Southern Upland Way 9: Traquair to Melrose

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A scenic ridge walk through forests and over high moorland hills leads to a low level walk through woods, fields and built-up areas and then beside the River Tweed in the most populated section of the whole walk.

Terrain

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

Public Transport

Limited bus to Traquair; nearby Innerleithen has a regular service. Galashiels and Melrose both well served by bus.

Start

Traquair. Open start point in Google Maps for directions.

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Currently 4.00/53

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Walk Description

Stage 1

At the crossroads in Traquair, where there is a big sandstone war memorial, the Way turns south-east on a minor road that goes past the village hall where there is an interesting decorated weather vane. Where the road turns right keep straight on up an old track with good views back over Traquair to Innerleithen and Lee Pen. The track enters the big Elibank and Traquair Forest; the route is the historic Minchmuir road that dates back to the thirteenth century.

Stage 2

The track leaves the forest at Pipers Knowe where there are some unusual big rings burnt in the heather. These are an artwork by Charles Poulsen called Resolution. Above the circles there is an information board and a sculpted metal viewing post. Not far beyond the circles the Way passes a far more ancient sign of human influence on the moors, the Cheese Well. This is a tiny spring marked by two stones. According to the notice here, in the past travellers left cheese or food for the spirits of the well. On the flat stone beside the well today's travellers have left pennies and other small coins so the tradition continues in a different form.

Stage 3

From the Cheese Well the track crosses the northern slopes of 567 metre Minch Moor. A short side path leads up to the summit from which there are good views. Beyond Minch Moor the track runs through a wide heather-covered corridor in the forest over Hare Law, where the Minchmuir track branches off to the right, and then out onto open moor where it crosses 523 metre Brown Knowe and drops slightly to a col. Beyond the col the Way continues past a windblown strip of trees before traversing the northern slopes of Broomy Law to the edge of Yair Hill Forest, which is followed up to the three huge cairns on 464 metre Three Brethren, which have been in view for some time.

Stage 4

These well-made cairns mark the point at which three properties meet. The three peaks of the Eildon Hills above Melrose stand out in the view. From the Three Brethren the track descends south with the forest still on the left then turns north-east and enters the trees. The Way crosses a forest road and becomes a path that crosses another road and then runs through the edge of the forest to the buildings at Yair where it turns right on the estate road and follows this to the A707 road and the impressive three-span Yair Bridge over the River Tweed.

Stage 5

The Way crosses the narrow bridge (built around 1764 the bridge is single lane only) with nice views of the River Tweed then goes slightly left on the road past Fairnilee Farm and turns right up a track, signposted as a public footpath to Galashiels. Follow the track uphill across a road to a small plantation. The climb eases off past the trees as the track angles right (north-east) across the hillside with Calfshaw on the right to run between two more small plantations on the slopes of Hog Hill. A path now, the Way continues north-east to a small col and then starts to descend with the big town of Galashiels visible in the valley ahead. The Way passes left of wooded Gala Hill and runs through trees and fields to a road and the Galashiels swimming pool. The town centre with all its facilities is only a short walk away.

Stage 6

The Way however doesn't venture into the town centre but turns right, goes through a park, passes Galashiels Academy and follows Elm Row to a left turn into Barr Road, which runs along the foot of Gala Hill and becomes a rough track. This track crosses a field then turns left and descends to a minor road. Cross this road and descend a lane a little further to the busy A7 road, which has to be crossed (carefully!). Once safely over the A7 follow the lane down to the River Tweed. Turn left to follow the river downstream through big trees and meadows. Across the river is the grand Abbotsford House, a mansion built by Sir Walter Scott.

Stage 7

The Way passes under an elegant high concrete bridge, the Galafoot Bridge, which carries the A7 over the river, and into an urban and industrial landscape. Just beyond the bridge the Way heads through a muddy park and then turns right along a minor road. This crosses a bridge over the Gala Water; further on leave the road just before it crosses a bridge over the newly restored Borders railway line, and instead follow a path parallel to the line, which reopened in 2015. The Way crosses a viaduct across the Tweed, with good views of the river, and then slopes up to join a road, keeping parallel to the railway until the new Tweedbank Station. This is the end of the restored section of line; the Southern Upland Way now follows the old trackbed in a straight line between wooded banks. Where the line reaches a road the Way leaves it and crosses the road, heading left down to the River Tweed.

Stage 8

The Way crosses another road then takes the riverside path that runs through tree-dotted meadows to Melrose with a good view of the Chain Bridge on the outskirts of the town, which the Way will cross. First, though, Melrose offers refreshment and accommodation and the dramatic ruin of Melrose Abbey, which is worth visiting.

Route: Chris Townsend

Next stage: Melrose to Lauder

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Southern Upland Way 9: Traquair to Melrose

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Download our route guides and use offline with free GPS mapping

Terrain

Public Transport

Start

Users' reports

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