Southern Upland Way 9: Traquair to Melrose

Summary

Climb through forest and farmland to follow a high scenic moorland section passing the cairns of the 3 Brethren before eventually descending to skirt around Galashiels before following a cycleway then the River Tweed to Melrose.

Grade

Bog Factor

Rating

Terrain

Good paths and tracks throughout. Some muddy sections, no difficulties.

Getting there

Start

Traquair.

Public Transport

Limited bus to Traquair; nearby Innerleithen (3km on off road path) has a regular service including direct to Edinburgh. Galashiels and Melrose have buses. Trains from Tweedbank.

Start Grid Ref

NT330346

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Services

No facilities in Traquair but a cycle path provides an easy 3km detour to Innerleithen which has shops, cafes, accommodation and buses. Melrose has all facilities including campsite - note that Minch Moor bothy was demolished years ago and Melrose SYHA is now closed.

Walk Statistics

Distance: 28.3km / 17.5 miles
Time: 6 - 8 hours
Ascent: 884m (Profile)

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Walk Description

User reports (2)

Stage 1

At the crossroads with the large sandstone war memorial in Traquair take the road up past the houses and village hall. Keep straight on when the road bends right and climb on the old track which is the start of the historic Minchmuir road used by travellers since the 13th century. Ignore a signed and gated path to the left and continue ahead going through a gate. The green lane swings left and climbs along the edge of a plantation passing between a stone gateway. Go straight across a track and at the next track bear slightly right to follow the signed route not the mountain bike path straight ahead.

Stage 2

The route continues to climb leaving most of the trees behind and passing a bench at Pipers Knowe where you can see the remains of an art work created by burning rings in the heather and designed to change over time. A short way further on pass the Cheese Well, a tiny spring on the right, where travellers traditionally left cheese or other food offerings to appease the spirits of the well - today coins are often left. Continue to a signed junction and go straight on with the path soon widening to a stone track as it passes a mast to your right.

Stage 3

When this track emerges at another forestry track go straight over onto a signed path, soon emerging from the trees with good views of the hills and route ahead. Soon the Southern Upland Way leaves the Minchmuir Road (the Cross Borders Drove Road) at a path junction where you keep straight on to climb gently to the 523m summit of Brown Knowe, marked by a cairn. Drop down to a col with a stile and continue to the left of the stone wall as the route traverses the side of Broomy Law.

Stage 4

Follow the path as it stays near the stone wall, crossing a couple of stiles. After leaving the grass, the path crosses heather, ignore a track to the left instead keeping straight on to reach the Three Brethren. These large cairns mark the meeting point of three properties and there are good views of the Eildon Hills above Melrose as well as a trig point. Turn right at the trig point to descend south keeping the fence on your right. At a path junction turn left to follow a wide path through the trees soon reaching a track. Go straight across and continue to descend. When a track and turning circle is reached go straight ahead and continue until the path reaches the road at Yair. Turn right, passing a house on your left to soon reach the three-span Yair Bridge over the River Tweed. Cross the bridge which dates fromn 1764 and continue ahead on the road towards the row of cottages.

Stage 5

After the last cottage turn right up a track towards Fairnilee farm. Keep straight ahead to enter the woods and stay on the stony track uphill ignoring the track on the right. Go straight across another track and then bear right to keep climbing uphill eventually crossing a stile at a gate to cross open grazing land. At a track junction part way uphill fork right to pass well above the house at Calfshaw towards the plantations on Hog Hill. Go over a stile at a gate and straight ahead between the plantations and keep the stone wall on your right. Cross another stile and after leaving the wall cross more open grazing land following occasional waymarkers and another stile to reach the large cairn with a view to Galashiels. Descend next to a stone wall and go through a gate into forestry and over another open field aiming for a corner of a large stone wall. Don't follow the path behind this, instead turn left at the wall corner crossing a stile to take the clear path towards the wood.

Stage 6

Ignore a wooden gate on the right soon going through another one into the trees. Turn left at a large signed junction and right to cross a footbridge and then straight ahead to emerge at the outskirts of Galashiels. The Way doesn't enter Galashiels (go straight ahead for the centre); instead turn almost immediately right to cross a bridge into a park with Gala Academy on your right. Follow the tarmac path across the park aiming for a red brick building with a church steeple visible behind. Pass to the right of the building and at the road turn left and then almost immediately right to head up Elm Row. Before the road bends right turn left onto Barr Road. Follow this as it eventually becomes a wooded lane climbing above the town.

Stage 7

Go through a gate with a memorial stone and follow signs to descends fields with a good view of Abbotsford House, the home of the novelist Sir Walter Scott. Turn right at a path junction with a gate and after another gate emerge at a road. Cross this diagonally to the right and descend steps to reach the A7. Cross this and follow the lane opposite and take the signed path on the left to the River Tweed. There are glimpses of Abbotsford before the path climbs back up to run alongside a road and then back to the riverside to pass under A6091 where there is a carpark under the high concrete bridge that carries the A7 over the river.

Stage 8

Cross the car park and take the grassy path that continues downriver. This leads into an open grassy area - head across this to the picnic tables at the far right corner, then bear left across the grass with the trees on your right, soon picking up a path. Pass through a gate then turn right along the road. This crosses a bridge over a river, but before it reaches a railway bridge turn right to head down a footpath that continues along the near side of the railway. Cross a bridge over the Tweed, then fork right at a path junction. When the path nears the road, continue along the pavement. A roundabout is reached at the entrance to Tweedbank railway station - cross the entrance road and continue ahead along a cyclepath.

Stage 9

When this meets a road junction, go straight across then bear left to continue on the cyclepath. This emerges at a layby on a main road - cross and take the footpath opposite. This soon runs alongside the River Tweed. Continue down river until a sign indicates where the path bears right. It meets a minor road - go left here, then left at the bend to return to the riverside, now higher above the river. The route passes benches by the church before descending steps to return to the river. At the bottom, you can turn right to head into the centre of Melrose for accommodation or supplies; the route continues by the river to reach the Gattonside suspension bridge.

Next stage: Melrose to Lauder

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