Paxton House to Berwick-Upon-Tweed

A riverside route following the River Tweed that you may choose to do as a long circular or use the local bus service to do a linear walk.

The River Tweed rises in the Lowther Hills and flows for 100 miles before emptying into the sea at Berwick-upon-Tweed. It is Scotland’s 4th largest river.


Follow signs to the Boat House. Turn left and follow the mown grass path downstream under poplar trees.

Cross Linn Burn by the timber bridge. Turn right, pass the stone wall, and rejoin the riverbank. Pass the Fishing Shiel.

At a vehicle gate, continue over a stile to another Shiel. Cross another stile opposite an island in the river.

Follow the fence line leading away from the river. Go through two field gates and over a stile. Follow the path to a field gate, turn immediately left onto a farm track through mature woodland.

At the end of the woodland, you reach the Whiteadder Water. Turn right downstream to the large steel footbridge.

Cross the bridge, turn right toward the A1 bypass. Cross the road with extreme care (or at low tide, go under the bridge on the concrete). Follow the "Berwick Upon Tweed 2¼" sign.

Follow the Hawthorn hedge near the river. At open farmland, follow the fence away from the river. Head toward a waymarker post in the middle of the field and then to the distant woodland.

Cross a footbridge (watch for birdlife like curlew and oystercatcher). Pass through a kissing gate into the woods, head uphill to the fingerpost, and turn right toward Berwick.

The path offers views of the Royal Border Bridge. Follow the tarmac pavement from “Chateau Pedro” to the Berwick Town Walls. Enter through the Sally Port under the tower.

Return route: Cross the "Old Berwick Bridge" to Tweedmouth. Turn right and follow the path upstream to the Royal Border Bridge. Pass under the arches.

Follow the lower path through woodland. Note: At high spring tide, you must take the higher path to avoid wet feet.

Turn left at the first of two stiles to go round the sewerage works. Turn right onto the public road, then right again onto a grassy field margin.

Near the A1, descend through woodland by steps. Cross a burn via a timber bridge, climb to the East Ord Picnic site, and carefully cross the A1.

Follow the fingerpost to “Horncliffe 4½”. Cross a stile, descend steps, cross a wooden bridge, and return to the bank of the Tweed.

Follow the river upstream past two fishing shiels. Join a grass track then a tarmac road. Leave the road, cross a stile to the right, and return to the Union Chain Bridge. Cross the bridge and follow the path downstream (600m) back to Paxton House.