John Buchan Way

The route mainly follows long-established hill tracks through the Peeblesshire Countryside. There are three main ascents and descents on the route giving a total climb of 800metres but none of them are too severe.

The route is waymarked in both directions.

The route may be completed in one day by strong walkers. Alternatively there is a convenient half way split at Stobo where the local bus will stop. Due to the length of the route and the exposed nature of some parts it is recommended that you take a detailed map.

The John Buchan Way was named after the author and statesman John Buchan (1875-1940), who has many associations with the area. Most people today would remember him as a novelist; his best known work being “The Thirty-Nine Steps.”
Buchan was born in Perth in 1875, the son of a minister; while he was growing up the family lived in Fife, Glasgow and the Borders. After studying at Glasgow University for two years he graduated from Oxford University. His academic foundations allowed him to pursue a very varied career including editing The Spectator, serving as a Member of Parliament for Scottish Universities (1927-1935), becoming a director of Nelson’s publishers and acting as a war correspondent and latterly Director of Information during the First World War.
The Buchan family ties with the area remain to this day. Buchan’s brother Walter was Town Clerk of Peebles, a noted local historian who wrote The History of Peeblesshire. The family lived in Peebles’ High Street near the Parish Church in Bank House. John’s younger sister, Anna, wrote novels under the pseudonym O Douglas; she lived most of her life in Peebles and used it as ‘Priorsford’ in her books.


Stage 1: Peebles to Stobo (11km/6.5 miles):
The walk starts from Bank House, at the west end of Peebles High Street. This was a Buchan family home and was later the offices of J. & W. Buchan, Solicitors. The John Buchan Centre is now located on Peebles High Street entered by a door in the archway that leads to Tweeddale Museum and Library.
After crossing the bridge keep to the right of the hundred year old oak tree in the traffic island and take the short section of road running uphill. Thereafter follow the waymarkers through the vennels onto Chambers Terrace and Craigerne Lane. Turn right here through a metal gate and walk uphill beside the wall. At the wall junction, go through the wooden gate and take the right-hand of the three paths, climbing and curving right on to Cademuir Hill.
The path joins a power line and continues its steady climb. You are likely to hear, if not see, buzzards here and curlews are often prominent with their mournful cry in the late spring and summer. At a fork, go left, with higher hills visible ahead and to the right. The summit of Cademuir is now clear. At the next fork, go right and continue around the hill on a good grass path.
At a multiple path junction keep ahead towards Cademuir Hill, and at the next fork go left and take the path that runs beside the wall and start descending [or go right to visit the forts on Cademuir, and return to the same point]. There is a superb view of the hills at the head of Glensax, with Hundleshope Heights (685m) prominent.
Follow the lovely path as it curves right and runs easily down past a Scots pine plantation to the road. Just before reaching the road, take the path that parallels the tarmac, a few metres above it, and runs round the base of the hill. Join the road just past the entrance to Cademuir Farm. It swings left and right past Milton Farm. Cross the Manor Water, passing picnic tables where you may be tempted to take a break. Turn left along the Manor Valley road to reach The Glack.
At the farm go left for a few metres and then right, through a metal gate onto Woodhouse Farm’s fields, head up through the field through several gates. After wet weather this section can be rather damp. The going improves as you get higher. Cross an old dyke, go past the corner of the wood and over a stile at the boundary march between The Glack and Easter Dawyck.
Go straight ahead and then left contouring around the hill, keeping the wall/fence on your right; at the corner of the fence turn right and head downhill again keeping the fence on your right. Cross the small burn by the bridge, join the farm track and turn right. At the second gate, turn left to follow the fence. Cross the track and go through the small gate and continue ahead to another gate/stile. Cross, and turn left along the farm access road. Cross the bridge over the Tweed and reach the main road. Turn right to continue the walk, or wait here for the bus if returning to Peebles. Stobo Kirk is a short distance along the road, and is well worth a visit. More information is found in the panel.

Stage 2: Stobo to Broughton (11km / 6.5m)
In 200 metres from the road-end to Easter Dawyck you pass the entrance to Stobo Kirk. The walk, however, takes the next opening on the left, signed for Easterknowe Farm. Past the cottages, turn left through a gate onto a lesser track by the Easton Burn. Continue along the track as signed, climbing gently, with a good view of the hill named Penvalla ahead. ‘Pen’ meaning ‘end’, ‘head’ or ‘hill’ is a fairly common name element in the Borders.
Pass through gates at sheep pens through a further gate. Then be sure to take the left fork. It is waymarked but can still be easily missed. Walk beside the plantation and continue to reach the ruined cottage of Harrowhope in a wonderful setting. ‘Hope’ in this area means a side valley. Turn left in front of the cottage and cross the burn by the footbridge. Walk uphill to the pine trees, pass through them, climbing steadily. At the dyke (drystone wall) and deer fence go through gates on the track with Penvalla filling the view ahead.
Continue on a clear grassy track towards the gap ahead, with an expansive view behind. As you top the rise, Broughton Heights appear ahead and to the right. Keep right and follow the lovely old track round the hill, descending slowly towards the Hopehead Burn. Pass an old round sheep stell, cross the burn and climb to join the main track. Turn right and walk up to Stobo Hopehead. This is surely one of the most remote houses in the Borders, 6km (4 miles) up a track from the road.
Turn left with the track before the house and leave the main track to go left as signed up a rough path on the open hill, with the Well Burn below to the right. Keep to the same height for a while before starting to climb again towards the obvious gap in the hills ahead. Pass an unusual hexagonal stone stell then higher up, keep left at a fork then swing right and left, aiming for a gate at the low point of the saddle.
Go through the gate and walk half-right on a cleared strip in the heather. In about 250 metres, go left as signed to start the long descent to Broughton. Keep low down with the path, which soon improves into a broad grassy track giving delightful walking with the Hollows Burn chuckling away down to your left. Before long you can see Broughton Place ahead. Cross the burn and climb steadily to the left of the small wood. There is an expansive view, taking in Culter Fell to the left and ranging round to Tinto on the right. Descend to the gate at Shepherd’s Cottage and continue past Broughton Place.
Walk down the access road past Broughton Place Farm to the main road, cross and turn left. The pavement starts in about 200 metres, and at the junction with the B7016 Biggar Road is the welcome sight of the Laurel Bank Tearoom. The John Buchan Way continues through Broughton passing on the right (shortly after the shop) Broughton Green, the home of John Buchan’s mother’s family, the Mastertons.
You may choose to continue through the village and turn right down the brewery road then left over a bridge that will lead you onto the dismantled railway line. This route continues all the way to Biggar along an easy flat grassy surface. Biggar is a charming old market town in the next local authority region of South Lanarkshire.