Things to do in the Scottish Borders

Activities in the Scottish Borders

Your stay in Newstead will suit the active as well as the less energetic. There are a range of activities and sports on the doorstep as well as two well-known walking routes.

Walking

The landscape of the Scottish Borders is characterised by green, rolling hills divided by beautiful river valleys - the most famous of which is the Tweed.

Border Forests Walks
The landscape of the Borders is characterised by extensive forests.

The Coastal Walk
A superb coastline of approximately 32 miles with many small coves and natural harbours. The birdlife is magnificent, and St Abb's Head, managed jointly by the National Trust for Scotland and the Scottish Wildlife Trust, is a National Nature Reserve.

Town and Village Walks
There is no better way to find out about a place than by walking round it. There are local walks leaflets for many towns and villages.

Ranger Led Walks
The Scottish Borders Council's Ranger Service operates a Guided Walks programme all year round, including winter walks.

Long Distance Walks
St Cuthbert's Way leads from Melrose, where St Cuthbert is said to have started his ministry, to Holy Island (Lindisfarne), where he ended his days.

The Southern Upland Way
For the experienced backpacker the Southern Upland Way, offers a challenging coast-to-coast crossing of Southern Scotland from Portpatrick on the west coast to Cockburnspath in Berwickshire passing through Melrose. It is possible to walk sections of the route in a day.

Border Abbeys Way
This circular route covering many of the main Borders Towns, as well as linking the four great abbeys on foot, is steadily being developed, and is being opened in sections as work progresses.

Cycling

The Scottish Borders is ideal cycling country for all ages and abilities - with a vast network of quiet country roads, exhilarating forest trails, and family routes along river valleys.

Fishing

Salmon
Often called the Queen of salmon rivers, the River Tweed runs through the heart of the Borders. The long season runs from 1st February to 30th November and during it more salmon are caught on the fly than any other British river.

Trout
The Tweed with its tributaries the Teviot, Ettrick, Leader, Whiteadder and many other small burns (streams), provides first-class fishing for brown trout.
Rainbow and brown trout fishing is also available in local lochs providing some excellent fishing.

Course Fishing
Although salmon and trout fishing predominates in the Tweed catchment, there are also many other fish to attract fishermen, such as perch, grayling, pike and roach.

Golf

Golfers coming to the Borders can enjoy some of Scotland's most breath-taking courses- and make great savings on green fees- with a freedom of the fairways' golfing passport available when staying at Swallow Cottage.

Riding

This is 'Scotland's Horse Country', where our local riding centres and schools cater for everyone from novices and small children to the more advanced.

*Thanks to Visit Scotland, Ian Oliver and Graham Riddell for use of photographs

Made by GWD