All of the following walks start and end at
the excellent Caberston Farm Coffee Shop where you will find a warm welcome and a good selection of
food including sandwiches, soups and cakes.
The walks can be found on OS maps Explorer 337 and
Landranger 73. The sketch map gives only an idea of the route and is not
intended to be relied upon in isolation.
(Click on the map to see a larger version) While every effort has
been made to make sure the information in these descriptions is correct
you are always advised to assess whether the route you choose is within
your own capability and to carry with you a map so that you can trace
your route carefully.
Remember too that most of these walks are on
forestry tracks which do change and can be confusing at times when you
are in the trees with little view around, so a compass can also help to
keep you on the right route.
1
A riverside walk on tarmac
surfaces.
A straightforward walk, with no ascent or descent,
of about 6km (4 miles)
From the café cross the A72 with care and walk down
Caberston Road opposite for about 80 metres until you reach the sign for
the multi-use path to Innerleithen.
Turn right here and follow this track past the rugby ground and
Caberston Fisheries (an alternative is to continue past the signed path
to the gate just past the school, and passing through turn right and
walk across the field until you reach the fishery cabin.)
After about 2km you will reach
the old railway bridge over the Tweed by the caravan park on the
outskirts of Innerleithen.
Turn left and cross the bridge and at the end
follow the path round to the right and then up onto the road.
Turn left onto the road and walk along past the stables on the
right and alongside Plora wood until you come to a junction at which you
turn left and walk across the river valley to cross the bridge onto
Caberston Road again.
Turn left along the road and then follow the road
round to the right and back up to the A72.
Again cross with care and go for your reward at the cafe.
2
To Priesthope, then on forestry tracks to Innerleithen and return
along the river
A walk mainly on forest tracks with a very steep
descent into Innerleithen and on a tarmac path 10 km (7 miles)
Take the path to the left of the café alongside the
building. Go through the
gate at the end of the building and walk around to the left and go
through another gate near to the burn.
Follow the path over fields gaining height with views back down
the valley. Pass
through a number of gates until you get to the edge of the forest.
Go over the stile and then follow the forestry track until you
come to a crossing track.
Ahead you can see a ruined building at Priesthope.
Turn sharply left and walk along the track and up
the hill until eventually the trees thin and give you a view over to Lee
Hope in front and to the right.
The main track goes to the right at this point, but you go to the
left along the ridge with the land sloping away on both sides.
To the left you can see along the Tweed valley towards
Walkerburn.
After about 300 metres, the path becomes very steep
and falls away down to Innerleithen.
Descend with care until you reach a track and turn left going
around and slightly upwards at the base of a small hill.
After a hundred metres or so you start to descend again and come
to a path in woodland. Go
left along this path which will lead you down to Horsburgh Terrace on
the outskirts of Innerleithen.
Cross the A72 with care and go right and then left
into Horsburgh Street. Walk
down to the end and turn left onto Montgomery Street.
Just after you pass George Street on the left you will see a
signed path on the right alongside the caravan park.
Go down this path and at the end turn left along the multi-use
path to Walkerburn. Just
before the bridge over the river turn left and continue along until you
reach Caberston Road. Turn
left on the road and walk up to the end crossing the A72 with care and
go to the café!
3
A walk across the river and around Bier Law
On quiet roads at the start and finish with a
section of forest track in the middle 6 – 7 km ( 4+ miles)
From the Caberston Farm Coffee Shop cross the A72 with care and
walk down Caberston Road following the road round to the left and on to
the Tweed bridge. Cross the
river
and continue past the old station going left at the fork and along the
‘back road’ past West Bold farm to the turning on the right at the
Glenbenna sign. Go up the
track to the right passing through the small group of houses and then
though a forestry barrier.
Continue up the track to a sharp turn to the left and take this turn, walk on taking in
the views over the valley and back to Walkerburn at various points.
After a short climb the track flattens out and the
view opens to the east for a time until you enter the trees.
Continue until you come to track at a T junction.
Turn left going down the hill and continue along this route until
you reach the road once more.
Turn left onto the road and walk back along until you once again
come to Glenbenna. Retrace
your steps from here to the village.
4
Bier Law circular
Mainly on forestry tracks with great views of the
valley 12km (7.5 miles)
From the Caberston Farm Coffee Shop cross the A72 with care and
walk down Caberston Road following the road round to the left and on to
the Tweed bridge. Cross the
river and continue past the old station going left at the fork and along
the ‘back road’ past West Bold farm to the turning on the right at the
Glenbenna sign. Go up the
track to the right passing through the small group of houses and then
though a forestry barrier.
Continue up the track for just over 2 km with the
Bold Burn to your right and crossing Glenbenna Burn at about the ¾ point
on the ascent. Go left at a
sharp turn as the track begins to go towards the right.
The gradient increases as you walk around Glenbenna Head with the
burn down to your left.
After about 1.5 km you turn back along the track
and cross the burn and then begin your descent to track round Middlebar
Howe. Continue along until
there is a forestry track descending to your left.
Take this track until it meets another almost horizontal track
going off to the left. Walk
along here which will take around Bier Law and then down to a sharp turn
to the right where you join your earlier track.
Turn right here, walk down through Glenbenna and turn left onto
the back road to retrace your steps back to the village.
5
The big W - Glenbenna, Shiel Craig and Plora
Mainly on forestry tracks with great views of the
valley 13km (8 miles)
From the Caberston Farm Coffee Shop cross the A72 with care and
walk down Caberston Road following the road round to the left and on to
the Tweed bridge. Cross the
river and continue past the old station going left at the fork and along
the ‘back road’ past West Bold farm to the turning on the right at the
Glenbenna sign. Go up the
track to the right passing through the small group of houses and then
though a forestry barrier.
Continue up the track with the Bold Burn to your
right and crossing Glenbenna Burn after about 1.5km.
Follow this track as it turns to the right and then at a 90o
turn to the right follow the track round and turn to walk north looking
down on the track you have just walked with Bold Burn still your right.
The walk continues along this track around Bold Rig
with a fairly steady ascent passing Shiel Craig and then turning back to
the south west and then again back to the north to complete the W shape.
Along this section where trees have been felled there are some
excellent views of the valley.
Beware of cyclists at the point where the mountain bike trail
crosses and runs along this route.
After about 2km there is a junction at which take
the right fork and start to descend again.
This track goes through an area where the ground slopes off
steeply to the right, and eventually turns round to the left and then
down to a quarry area. From here on there is a chance of encountering a
minibus and trailer laden with mountain bikes on their way up to the top
of the bike runs. Turn back to
the right here and continue along to a point where there are good views
over Innerleithen. The
route passes a community woodland area and looks down on Plora Wood with
its mix of beech and other broadleaf species.
At the road turn sharply to the right and walk
along until there is a fork.
Go left and cross the valley floor to retrace your steps to the
village.
6
Up to Minch Moor and then around Plora Craig with views over
Innerleithen
A walk on forestry tracks with a chance to visit a
view point at Minch Moor 15km (9.5 miles)
From the Caberston Farm Coffee Shop cross the A72 with care and
walk down Caberston Road following the road round to the left and on to
the Tweed bridge. Cross the
river and continue past the old station going left at the fork and along
the ‘back road’ past West Bold farm to the turning on the right at the
Glenbenna sign. Go up the
track to the right passing through the small group of houses and then
though a forestry barrier.
Continue up the track with the Bold Burn to your
right and crossing Glenbenna Burn after about 1.5km.
Follow this track as it turns to the right and then at a 90o
turn to the right follow the track round and turn to walk north looking
down on the track you have just walked with Bold Burn still your right.
After 400m take a sharp turn to the left and once
again walk southwards for about 2 .5 km.
You will then come out onto the Southern Upland Way (SUW).
Turn right along the SUW, after a little short of a kilometre you
will see a sign to the Minch Moor top where there is a cairn.
There are excellent views from here and it is worth the slight
diversion.
Having enjoyed the views, return to the SUW and
continue along when you will shortly pass the Cheese Well marked by a
stone. Continue for a
further 1.7km until you reach just above the edge of the forested area.
There is a crossing track and you should go to the right and
continue along this track for over 5km taking in the views over the
valley and down onto Innerleithen.
Once you reach about half way along this stretch you may
encounter more mountain bikers and the uplift coach so take care.
The road passes a quarry area and the road forks.
Continue your descent down to the road where you turn right and
walk to the fork going left to walk across the valley and back to your
start point.
Site maintained by Walkerburn Community Development Trust |