Morebattle and Cliftoncote

This figure of eight hill route offers good walking and great views of the Bowmont Valley hills. Although you will follow St Cuthbert’s Way (one of Scotland’s Great Trails) for part of the route it is a hill route and you will need to be able to use a detailed map, for example, an ordnance survey sheet.

Wideopen Hill is the highest point on St Cuthbert’s Way.

1. From Morebattle head east along the main street following the St Cuthbert’s Way signs. At the road junction turn right (signposted for Hownam) and head uphill on a single track road, past the entrance to Corbett Tower and on to the next road junction. Turn right and follow the road for 300m to a bridge over the Kale Water on your left.

2. Cross the bridge and pick up a track in the middle of the field ahead, turn right and follow the track as it winds uphill. In summer, on the steeper slopes, wild thyme, and bird’s foot trefoil grow which attract common blue butterflies.

3. At the gate, turn right, cross the stile and climb uphill to the right of the plantation and continue heading straight uphill. Just below the summit of Grubbit Law turn left and follow a rough track.

4. At the track junction continue straight ahead and follow the dyke (wall) on your left in a north-easterly direction to the top of the hill. Cross a dyke and continue along the ridge following the original dyke as it twists and turns for the next 2.4km past Wideopen Hill, the highest point on the St Cuthbert’s Way. Go through the gate and head downhill to the end of the dyke on your right.

5. Turn right here then after a few metres turn left and continue downhill to a gate. Turn right and follow a green lane down to the public road.

6. Leave St Cuthbert’s Way and follow the public road right downhill initially. After 1.5km, bear right at the road junction and follow the road uphill to Cliftoncote farm.

7. At the farm steading turn right immediately beyond the large shed and head to the corner of a metal shed straight ahead. Go through a gate behind the shed and continue straight ahead. Climb uphill (over an area of ancient cultivation terraces) to join a grassy track and continue along the track over the brow of the hill where it then runs parallel with a dyke on your left. Go through the dyke and follow the track along the other side for a bit then bear left as the track heads through the heather.

8. At the track junction cross St Cuthbert’s Way and begin to descend, picking up a dyke on your right for a bit and following a rough vehicle track downhill. At a point where the track swings round to the right, leave the track and continue downhill to the corner of the plantation. Go down the right side of the plantation and rejoin the track.

9. When you reach the wood turn left and follow the track round and downhill beside the wood. At the bottom of the hill turn right through the wood, and follow the stone track through the field until another cattlegrid with another woodland on the right. Continue following the track downhill as it swings left, round the woodland, past Grubbit Cottage on your right. The track swings round to the right, crossing another two cattle grids, before emerging at the public road next to a hump-back bridge on your right.

10. Go straight across the road onto a minor road and at the first bend, bear left on a path through the field gate. Continue downstream, along the riverbank, heading for the hunt gate and finger post in the dyke at the far end of the field away from the water.

11. Cross the public road (Yetholm to Kelso) onto the farm road and then immediately go left through a kissing gate into the field. Take the diagonal path towards another kissing gate next to the riverbank then follow the woodland path crossing the river by the small iron bridge built to commemorate Queen Victoria’s jubilee in 1887. Take the grass path left uphill into the village, passing the church and graveyard on your right and back to the main street in Morebattle.