Although the Tweed Valley is not as famous as the Scottish Highlands for its walking, that doesn't mean that there aren't some great walks to be done here. To put it into context, our highest hill, Broad Law is a Corbett, and at 840 metres (2755 feet) it would be England's 30th highest mountain and Wales's 29th according to my calculations. It's a great day out and the broad rounded top lies at the intersection of three ridges which run S to Cairn Law (717m), SE to Lamb Knowe (662) and NNW to Great Knock (693m). The slopes on this hill are generally easy but the crags of Polmood Craig lie only 850m NE of the summit.
And if you are looking for walking holidays in Scotland then The Southern Upland Way [1] runs straight through the Tweed Valley. At 212 miles it is a demanding long distance footpath, the recommended time to complete being 15 days. The route offers superb and varied walking from riversides and lochs to climbing over a mountain pass. There are many interesting places to visit on the walk like the Three Brethren, Traquair House [2] and Melrose Abbey. Many sections, taken as smaller units, provide ideal walking holiday opportunities for families in Scotland and the less ambitious walker and there is booklet available to help you plan your walk or local organisations that can assist with self guided and guided walks.
Wholly within our area is the John Buchan Way [3], a route from Peebles to Broughton, a distance of approximately 22km (13 miles). It is named after the writer and diplomat John Buchan (1875-1940). Most people would remember John Buchan as a novelist and writer of fast moving thrillers, of which the best known - The Thirty Nine Steps - became a successful Hitchcock film. However he spent childhood holidays in Tweeddale, and took the name Lord Tweedsmuir when he was elected to the House of Lords in 1935. The Southern Upland walk can be completed in one day by strong walkers, or can conveniently be split at the halfway point at Stobo by catching a bus.
That's not to say that there aren't many easier walks though. We have included a range of our favourites with directions on our website to give you a flavour around the centres of West Linton [4], Broughton, Peebles [5], Innerleithen [6], St. Mary's Loch and Selkirk. These are graded easy (a leg stretch), intermediate (a couple of hours) or a strenuous (a day walk) and come with some instructions and a map where appropriate. NB We would always recommend that you do not rely on these alone when heading for the hills, and follow normal good practice with a map and compass as well as the usual advice on clothing and letting someone know where you are going.
If you want to join a party then the Borders has its own Rambling Group [7] who organise walks.
Later this year the Border's Walking Festiva [8]l is coming to the Tweed Valley in 2010.
The one thing we don't have here however is crowds. On many of our walks you'll be lucky to meet another soul. So if you're tired of traffic jams, crowded summits and motorways up the mountains, then try the Tweed Valley for some peace and solitude, and some perfect walking experiences.We also have a section of the Southern Upland.
Article contributed by Steve Davies, Caddon View Guesthouse [9]