The Crow Green, Lennel Haugh

An interesting circular through the historic town of Coldstream and by the River tweed. When Coldstream was built up in the early 18th century there was no bridge over the River Tweed to England.

When the bridge was completed in 1766 the Toll House became a popular spot for conducting irregular marriages; on a par with Gretna Green.

1. Leave Home Park Car Park, cross the main street and turn right. As you approach the bridge you will meet a flight of steps descending to your left. Follow these down and continue on the pavement round the stone dyke along Penitents Walk. As the path bears to the left, you will come across the meeting point of the River Tweed and the Leet water at which point the path will follow the course of the Tweed downstream. This path adjacent to the Tweed is known as Nuns Walk. Please take great care as there are steep drops near to the pavement. Children should be kept under close supervision.

2. On reaching the main road you will notice a tall obelisk 21m (70ft) high surmounted by the stone figure of Charles Albany Marjoribanks. A Scottish Liberal politician, he was elected as the first Member of Parliament for Berwickshire after passing the Reform Act of 1832. Turn right and continue along the pavement adjacent to the road, heading for the bridge across the Tweed. Just before the Marriage House you will spot a gap in the wall on your right. Proceed down the steps towards the small arch under the Coldstream Bridge.

3. As you come out under the Marriage House you will note the weir on the river, providing an opportunity to see Salmon rising. Make your way round the fishing hut and through the wicket gate, turn right onto the path which leads you up the Crow Green. The Crow Green was once a nine hole golf course and shooting range. Please respect the fishermen by keeping your dog under control. As you reach the woods you will see a field gate and a pedestrian gate which you should pass through. At this point the option exists to extend your walk on to Lennel Cemetery by heading a few yards up the hill and turning right through the woods, known as “Charlie’s Brae”, after geologist Charles Witham who pioneered a technique from a sample at this location, of examining very thin slices of fossilised plants under a microscope. This is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

5. Proceed through the wooden field gate in the stone dyke on your left as way marked. Follow this fenced path for 400 metres back along Lennel Haugh. Go through two kissing gates and head right towards the dyke. Note the mature exotic trees lining the hillside of Lennel Estate, subtly indicating the previous magnificence of this estate. Lennel House was originally built in the 1820’s to the designs of John Patterson using an unusual “butterfly” plan.

6. Proceed up the ramp or the stone steps and head left along this wooded path back towards Coldstream. Sit on the bench and take a moment to enjoy the views and the tranquillity looking out across the Crow Green.

7. On reaching the end of the dyke there is a track to your right, a field gate to your left and a burn leading down from the woods in front of you. Follow this burn up stream, until you see the stone walls of Lennel Estate and a small culvert across the burn which you should cross and follow left.

8. You will shortly come across two wicket gates which you should pass through, crossing a tarmac road, entering another wood until you reach a junction in the track. Turn right at this point, leave the wood and take care crossing the main road when entering the woodland on the opposite side.

9. Continue uphill through this woodland, ignoring any of the paths joining from the left, until you reach a track. Bear left at this point following the track. Take the right fork on the road in front of you and emerge on Duns Road.

10. Turn right and head right on the pavement, uphill away from the town centre and cross Duns Road into Bennecourt Drive on you left. This street is named after Coldstream’s twin town, Bennecourt in France. Follow the pavement down through this estate until you reach the bottom of the brae. Turn left into North Mews (No1-7), then bear left.

11. After 50 metres take the path leading to your right, down into the woodland away from the adjacent housing estate. After 30 metres turn left and follow the woodland path back down the Leet Water, to the car park from where your journey commenced.