The massive Waterloo Monument on the grassy hill of Peniel Heugh is a landmark in many a Borders view. The straightforward ascent to visit it makes for an enjoyable round from Harestanes Visitor Centre.
Bog Factor
Good paths, tracks and minor roads. The descent given from Peniel Heugh is a rougher, muddier path - but can be omitted.
Harestanes Centre car park.
Bus at junction of B6400 with A68.
NT641244
The walk begins from Harestanes Visitor Centre, where there is a cafe, toilets and information centre, as well as some craft shops. The information centre sells a leaflet of short walks; the route described here combines their route to the top of Peniel Heugh with the Folly Loch circuit. Begin the walk by taking the path that runs parallel to the access drive on the right side; until the monument you are following the green arrows. The path curves to the right before the road is reached and continues through the fine deciduous woodland.
Pass a wooden pavilion - a reminder of when the field to the right was a cricket pitch. Continue past some mighty beeches to reach a path junction by a footbridge - turn right here across the bridge, and then left at the next signed junction; you are now following part of St Cuthbert's Way - marked by white crosses. When a tarred drive is reached, leave St Cuthbert's Way and turn left - noting the impressive stables of Monteviot House to the right. The drive leads up to the road; go straight across onto another drive opposite, between the pyramid gateposts.
As the drive approaches a house, fork right onto a grassy track. At a track junction turn right and continue to reach a minor road. Go straight across this and begin the climb up to Peniel Heugh through the woods. Keep left at each of three forks - the monument is in view from the third of these through a gate but the route continues through the trees for now. The track then descends slightly to another fork in a more open area - this time turn right. The woods are left behind at a gate; turn left once through this and continue between a fence and drystone wall.
The route bends left and finally reaches another gate. Pass through this and bear right to head directly uphill to reach the monument on the summit. An impressive 150 feet high, the monument was built between 1817 and 1824 to commemorate the Battle of Waterloo. There is a projecting gallery at the top but the tower is no longer open to the public. The hill itself is also the site of an iron age fort. From here the easiest option to to retrace your steps back to Harestanes; another option is to return as far as a minor road before turning right to join the waymarked route via Folly Loch. However, if you don't mind a muddy section of path, this latter option can be joined without any backtracking.
To continue the circuit, descend from Peniel Heugh northwest, in the direction of the Eildon Hills whose three summits are prominent in the distance. This leads to a stile which gives access to the woods below (and is the only part of the woodland boundary which has a short section of wooden fence rather than drystone wall). Cross the stile and follow a path that continues in the same direction through the trees. It soon becomes broader and can be muddy in places. Turn left when it joins a track, and then right when it meets the minor road.
The road is followed for 250m to a junction; turn left here. The next section is along another quiet road, with a view of Folly Loch over to the right. After a little over a kilometre a stile is seen on the right - turn left here through a gap in the wall to enter the woods. You are now back on the route of St Cuthbert's Way, which for this part follows the line of the old Roman Road of Dere Street which once linked York with the Firth of Forth.
The path winds through the trees - there is no sign of the roman road - and crosses a couple of footbridges before emerging on the B6400 after a little over a kilometre. Go straight across onto a path opposite, and then turn right at a junction of paths. You are now retracing the outward route back past the wooden pavilion to return to Harestanes and its cafe at the start.
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