Melrose to Old Melrose

An interesting circular passing Trimontium (Roman Camp), Old Melrose (original site of Melrose Abbey) and The Rhymer’s Stone.

Old Melrose is important as being one of the earliest Anglo-Saxon monasteries in northern Britain and the first spiritual home of St. Cuthbert. The site now has a cafe and shops in old estate buildings.

1. From the Abbey car park, next to Melrose Abbey take the tarmac path to the right of the Abbey graveyard signposted as the Borders Abbeys Way (BAW) and follow this path, turning left after a footbridge, to reach a housing estate. Go straight ahead on the pavement for about 150 metres and then turn left along a narrow path in front of a small row of houses. Follow this path (Priorswalk) for 800 metres past stables to the road on the edge of Newstead.

2. Turn left, and at the road junction turn right and go up a lane on the BAW past the information board. At the tarmac path keep straight ahead into Back Road to come out on Main Street (Rushbank) at the top of the village.

3. Cross the road and then bear left to follow the old road (gated) past the Trimontium Stone towards Leaderfoot. Trimontium means the Place of the Three Hills and this was the site of the largest Roman fort in Southern Scotland. The interpretation panels and viewpoints along the road give an excellent understanding of the site, helping to discover what life was like in Roman times. Head down the road under the viaduct to the viewpoint where the three Leaderfoot bridges span the river Tweed. Crossing the old bridge and turning right will lead to the Earlston Paths network and walks up the Leader Water.

4. Return back up the road to the steps on the left leading up the field edge beside the viaduct. Cross the stile by the Trimontium fort viewpoint and turn right following the old railway line. Continue on the track following the slope down and through Broomhill farm buildings to the main road. Take care crossing the road and at the signpost bear half left up a small slope by the fence. Go through the fence to be back on to the old railway line curving towards the A 68 road.

5. At the lay-by cross the road with care and follow the road into Old Melrose but after 100m at the gate take the path into the field and follow the field hedge left to the cottages and tearoom. From here it is possible to see interpretation boards and panels explaining the history of the area. There are monthly guided walks around the site. (see for www.walkmelrose.org for details).

6. To continue the walk from the tea room go left and turn right off the road (signed Monk’s Trail) to follow the winding path down through woodland. Turn right on to a track high above, but with occasional views of, the river below. Continue straight on the track which eventually becomes a path down through a mature plantation of Douglas Fir trees reaching the river at the original ‘Monk’s ford’ which led on to Dryburgh Abbey.

7. View the river here but then turn right heading up a track overlooking a steep sided glen. Keep following the track up and round to the left and after crossing over the old railway bridge go immediately right down the steps to join the old railway line heading back to the A68 at the road entrance (Point 5). Cross back over the A68 and retrace the route back along the path towards the by-pass. Here don’t cross the road but turn sharp left up the track towards the Rhymer’s Stone. There are fine open views along this track (the Red Rig) looking towards the Eildon Hills and back over the Black Hill by Earlston. Ignore a path to the right and join a rough stone track enclosed by beech hedges to the Rhymer’s Stone where Thomas the Rhymer is reputed to have met the Queen of the Fairies.

8. To return to Melrose head down the road and turn right on the track following the Eildon Hills Path down under the bypass to Newstead and back along Priors Walk. Alternatively continue on down the old road (access traffic only) past the Crematorium and Wairds cemetery to cross the by-pass and enter Melrose by the East Port.