We’re in the Selkirk area on Wednesday and Thursday.
Could anyone give us a nice flat(tish) route for 15 to 25 miles?

Also, does anyone on here do any white water kayaking on the area?
We have the opportunity to take boats and bikes, so it’d be nice to get a bot of both in.

Thanks.

My suggestions for shortish rides would involve heading West and link the Yarrow and Ettrick (climb between Yarrow and Ettrickbridge). Or similarly to head out via Yair and then climb over between Traquair and Mountbenger to link the Tweed and Yarrow. Either of these would be a little longer than you are asking for, and basically flat all along the rivers but with one climb and descent to link the neighbouring valleys.

An alternative with a bit more navigation would be heading out of town East past the golf course towards St Boswells, then South to Lilliesleaf, West towards and across the A7 at Ashkirk, then the Minor road initially NW then NE that brings you to the Ettrick road and back into town by the rugby club. This is more undulating and doesn’t really have any significant climbs to speak of. You can do less climbing still if you stick to the main roads but traffic and driving tends to put me off.

RE paddling – I know a few folk who have done stuff on bits of the Tweed, Ettrick, Yarrow and some other places which sounded good. Not knowing much about it myself I guess a lot of it depends on water levels and your ability as to whether it is feasible and the right level of watery-gnar. Quite often see people putting in at various spots though, and then there’s the slalom course at Yair which I have been down a long time ago and is pretty obvious. Should give you options whatever the weather though.

One of my favourite stretches of road right now is the B711 from Cacrabank to Hawick, you normally see more buzzards than cars. Can highly recommend making that into a loop or even a there and back.

Selkirk and flat are two different things, but there are some flat bits.

https://www.scotborders.gov.uk/downloads/file/917/selkirk_cycle_routes

“Orange Route Ettrickfoot and Yair ”
A7 north, left at Lindean over Ettrick Bridge onto disused road to Tweed Bridge. Then left along B7060 to Yair Bridge. Then onto A707 continue to Philiphaugh (Selkirk).
followed by
“Green Route Bowhill”
Leave Philiphaugh (Selkirk) on A708.
Turn left at Generals Brig continue on B7039.
Turn left onto B7009 continue to Selkirk.

Thanks all. some good pointers there, we’ll see what the weathers like, and choose accordingly.

A major problem you’ll have is that Selkirk is on a hill, and surrounded by hills… And many of the valleys have only the main road going through them, so you/OH to be happy on faster roads.

The routes proposed by bajsyckel may be ‘undulating’ for around here, but if you/OH are use to flatter terrain then they’re bloody big climbs…

There is a cycle route from Selkirk to Tweedbank, all on paths and estate roads etc. Follows the A7 to start with. From Tweedbank it’s quiet into Melrose (cafe at Greenhouse has plenty of space in/out). You could then either retrace your steps or take the closed road to Newtown then side roads to Lilliesleaf and round to Selkirk only hitting the A7 a couple of miles south where there’s a cycle path alongside.

http://greenhousecafemelrose.com/

RE paddling – I know a few folk who have done stuff on bits of the Tweed, Ettrick, Yarrow and some other places which sounded good…….

This was a planned trip that was going to go up the Highlands this week, to do some of the rivers there, the Awe and Garry were top of the list, but the partial lockdown has knocked that on the head.
Another river was the Ettrick to Selkirk in the borders,but the people who were coming with us cancelled due to lockdown, so we’re a bit stuffed in getting back to the start with our boats.
On the biking side. we were doing some routes around Loch Rannoch.
And a little house hunting.

My OH has now seen the bike she wants for sale in Melrose, so we’re doing a 2 day, one night, trip to fetch it and, hopefully get a boat and bike trip in. As it happens, the neighbour of the bike seller rents out kayaking kit, so we’re hoping she’ll be able to come out with us for a few hours on Thursday, and show us the get on/off points, and if need be, I can lock the bike up at the start, and pick it up later. That means I’ll be taking the pub bike, but it’s better than not going.

Just got back home.
We only did an out and back ride to Ettrick Bridge.
The OH bought a bike from Melrose earlier. The seller said he’ll include SPD pedals. Great. Until we saw it and he had put on SPD-R pedals. He runs a bike shop, and didnt know the difference.
Down to Galashiels, where we eventually got a new pair from Halfords, the other shop (Diamonds?) cost too much, and only had the basic, heavy ones. Fitted,and it was gone 2pm, and the roads were nowhere near flat, despite following the river for 7 miles. That hill into Selkirk town centre- I need to loose weight.
Have you seen that Butcher in Melrose?
Sells the worst Stovies I’ve ever had.
A really good kayak trip from Ettrickbridge to Selkirk today. I’ve never been on a river with so many rapids. It was very low water, so pretty easy going. A great 2 days.

That hill into Selkirk town centre-

https://www.bordertelegraph.com/news/18161062.televised-urban-downhill-race-planned-selkirk/

Have you seen that Butcher in Melrose?

There are two. You should have gone to somewhere like Selkirk or Gala maybe.

the roads were nowhere near flat, despite following the river for 7 miles.

Rivers do tend to flow down hills.

We only did an out and back ride to Ettrick Bridge.
A bridge a mile north of Selkirk.

OK, EttrickBridge.
The butcher, was described as the ‘strange one’.
She was lovely. But sold terrible stovies. Nice if you like mashed spud and raw onion, which is all it tasted of.
The joke from the bike shop owner was ‘the meat has gone, there’s only 2 veg there’.

The joke from the bike shop owner was ‘the meat has gone, there’s only 2 veg there’.

This only works when you’ve met the Butcher…

That hill into Selkirk town centre- I need to loose weight.

I did tell you Selkirk was on a hill
This terrain is why my afternoon ride yesterday was 10 miles and 2,500 feet.

Selkirk is lovely, we’d move there if I could get a job locally.
The trouble with a lot of houses in the area is that they have no outdoor space. No room for even a shed. There is a nice one for sale on Kirk Wynd, we looked at it, the interior has been refurbd to a good standard, but there is just a tiny yard, so no room for the pedal bikes, never mind a motorbike.
6 Kirk Wynd

Something like this may be suitable:
Heathpark

But its all down to money. £100k would be fine, £150k would be mortgage etc.
The job has to come first.

But its all down to money. £100k would be fine, £150k would be mortgage etc.
The job has to come first.

A £50k mortgage will be pennies, and where else can you buy that kind of property for £150k?

When you havent got much anyway, £50k is rather a lot.
10 years, what, £400 a month?
That’s similar to what I’m paying now, but then there are moving and legal costs, and a new (to us) house will need work doing to it, so it isnt just an extra £50k, more like £70k.
I’d need a job to be able to afford to move there. I could live for maybe a month with no income, then I’m stuffed.