WALK OF THE WEEK
The Eildon Hills and Tweed Valley
THE Eildon Hills rise dramatically from the Tweed valley and give panoramic views of the Borders as well as of the waters of the Tweed itself.
Thanks to their prominence, the hills have been used for fortifications throughout the ages. During the Iron Age, they were the site for hill forts and in Roman times a large military fort called Trimontium was created and formed the hub of a Scottish road network.
The ingenious invaders also built a signal station capable of warning the fort of danger.
The Eildon Hills Walk follows the signed St Cuthbert’s Way from the centre of Melrose, Roxburghshire, climbing steeply to a saddle. Halfway up, there’s the option of skirting around to the left. Otherwise, continue on to the saddle and climb Eildon North Hill.
The descent follows Eildon Walk signs on a track that heads east and then north to return walkers to the historic Melrose Abbey.
The abbey is also one of the four great 12th century abbeys – the others include Dryburgh, Kelso and Jedburgh – which provide the focus for another of the region’s longer distance walking routes. This is the 66-mile/105km circular Borders Abbeys Way.
Another popular Scottish Borders town is Peebles, where you will find a range of independent shops, cafes and restaurants.
The town makes a great base for walkers and many start here to begin the John Buchan Way. The route, which is named after the writer and diplomat John Buchan (1875-1940), heads 13 miles on established hill tracks to the pretty village of Broughton.
For an unrivalled network of waymarked trails, the 7stanes centre of Glentress Forest, near Peebles, is great for a few hours strolling, especially for families.
Although the centre is better known as a mountain bike haven, walkers should not overlook it. You will find an array of waymarked routes of differing lengths that head through sweet- smelling pines and offer superb views, especially when the sun is gli nting t hrough t he t r eetops of t he surrounding Tweed valley.