Leaving the stunning Abbey and stone buildings of Melrose, the first section of the St Cuthbert's Way climbs between the Eildon Hills, crosses farmland and follows the mighty River Tweed before an ancient Roman road leads to the finish at the Harestanes Centre near Ancrum.
Farmland, riverside and open country paths, quiet roads.
Bus to Melrose.
Melrose.
From Melrose Abbey follow Abbey Street up to the main square and take the road opposite the town hall, signed for the golf club, to head steeply uphill. After a short distance take the signed path on the left between the houses and climb the wooden steps and path to reach open countryside above Melrose. At the top, continue ahead up a path climbing between fields. Pass through two gates to cross a track and keep climbing up the next field. After another gate turn right on the signed path, descending slightly, and then left straight up the slope at the next junction, climbing past a seat and continuing to reach the col between the two visible Eildon Hills.
At the col keep straight on to head down the far side, unless you want to detour to either summit. Almost immediately bear right onto a larger path and stay on this, ignoring another path to the right, to head into the trees. At a T junction turn right staying on the wide path until a signed path straight ahead at a bend is taken. The next section can be very boggy, keep right, ignoring a stile straight ahead, to soon turn left crossing a track and then a stream before heading into another wood and up more wooden steps.
A grassy path leads into Bowden, turn right at the main street for a short distance before taking the road on the left signed Bowden Kirk. Turn left onto a path at the first bend and keep following the waymarkers to a bridge, keep left at a fork to reach the road at Whitelee. Keep left to pass cottages and go under the old railway bridge to reach Newtown St Boswells. Head straight across the main road and at the next junction cross to head down the lane with the stone cottage on the right. This goes eventually goes under the A68, bear right onto a path here to cross a stream and keep straight ahead to follow a path high above the Tweed. There are good views of the wide river below with the Eildon Hills in the background.
At the suspension bridge you can detour to visit beautiful Dryburgh Abbey on the far side (3km round trip - admission charge). Otherwise the route continues along the river until St Boswells. At the houses turn left into Hamilton Place and then left along the main road, passing the post office, public toilets, and a Co-op before turning left up Braeheads Road. Turn right at the end and then left downhill to pass the golf club and immediately turn right on the signed path which keeps to the right edge of the course, take care not to disturb play.
Follow the Tweed and cross the road at Mertoun Bridge to regain the riverside path. The path passes some old lime kilns and the Crystal Well where a well preserved building was used by cows and horses to power the pumps that fed fresh water to nearby Benrig House in the mid 1800s. Soon after, the path forks right to climb steep steps. Turn left at the top to head through more woodland, crossing straight over a track and following the path over streams and boardwalks.
The path reaches a minor road at lovely Maxton Kirk, follow the road to the A699 and turn right for a short distance before taking the first left. Stay on this road until almost at the A68, turning left just before onto a woodland path which follows the route of Dere Street, a Roman road which once ran from York to the Firth of Forth. The route keeps straight following a path through fields and then between two lines of trees, passing Lilliard's Stone on the right.
Cross over a minor road and head into the woods opposite. The path winds through the trees and crosses a couple of footbridges before emerging on the B6400 after a little over a kilometre. There is no accommodation at Harestanes (just a car park, seasonal cafe and visitor centre); you could leave the route at this point and head right along the road to reach a bus stop at the junction with the A68 - or head into Ancrum on the opposite side. To continue to reach Harestanes itself, cross the road and take a path opposite, keeping right at a junction to follow a path past an old pavillion and then parallel to the drive to reach the centre.
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