Click here for details

 

 

 

Part of the Land of Creativity Millennium Programme, The Border Loop cycle tour winds its way on quiet minor roads and tracks for 250 miles through the Scottish Borderland. Way marked for almost the entire route The Border Loop takes you through Kelso, Hawick, Peebles, Melrose, Duns, Eyemouth and Coldstream.

 

Julie and I set off on our trip on the 5th September 04 and took 8 cycling days to do our slight variation on the established route. We were incredibly lucky with the weather; the summer of 2004 was rather poor, but we hit an almost perfect week.

 

Route grading is by cycalc © L. Thompson.

 


View BorderLoop in a larger map

 

To be sure of an early start on the Sunday we travelled up to Kirk Yetholm on Saturday evening

and stayed at the Valley Dene B&B at the end of the Pennine Way. A half a minute walk from

the B&B is the Border Inn where we had a very nice meal; the lamb is superb!

 

Sunday morning and we were off, 46-miles grade D:

 

We started at Kirk Yetholm (the end of The Pennine Way), a beautiful satellite village of Town Yetholm.

 

The kirk (church) of Kirk Yetholm

 

The Border Inn. Good food

 

Down to the bridge over Bowmont Water to Town Yetholm.

 

Bowmont Water looking south.

 

On the Road to Morebattle

 

2 miles down, 273 to go!

 

 

Quiet deserted roads, we continued south over the bridge to Hownam.

 

The bridge over Kale Water

 

leading to Hownam

 

 

Remote countryside continues to the west, we are now only 7 miles from Jedburgh.

 

We come across the first junction without a route marker.

Don’t take Carter Bar!

Julie a happy cyclist – no punctures yet!

 

 

 

The Junctions were usually clearly marked, like this one.

 

Jedforest Deer & Farm Park

 

Tearoom for refreshments

 

The long straight road

From the deer park

 

This section of the route, approximately 2 miles along the road from the previous shot, affords stunning views of the Borderland hills.

 

 

 

 

The cycling is gently up hill from the Deer Park and then flat for some time; there are breathtaking views back to the now receding Cheviot Hills.

 

 

The first day we cycled from Kirk Yetholm to Hawick. At a little over 45-miles and a few hills to

climb this was one of the two “hard days” of the trip. We had very few problems with traffic, the

roads being almost deserted. The weather was good, and clear views were enjoyed along the route,

especially the section around the Jedforest Deer and Farm Park where the road is elevated and

easy to cycle.

 

Way marking on this day was fine. The trick is to trust the route. If you come across a junction

and there is no route sign to be seen, stick to the road you are on; it’s usually obvious. We quickly

adapted to this and it went very well up until Coldstream. But that’s miles away yet!

 

There are numerous places to stay in Hawick: hotels and B&Bs galore. On this trip we stayed at the

Country Inn at New Mill, a couple of miles or so southwest on the A5. Accommodation was fine and

the evening meal was plentiful.

 

Hawick itself is a very attractive border town, worthy of spending some time were it not for the fact

that the next day is the hardest leg (45-miles grade D) on the Borderloop! So it was an early start for us:

 

 

The Borderloop goes right through the Tushielaw Inn

 

Tushielaw Inn, who could resist..

 

Julie paying for the beer:

I nearly fell off my seat!

 

Weather was a little dull today,

however it did have its lighter moments.

 

Through the misty hills

 

Getting sheep over a bridge.

Harder than you would imagine

 

We stuck to the normal route rather than the short cut to Tibbie Shiels Inn, which looked rather a tough challenge in itself. The road brings you around to St Mary’s Loch that, even with misty visibility, gave stunning views of the border hills

 

 

From St Mary’s Loch the climbing becomes harder until you reach the highest point on the route.

 

Was it exhaustion, or are they orange sheep!

 

The highest point: 450 metres

After the highest point what else but the steepest drop!

 

Take care, 1 in 3 for half a mile

down to Talla Reservoir

 

The Crook Inn at last!

 

 

After the hardest day’s cycling (on what would prove to be the worst weather day), through stunning

scenery, our second night’s stop was at the Crook Inn. A very interesting building: hundreds of years

old in parts, with an arts décor entrance, and a genuine link with Robert Burns (he wrote the poem

“Willie Wastle” in the bar). We can really recommend this as a stopover whether doing the Borderloop

or not. The rooms are spacious and reasonably priced, and the evening meals are good value and

excellent quality.

 

Day 3 and the weather is great!

 

7 miles on the A701, one of the rare occasions when traffic is a concern

 

Broughton. John Buchan’s “Woodilee” in “Witch Wood”

 

 

 

John Buchan (1875-1940) spent his childhood holidays here in Tweedsmuir. His love of this area was obvious from his novels such as The Thirty Nine Steps. And he took the name Lord Tweedsmuir after his election to the House of Lords in 1935.

 

 

This day was a short cycling day (31-miles grade B+), a rest day much needed after two hard days. We spent our third

night in Traquair. There are numerous places to stay in and around the Peebles and Innerleithen area.

The cycling today was marvellous with beautiful views at almost every turn. The gates of Traquair House

are worth a look; they haven’t been opened since the fall of the Stuart Dynasty.

 

Day 4 (37-miles grade C+) and the weather is still good.

 

North we go from Traquair on a deserted road through the hills

 

 

Always time for a rest

Our first view of the Eildon Hills

 

On the road to Melrose

 

The Eildon Hills

 

 

 

Our forth night is in Melrose; another Border town worthy of a longer stay. Melrose has many very nice places

to stay and abundant opportunities for evening meals. The leg from Traquair to Melrose is rather tough; it includes

the steepest climb on this clock-wise route. The hill out of Stow feels as though it’s going on forever!

 

 

Day 5 Melrose to Duns (33-miles grade C-)

 

Over the Tweed, to

 

Scott’s View

 

 

 

 

 

Look out for Wallace’s statue a little before Scott’s View

 

 

 

Wallace’s view

 

 

 

William Wallace

 

 

 

Turn left at Smailholm

 

 

 

Look out for the cat!

 

 

 

 

Quite roads to Smailholm

 

Take time to explore Hume Castle. The castle itself is a Victorian reconstruction, but the view from the castle hill is 360 degrees and on a clear day you can see virtually the entire route of the Borderloop.

 

 

We spent our fifth night at Duns. There are not too many places to stay in Duns,

however we can recommend The Black Bull.

 

Day 6 Duns to St Abbs (30-miles grade B+)

 

A Must Visit tea-stop

“The Riverside” at

Abbey St Bathans

 

St Abbs harbour

 

 

We opted to stay at St Abbs rather than Eyemouth. Either location would have served, but St Abbs is

such a pretty harbour we could not pass-by without staying the night. Getting a meal at St Abbs was a

problem, only one of the two hotels were serving, and it had to be the one furthest away from our B&B!

 

 

 

 

Day 7 St Abbs to Kelso via Norham (20-miles grade A+)

 

Union Suspension Bridge,

oldest of its type

 

Kelso Abby

 

The Millennium Viewpoint Kelso

 

The distance between St Abbs and Kirk Yetholm was going to be too much for us, so we decided to split

the distance and spend a night at Norham – our only dip in to England over the trip. We can recommend

the “Three Ways” B&B just outside of Norham. The last cycling day took us back to Kirk Yetholm 34-miles grade C-

 

Full Circle

 

Julie cycles towards Cheviot

 

Back to Kirk Yetholm and our 1st  B&B

 

275 Miles!

 

 

Overall the way marking of the Borderloop is excellent; by and large you allow the route signs to keep

you right. The BIG exception to this is in the route marking around Coldstream, which we managed to

miss completely bypassing it to the north.

 

The selection of starting point for the trip is largely down to personal whim; we would strongly recommend

however that the route be done clockwise to avoid having to climb the steepest hills!

 

Most of the route has abundant hotels and B&Bs; the obvious exception to this is the 62 miles from Hawick

to Peebles where you are largely limited to Tushielaw Inn, Tibbie Shiels Inn and Crook Inn.

 

The Borderloop is a great cycling trip – enjoy!