Glen Sax (Oct 2014)

PLEASE NOTE: The GPX trace on this route is for use as a guide only, its accuracy may change depending on the scale of map you are using. Use in combination with judgement and a paper map. We have taken all reasonable steps to ensure these walks are safe and correctly described. However things do change and all outdoor activities involve a degree of risk. The publishers accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions or for any injuries or accidents that occur whilst following this walk. Trail magazine, Copyright Bauer Media Limited.


Distance 27.5 km (17 miles)
Total ascent 950m
Time 9½ hours
Start/finish Peebles: Kingsmeadows car park at south end of Tweed Bridge (NT251401)
Nearest town Peebles
Terrain grassy or heathery hills and ridges, with paths mostly good, soggy briefly after Dun Rig

Accommodation camping Rosetta Holiday Park Peebles April – October (01721) 720770; Glentress Forest Lodges, wigwams and camping open all year www.glentressforestlodges.co.uk; www.mtb-borders.com is a useful site run by mountain bikers
Public transport frequent buses from Edinburgh www.travelinescotland.com 0871 200 2233
Tourist info Peebles (01721) 723159 www.discovertheborders.co.uk

Today we walk up hills for fun. But in the Borders  500 years ago, EnglandScotland politics meant that neither side could enforce its laws or civilisation. Survival depended on your local family clan, its small fields of kale and corn, and its cattle – supplemented, where necessary, with somebody else’s. And so, for the Scotts and Kerrs and Armstrongs, stealing cows from your neighbour across the hill was an honourable profession. A good pony, navigation skills, and knowledge of the hill country: for you and your family, these meant surviving through another winter; or else, starvation.

High across the Manor Hills runs the green path of the cattle raiders, known today as the Thief’s Road. It’s an airy highway along the 2,000ft contour, with skylarks above, heather like a purple haze across the valley heads, and cotton grass brushing against your knees. Later, the union of the two kingdoms turned the raiders into drovers, as beef on the hoof headed south to the markets  of England. They used the hill paths their grandfathers had, and the wide green way above the steeps of Glen Sax was churned black every autumn. Walking out of Peebles, you’ll pass the Drover’s Way and Gallows Hill – reminders of cattle trade both criminal and legit.  

And when global warming and overpopulation finally wreck the world’s economy, life might well return to the clan and the kale yard. Then, it’ll be your hill skills that help you survive. We can all think of one fundamental human drive in three letters starting with S and ending in X. But maybe another one, on the high grass ridge of the Manors, can be named as the human (and maybe a few cows in front of us) Sax drive. NT251401 Cross the B7062 away from the river, bearing left into Springhill Road opposite. Follow it south-east to the very edge of Peebles. Keep ahead along a wide, wooded path. It soon dips to a stream (Gypsy Glen).

NT261390 Turn left, downstream, for about 100m, then cross a footbridge. A wide path runs up through woods, then between widelyspaced walls that are typical of old drove roads. After a plantation, emerge through a gate at the open hill. Follow the wall on your right gently uphill to another gate, where the track reforms. At the ridge crest, the track bears left along the ridge flank, regaining the crest at a col.

NT273372 Follow fences and a path along the ridge crest up the rise of Kailzie Hill. Bear right past a plantation corner – Kailzie’s summit cairn is in the heather to the right of the path. The ridgeline fence leads on over Birkscairn Hill. Cross a peaty col and rejoin the fence up to the trig point on Dun Rig.
NT253315 Follow a fence down south-west to the first col, then contour west on a damp path to find the fenceline running down north towards Glenrath Heights. Descend to a col, then ascend to Middle Hill, and follow the fence as it bends left at Broom Hill. A sharp descent and rise lead to Stob Law.

NT230332 Descend north-west, finding a good hill track skirting just to the right of Glenrath Hill. The ridge leads down north to Canada Hill. Head down steeply north-west, with a fence to your left, becoming a wall lower down. At the top corner of a plantation take a gate on the left and go down to the left of the trees. At the slope foot take a gate into the trees, and turn left along their edge. A green track ahead leads out to a road near Cademuir farm.

NT221367 Follow the road left to cross Manor Water, and turn right for 400m to Kirkton Manor and its church. Turn left on a driveway between gateposts. After 1km, a stile on the right, marked ‘Tweed Walk’, leads to the River Tweed.

NT219390 Follow the Tweed downstream to a road bridge. Cross, and continue downstream on a railway path to the left of the river. Soon fork off right on a smaller riverside path. Walk out onto the railway viaduct to enjoy the view but then stay left of the river to pass below Neidpath Castle to a park at the edge of Peebles. Cross a metal footbridge, and continue downstream. At the road bridge, pass under its arch just  above the water to the car park.