This shorter stage is a straightforward walk, mostly following farm tracks over rolling hills, leading through livestock pastures.
Mostly farm tracks and minor roads with a few footpath sections. The farm tracks can be quite muddy.
Bus at Melrose and Lauder, train at nearby Tweedbank.
Gattonside Suspension Bridge, Melrose.
The stage begins from the chain suspension bridge over the River Tweed in Melrose. This beautiful structure dates back to 1826, but was renovated in 1991. Once on the far side turn sharply left to join a path along the river bank.
The path heads upriver, crosses a boardwalk, for a lovely stretch right by the Tweed. After around 1km it slopes up to meet the B6360 road opposite a cottage. Turn left along the pavement briefly, but after 150m or so cross the road, turning right up a rough farm track. This climbs to meet another minor road at a junction. Go straight ahead here onto the road opposite, but when the road bends left fork right onto another tree-shaded farm track, often muddy underfoot. Continue through a gate.
Ignore a turning to the right (signed for Earlston) and continue ahead. When the track reaches three gates, take the central one to continue between hedgerows. After another gate the track becomes faint and grassy, but keeps alongside a drystone wall on your left. There are good views looking back over Melrose and the Eildon Hills. Go through a gateway into the next pasture, joining a clearer track once more. Keep ahead, passing through another gate and between small plantations. When the main track bends left, go straight ahead onto a grassier track once more. Keep ahead through several more gates, often with a field boundary to your left. Ignore a signed turning off right for Earlston, and continue on the grassy track, now in more open country.
The Way descends to a stile, after which the track is clearer again, rising and falling before eventually meeting a minor road. Go straight across here to continue along the undulating track over Kedslie Hill. After a little over 2km the track becomes tarmac as it joins the driveway from Bluecairn farmhouse. Keep ahead to meet a minor road junction - go straight ahead here, signed for Lauder. After almost another 1km, turn left through a gate onto a farm track. This leads through open pastures and has some faint sections and some parts are muddy; generally, keep straight ahead.
After just under 2km from the road the track approaches a metal barn - look out for a pedestrian gate in the wall on the right, that leads to a detour through the trees to avoid the farmyard, crossing another track at two further gates. This bypass path is often wet underfoot; eventually it comes back alongside the original track and then rejoins it. Continue along it to another minor road, and once again go straight across. As the track ends cross a stile ahead and continue down the pasture with a wall (and woodland) to your right. Cross another stile and continue the descent towards the glen of the Lauder Burn. After a ladder stile bear right, slightly uphill, aiming for a marker post. A clearer grassy track now continues with the Lauder Burn far below to your left.
Pass a bench, and then a large stone cairn. The path now descends; ignore a path off left and keep ahead, passing through a pedestrian gate. There's a fine view of Lauder ahead, nestled in these rolling hills. Follow the clear path as it leads down to meet a car park at the edge of the town.
Pass through the car park and turn left along the road - Mill Wynd - from the entrance. As the road approaches the whitewashed old church, the next stage of the Southern Upland Way turns right along Factor's Bank, but most walkers will want to continue ahead to reach the shops, cafes and hotels in the heart of the town.
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