The uppermost reaches of the Ettrick valley are one of the most remote places in the Borders. Whilst the valley is marred by commercial forest plantations, the rounded green hills that surround it rise above the trees, offering a fine hill circuit in a very quiet area.
Good track initially. The hills offer mostly grassy going, with some rougher or boggier sections.
None to start.
Head of Ettrick Valley.
A single track road leads 10km from Ettrick village to end near the head of the valley. Here there is a large turning circle, but it's possible to park a few cares with care; if full, there is more space 600m back. To begin take the track that forks uphill to the right, signed for 'Ettrick Horseshoe and Bodesbeck Law'. After 400m keep right - ignoring the signed 'Ettrick Horseshoe' path over a footbridge - this path could be used if you wished to omit Bodesbeck Law from the walk. The track continues climbing through the forest, leaving the trees via a gate shortly after a switchbank. S
Soon after this the track peters out but there are faint paths continuing over Bught Hill and on towards Bodesbeck Law. Before reaching the summit there's a broken wall and a fence - there's no stile but also no barbed wire so the fence can be crossed with care to reach the small summit cairn. The views are good, especially across the valley of the Moffat Water, or to the right along the ridge towards Andrewhinney Hill.
From here follow the fence for the steady descent of 180m to reach the col - where the footpath mentioned earlier rejoins the route.l Continue ahead; this section gives slightly rougher going for a time. Soon the fence swings west and begins climbing, turning south again to reach White Shank. The Hart Fell horseshoe and Saddle Yoke look quite magnificent across the Moffat Water.
Continue by the fence as the ridge leads over Smidhope Hill, all the way to Capel Fell, with great views looking back down the Ettrick Water along the way. The summit of Capel Fell is flat and marked only with a couple of wooden posts; Croft Head makes an impressive foreground with the Lowther Hills seen in the distance.
Descend south-east to Ettrick Head, passing though a gate to have the fence now on your right. At the botoom of the slope the Southern Upland Way is reached - use the stile or gate here to cross back to the west side of the fence. Just beyond is an area of peat hags which you can either pass through or avoid by detouring to the west.
Continue by the fence for the climb up the grassy slopes of Wind Fell. The slope eases into another flat and featureless summit. There's another boggy area you can avoid by detouring slightly left before rejoining the ridge fence as you continue to Hopetoun Crag. There's a prominent cairn off route to the left, whilst Ettrick Pen - the highest hill on the horseshoe - is now seen ahead.
Continue by the fence for the gradual climb to Ettrick Pen. The large but tumbledown old cairn is immediately over the other side of the fence at a corner. From here there are extensive views across the Border Country, with the shapely Eildon Hills prominent. To begin the descent, follow a narrow path northwest, slowly diverging from the fence.
After 450m the now faint path turns WSW to head downhill. Lower down the slope there's a newly planted area of forestry - skirt this on the south side before aiming for the end of a track above the Entertrona burn. The track soon leads down to Phawhope bothy. The bothy is maintained by volunteers from the Mountain Bothy Association; please help by carrying out any rubbish you find here, and always follow the bothy code when visiting. Turn right here to follow the gravel track back to the start.
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