The day starts with a steady climb through hill farming countryside, before descending to cross the Ale Water and another gentle climb to Hartwoodmyres where there are extensive views before passing the impressive Haining House on the way into Selkirk where there are all facilities.
Bog Factor
Minor road, farm tracks and paths.
Teviotdale Leisure Centre, Hawick.
Bus to Hawick and Selkirk.
NT504153
The route picks up at the Teviotdale Leisure Centre. From here cross the A7 onto Princes Street and turn right to head up Dickson Street, passing Wilton Parish Church. Keep on this road to leave the houses of Hawick, after the road narrows Stirches Convent (more properly St Andrew's Convent) which is now a care home is passed on the right. The road undulates with a good view to the distinctive small peak of Rubers Law to the right (east). Continue straight ahead at the crossroads and ignore the turnings on the left to continue up a track after the entrance to Drinkstone Farm.
At a bend in the track fork left over a stile to follow another track up the next two fields bearing right when the track forks near a small plantation. Continue through the farm gate and bear slightly right after the next, smaller gate, to reach another gate leading to a wide path through forestry. Follow the path, with the stone wall on your right, until it reaches a forestry track. Continue ahead here to follow the track downhill with good open views to the east.
When the track bends left continue ahead through the gate onto a path. Cross the next field aiming for the gate ahead and then follow the path to the right past an area of felled trees to join the track which passes a house. Cross the beautifully named, Ale Water on the bridge and turn right along the road. Here you can detour to Ashkirk where there is a bus stop by staying on this road, otherwise soon turn left at the signed stile to follow the field edge to reach a ladder stile leading to the golf course. Take care to follow the waymarked route (sometimes a diversion is in place) and stop to allow play to continue. The route heads across to the bushes and then left to a bridge before crossing the fairway to pick up a track aiming left. Follow this as it keeps to the left side of a stone wall, eventually bending left to leave the golf course at another stile.
The track is an ancient route known as the Thief Road, which has lovely views to the west. Cross a stile to stay on the track until just before a house on the right, when the path heads left and then over a stile and right to skirt round the house to reach a minor road at Wollrig. Turn left to climb uphill to the highest point of this section, keeping straight on at any junctions. There are extensive views back to the Cheviots and the surrounding farmland. When the parking area for Hartwoodmyres is reached turn right to go through it and onto the track.
Stay on the main track. As the track heads downhill the massive Bowhill House can be seen on the hillside opposite. This is the ancestral pile of the Dukes of Buccleuch and the house and grounds are open to the public. Take the second track on the left at the signed junction and turn right when the track climbs onto a grassier path. Turn right before a gate to follow the right side of a fence to cross a burn. Further on, go through the gap in the wall and turn left to join a track. Turn right to follow this, all the way to Middlestead Farm. Pass between the two large barns and turn right to reach the road.
Turn right and follow the road, passing Brownmoor Farm. As the road dips watch out for a stile on the left opposite a small layby. Follow the path around the field edge until another stile leads to a bridge, after which turn right to skirt the next field. When a track is reached (can be muddy) turn left along it to cross the field and follow this through two gateways until you turn onto a signed track to the left crossing another grassy field. Haining House and Loch can be seen down on the left. Soon an old stone doocot (or dovecot) used to breed birds for meat is passed.
After the stile keep straight on, along the main path, ignoring the paths to the right and left, and head downhill soon bearing right when there are good views of Selkirk ahead. The stables for Haining House are seen on the right before the house itself. This Palladian mansion dates back to the late 1800s. It was gifted to the local community by the late Andrew Nimmo Smith and there are plans to turn it into a visitor attraction and a lochside walk has been created. Stay on the main drive as it bends left and heads downhill. At the entrance gates cross the road and head uphill to the centre of Selkirk.
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