Scottish borders Alternatives

Looking for off piste routes in the hills of the Scottish borders, hopefully taking in the highest summits, long traverses with rewarding descents a bonus, any suggestions much appreciated.

cant remember the name of it but there is a book which has plenty of off piste riding routes in the borders. i have it at home but i’m on an oil rig just now and so have no access to it. i can ask the missus if she can have a look for it so i can get the name if you want. pretty sure its available in most outdoor shops ie Tiso. i think its a small blue and white covered book

Wow another hot topic, look guys i’m pretty certain most will be heading to Glentress, there is hardly a stampede for this stuff, so any information shared will be of little interest to the masses, i rode the Gypsy descent the other day and thought this ace, more of the same, if it exists would be fantastic, any ideas.

You can extend the Innerleithen xc route along the Southern Upland Way as a starter – down into the valley and back up again. Well-ridden route, described here and other places.

Think there’s a border route from Peebles on the trail section of this site isn’t there?

[Checks – aye, Broad Law is the one I was thinking of (not ridden it myself though)]

ETA There’s a trailquest at Innerleithen early June, and one in the valley below early July if you want to get off the beaten track round that area.

I would suggest areas west of Selkirk, anywhere up either of the valleys, you can link lots of routes via the old drove roads…

Thanks for the suggestions, didn’t think of looking on here, that longer route on Broad law may bear fruit and Selkirk good call.

While i am on here, any local dudes ride up on the rocky above Inners, is it a possible to make a loop out of the hills above, i noticed there was some trails coming out of the forrest to the L on the way up.

Here are some in the Cheviots:

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I have another Tracklogs (can make pdf) of ride from Selkirk to the Three Bethren and back, also one that is the 2005 Merida, which is basically Selkirk –> Three Bethren –> Minch Moor –> and back.

Also the Southern Upland way is useful for linking as well as using.

I did a decent loop from Peebles down to St Marys Loch cafe/pub using the old drove road and then came back on the SUW.

I have another Tracklogs (can make pdf) of ride from Selkirk to the Three Bethren and back, also one that is the 2005 Merida, which is basically Selkirk –> Three Bethren –> Minch Moor –> and back.

I’ve quite often started at Innerleithen and up the XC route to Minch Moor; along to the Three Brethren; down the Merida route; into Yair Forest – and back along the quiet back road to Innerleithen.

I’ve quite often started at Innerleithen and up the XC route to Minch Moor; along to the Three Brethren; down the Merida route; into Yair Forest – and back along the quiet back road to Innerleithen

Yep, that’d do it buddy.

+1 for the Eildons. Start in the village of Bowden, head over the common and then up through the woods (at the first farm track cross into the wood and go along for 200m rather than up the steps). You can do a nice 2/3 hours up there, although the biggest eildon is a bit steep.

Also as belleronphon says the cheviots. Pretty big hills and utterly deserted.

some eildon pictures:

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Was pondering the hills above Melrose just the other day on the drve back from Peebles, so is the crest of the Eildons worth the effort.

The Cheviots are my own back yard, the quite county, i know them very well.

Bellerphron that looks good, any tips for a loop taking in all the best bits, the more technical the better.

Damn the Eildons are just off my map!

A couple more Eildon pictures:

hey br nice one

fergal
Bellerphron that looks good, any tips for a loop taking in all the best bits, the more technical the better.

I’m thinking… whilst watching Die Hard 4

From the Eildons you can get over to a long, fast descent through some woodland – brings you out behind the hospital. There’s also some great singletrack down beside the Tweed – comes to a dead end eventually, as I found a few years ago…

Hi Fergal,

To be honest we would normally just ride the loop I put up earlier, the descent down from the eastern summit to the road is superb and fast. You can make the start of the descent more technical as there are a couple of steep options.

If you don’t feel the need for an actual route you could spend a couple of hours dicking about on the eildons, I did this and it’s quite good fun. what I did was park up in Eildon village, there’s a track that’ll take you to St Cuthbert’s Way, from here I basically went up each of the hills; small one first, then up the middle one this was a push. Going down the other side there is a very steep rocky path. Then up the eastern hill and down again…

We’ll all have different ideas of technical, mucking about like this gives you the chance to try the trickier bits. The loop I posted, has it’s technical bits – one being a rooty climb for example..

Like Mr Lager says

There’s a trailquest at Innerleithen early June, and one in the valley below early July if you want to get off the beaten track round that area.

I did the peebles event this month and ended up going up into the Eildon hills and Cademuir where I’d never been before. Discovered some great single track and fireroads.

Really friendly events and cheap (£17 for a solo and included food!)

Check out http://www.smbo.org.uk

Next one is 5th June at Traquair I think.

I had a shot of bellerophon’s Halterburn route yesterday afternoon. Managed to get totally lost somewhere near Eldonburn and eventually had to bail out via the road to get back to the car! Couldn’t find the st cuthberts way route heading West from Eldonburn despite having compass and map. Good ride though!

One of my favourites is a better variation on that ride, if you like summits like i do, continue to The Schill, a push to the top, then retrace your steps to the Steer rig descent, but instead of going right just stick to the ridge, big country with great open views.

Seen this?
[ur]http://www.singletrackworld.com/trailguide/uk/southern-scotland/peebles/[/url]

wonny j st cuthbers way from eldon burn is ploughed out and then seeded thus the trail disappears at cetrain times of the year and i can see how you would get lost .
we now use a sheep track to climb up out of elsdon burn 🙂
so stright on at elsdon burn then cut left along sheep tracks to lower farmstead. then climb 30 metres and folow sheep track that spits you back out on st cuthberts way.

yes the ploughed out feild is scaldhill shank here
865 280

the heatherhope ride
all downhill to hownam from here

Apologies dragging up and oldish thread…

wonny j – glad to see you enjoyed the ride although you got lost; I presume you made it back to the top for the final descent into Halterburn ford?

Fergal – I really must make the effort to get to The Schill 😳

Hey Bellerrophon i had a spin around the Eildons the other eve, the rocky bits on the middle peak are a tad awkward with all that loose shaley stuff, bottled abit, probably not the best descent but went off the last peak down to the gate, how steep is that grass!.

While i’m here where is the descent in that fith pic of yours?

fergal – yeah tis a bit loose 🙂

probably not the best descent but went off the last peak down to the gate, how steep is that grass!.

I take it that was down the back towards Eildon village as it were?? the grass is very steep, I had trouble running down that once!!

Anyway the best descent is to look at the second picture I posted; you see the track just starting on the top of the hill left of centre, well take that until you hit the fork, above the brown circle bit, take the right fork and join that track that contours around the left hand side of the hill, watch our for the water bars but that is a lovely descent. At the end you can then sort of double back on yourself and head up back up the hill on the other side of the picture and then take the steep path down to the corner gate like you already did.

While i’m here where is the descent in that fith pic of yours?

I’ll have to have a think about that one, I’ve got other pics to remind me…..

I’ve started riding up through Cardrona forest and back into Peebles by Gypsy Glen. It’s about a 2hr loop door to door but can be made into a much bigger ride by following this route:

That route youngrob’s refering to was similar to last year’s Natural Tweed route – part of the Tweedlove bike festival. That one was longer though and went into Cademuir too so not many folk managed the whole route. This year (June 18/19) there are two big days out on quality trails over the hills out of Inners and Peebles, and they’re free to join. You have to register in advance though, here. Natural Tweed’s what you want.