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Borders Abbeys Way

Walking Route

Borders Abbeys Way

Walking

The Borders Abbeys Way links the four great ruined abbeys in the Borders’ region – Dryburgh, Jedburgh, Kelso and Melrose.

The route also follows The Rivers Tweed and Teviot and the waters Jed and Ale in part. The route is divided into five-six day walks, however, you can divide it into shorter sections to suit yourself. There are VisitScotland Information Centres (tourism information) in Jedburgh, Hawick Selkirk, Melrose and Kelso; the Jedburgh centre is open all year round. This route is one of Scotland’s Great Trails.

Further information:
Borders Abbeys Way
Downloads:
BAW_Intro.pdf BAW_Hawick_to_Selkirk-1.pdf BAW_Selkirk_to_Melrose-1.pdf BAW_Melrose_to_Kelso-1.pdf BAW50-57-1.pdf BAW_Jed_to_Hawick-1.pdf BAW_Selkirk_To_Melrose.gpx BAW_Melrose_To_Kelso.gpx BAW_Kelso_To_Jedburgh.gpx BAW_Jedburgh_To_Hawick.gpx BAW_Hawick_To_Selkirk.gpx
height
Distance:
10.5mi / 17km
trending_flat
Total climb:
1,378ft / 420m
trending_flat
Total descent:
1,607ft / 490m
Towns along route:
Melrose, Kelso, Hawick, Galashiels
Difficulty:
Hard
Difficulty notes:
Riverside paths, tracks,road, forest rides, farm fields, old railway lines and old drove roads.
Our best efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of data, however the data and geographic information contained along route lines and on maps should be used for informational purposes only.

What you'll see

Image of Melrose

Melrose

Towns & Villages

The trail starts in Melrose beside the magical Eildon Hills.

Image of Drumlanrig’s Tower

Drumlanrig’s Tower - Hawick

Buildings, Historic Buildings, Monuments & Statues

A recently restored 16th-century building

Image of Kelso

Kelso

Towns & Villages

The large town of Kelso lies near to the meeting point of the River Tweed and the River Teviot.

Image of Hawick

Hawick

Towns & Villages

Hawick is the largest of the Border towns with a long history stretching back to the 1100’s.

Image of Galashiels

Galashiels

Towns & Villages

Lying in the narrow valley of the Gala Water, Galashiels is one of the most popular towns in the Scottish Borders.