Bowmont Forest

About Bowmont Forest

Bowmont Forest lies 3 miles south of Kelso, to the east of Eckford. It was formerly known as Bowmont Moor and served as a racecourse with the grandstand near the cottages on the northern side.

When trees begun to be planted in 1816, the idea was not originally focused on growing a forest but instead to find work for the people of Kelso. Between 1816 and 1820 about 350 acres were planted with one and a quarter million trees. About three quarters of these were deciduous and of these, in 1966, only about ten were left standing. In October1998, forest trails were set out with signposts for the general public to walk in the woods.