Byreburn Forest

Circular woodland and quiet road walk. 3.5km/2 miles. Allow 1 hour to complete. Pavement, hard surfaced track, beaten earth path and minor road.

One gate. Moderate. Stout shoes or boots recommended.

For parking, enter Canonbie on the B6357 and turn left at the T-junction signed for Newcastleton, cross the Esk and turn immediately left for Byreburnfoot. Park at the picnic site on the left. Start Cross the old A7 and enter the wood on the forestry road. After 50m turn left at a fork and after 20m you will reach another junction. Walk straight ahead, crossing two footbridges before the path curves to the left near some fine Douglas fir trees.

At the next junction continue straight ahead to join a track coming from your left. Stay on the well-worn route, crossing a further four footbridges as you round the back of Canonbie sawmill, some 200m distant. Twenty metres after a large spruce tree head uphill on the needle-covered path to steps. Continue past a bench to the field boundary and follow the track clockwise around the field to join the hard track. Turn left to pass through a gateway before reaching the public road. You have just crossed an old branch of the North British Railway Company’s line from Carlisle to Hawick. The Byre Burn viaduct was demolished in 1987. Turn left on the minor road and cross the Byre burn. Take the track on the left immediately after the bridge for a pleasant woodland descent past the Fairy Loup waterfall. Turn left at the road junction, which has fine views along the River Esk. Continue through the attractive hamlet of Byreburnfoot and on past Canonbie sawmill to reach the car park and picnic site.