards to the Tweed or southwards into England. On either side rise steep but grassy slopes, cut by sharp little streams, and topped off with Iron Age forts and the occasional rocky tor. The high country above and between the valleys is crisscrossed with green pathways. These were once busy with Roman soldiers, long-striding saints, cattle thieves and the occasional wandering salt salesman. Today they’re kept open by the shepherd on her quad bike – but also, increasingly, by walkers who value the solitude below the wide skies and the lonely cry of the plover.”
- Ronald Turnbull, author of Walking in the Scottish Borders
Printed book
A guidebook with detailed route descriptions, stage breakdowns, accommodation listings, profiles and maps - everything you need on the trail.
ISBN
9781786310118
Availability
Published
Reprinted
23 Jun 2022
Published
12 Aug 2020
Edition
First
Pages
256
Size
17.20 x 11.60 x 1.15cm
Weight
280g
eBook
The complete digital edition of the guidebook, with full route descriptions, accommodation listings, profiles and maps, ready to use on any device. To access your eBook, you will need an eReader app. For more details, visit the eBook FAQs.
Map key
Overview map
Introduction
The borders of the Borders
Land of ballads
Geology of the Scottish Borders
Wildlife
When to walk
Getting there
Getting around
Accommodation
Maps
Access
Safety in the hills
Using this guide
1: The Cheviots (south)
Walk 1 Shillhope Law from Alwinton
Walk 2 Windy Gyle
Walk 3 Linhope Spout
Walk 4 Ingram hillforts
Walk 5 A Hedgehope Horseshoe to The Cheviot
2: The Cheviots (north)
Walk 6 Akeld to Humbleton Hill
Walk 7 The Cheviot: Hen Hole and Bizzle Hole
Walk 8 Newton Tors
Walk 9 Yeavering Bell
Walk 10 Forts for the day: Great Hetha and Ring Chesters
Walk 11 Yetholm to The Schil
Walk 12 Staerough Hill
Walk 13 Grubbit Law and Wideopen Hill
Walk 14 Dere Street to Chew Green
3: The Tweed
Walk 15 Ford to Roughting Linn
Walk 16 Horncliffe to Norham
Walk 17 St Abb’s Head
Walk 18 Kelso and River Teviot
Walk 19 Roxburgh village and viaduct
Walk 20 Rubers Law
Walk 21 Waterloo Monument
Walk 22 Dryburgh Abbey and the Tweed
Walk 23 Tweed and Eildon
Walk 24 A Melrose Ramble
4: Yarrow and Ettrick
Walk 25 Bowhill: Duchess Drive
Walk 26 Ettrickbridge and Dryhope Tower
Walk 27 Broadmeadows to the Minchmoor Road
Walk 28 Yarrow to Glengaber Hill
Walk 29 St Mary’s Loch
Walk 30 Loch of the Lowes and Peniestone Knowe
Walk 31 Bodesbeck Law
Walk 32 Ettrick Head Horseshoe
Walk 33 Selcoth Burn and Potburn Hass
Walk 34 Croft Head and Capel Fell
5: Moffat Hills
Walk 35 Loch Skeen and White Coomb
Walk 36 Dob’s Linn to Loch Skeen
Walk 37 Hart Fell
Walk 38 Devil’s Beef Tub
Walk 39 Devil’s Beef Tub from Moffat
Walk 40 Gameshope circuit
6: Manor Hills
Walk 41 Traquair: the Raxed Thrapple
Walk 42 Dun Rig and Glen Sax
Walk 43 Cademuir Hill and the Tweed
Walk 44 Pykestone Hill from Drumelzier
Walk 45 Broad Law
7: Longer walks and expeditions
Walk 46 Walking the Border: Gretna to Berwick
Other long routes
St Cuthbert’s Way
Moffat to Peebles
Wooler to Carter Bar
Borders Abbeys Way
Southern Upland Way (east)
Berwickshire Coastal Path
John Buchan Way
Cross Borders Drove Road
Annandale Way
Appendix A Route summary table
Appendix B Important information and facilities by area
Seasons
Year-round. For hillwalking, the best times of all are April-June and September. Winter hillwalking under snow can be arduous, but very rewarding in good conditions and if correctly prepared and equipped.
Centres
Wooler, Kelso, Melrose, Peebles, Moffat
Difficulty
Walks range from easy low-level walks, through smaller hills, to moderately challenging grassy hills at 600-750m (200-2500ft). Walks are graded to aid planning.
Must See
The Cheviot and its Hen Hole; Hart Fell and its Beeftub; White Coomb and its Grey Mare's Tail waterfall; River Tweed; bird-infested cliffs at St Abbs; ruined abbeys; Eildon Hills; St Mary's Loch; Reiving-era towers and bastles
May 2024
Walk 17 St Abbs Head
p106 descending to Pettico Wick
'When you arrive at a fine view westwards along the coastline, head round left to the top of a grassy stream valley' - The grassy valley now has a notice at its head asking us not to descend this way to prevent erosion and damage to wild flowers. So keep contouring to the left, along the top of the steep slope, finding a small path leading to a bend in the tarmac track from the lighthouse. Turn down sharp right to reach Pettico Wick.
Also worth noting on this walk that from October to December, there are no nesting seabirds, but you'll be looking down on one of the UK's busiest seal breeding colonies.
January 2022
2022 reprint route updates
1011 Reprint 2022 (11.714 MB)
November 2020
Route 40 – new deer fence
A new temporary deer fence has been built by the Borders Forest Trust to keep sika deer out of their young wildwood. It intersects Route 40 with gates in the right places.
After the first steep climb onto Garelet Hill, head south to the col just below. Here the new fence follows the broken wall marked on Explorer maps. Go through the gate in it, and continue to right of the fence.
On the shorter return route, turning down the glen from the tin hut; after crossing Donald's Cleuch burn, you again meet the new deer fence, which again has a gate in it.
It seems likely that the new fence, when competed, won't interfere with the longer route over Molls Cleuch Dodd, and if it does, will probably have a gate at a helpful point.
October 2020
Rubers Law Walk 20
Walk 20
The original route up Rubers Law has been enclosed in high fencing for red deer – and these semi-wild animals are unsafe to walk among. The following route has been kindly suggested and approved by the farmer at Whitriggs.
After passing along Denholm Dean, the track beyond it runs southwest to end at a lane. Turn left to the lane junction where the road to right is signed for Bonchester Bridge. However, keep ahead for another 50m. As the lane bends left, take a track ahead into a small wood. Cross a shallow ford to gates at the wood edge.
Take the left-hand gate, and go uphill to left of a wall to a gate. In the next field, slant up left, north of east, to a wall gate. (But the field has livestock, instead head left along its foot then up the side.) Through the gate, head up to the left of the wall, through another gate and again to the left of a wall. As the field opens out, slant up right to a gate at its top right corner. This leads into open, heathery ground. Pick your way among rocky outcrops to Rubers Law's summit trig point. (Working round to the left to approach the summit from the north will let you arrive up a scrambly little cliff.)
September 2020
Walk 17 St Abb’s Head
Thank you to Mick Borroff for the following information.
Near Westloch House there is a preferred waymarked and stiled footpath with clear signing that indicates that it should be taken to avoid the farmyard and the climb over the double-gate to access the lane back to Coldingham.
P107 Above a loch-side house, join a gravel track up to a gate; bend right and in 300 metres bend right again to another gate marked 'Farmhouse only'. Follow the footpath sign along the track for 100 metres and turn left over a waymarked stile into a grassy field, and over two further stiles to emerge through a hedge on the lane beyond. Follow the lane gently downhill to Coldingham…
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