Mileages given include detours, deviations and walks to transport. 151.5 miles walked. Direct route 133 miles.
So begins an attempt to complete our walk from Shoeburyness to Inverness. Having walked from Shoeburyness to Upper Framilode on the River Severn via the Thames Path and the Thames Severn Path, Offa's Dyke, the Pennine Way, the West Highland Way and the Great Glen Way, we thought we would connect the dots. So last year we walked from Edale to Prestatyn and this year Kirk Yetholm to Milngavie. Maybe.
We are doing things a little differently this year, having a central location (Coulter) for the entirelty of the trip, with our son providing taxi services.
There has been very little preparation for this walk, what with one of us being post operative and the other decrepit through overuse and injury. What could possibly go wrong? Certainly the route is not entirely obvious in places, so may require exploration. We may not complete this, this year.
Day 1 Photos
Kirk Yetholm to Brownrigg near Crailing 13.4 miles
We started where we finished the Pennine Way, at the Borders Hotel Kirk Yetholm. St Cuthbert's Way and the Pennine Way cross here, so we set off along St Cuthbert's Way with a brief but pleasant riverside walk to the bridge over Bowmont Water. Do not do as I did, and go through gate opposite when you exit onto the road, this takes you into a field with no exit. Instead turn right to cross the bridge then left onto the Way alongside the river to Duncanhaugh. When walking in the opposite direction to the majority, the signage is often sub-par.
Initially it is very good underfoot but there soon follows a mile or so of B and unclassified road before turning off onto the flank of Crookedshaws Hill. The eastern approach to Crookedshaws is surprisingly steep, but then the climb up to Wideopen Hill is more gentle, as is most of the descent. However, there is a section below Grubbit Law that is a real ankle breaker. Poor quality for an established LDP.
Another mile or so of road brings us to Morebattle and the rather excellent community shop for coffee and snacks. There's more road to Cessford Castle before crossing Cessford Moor and descending via some pleasant woodland paths to Brownrigg where we were collected by our live in taxi.
Day 2 Photos
Brownrigg to Melrose 16.5 miles
The first 3 miles or so to Jedfoot bridge were very good underfoot and often in woodland. Then there is a short riverside walk to Monteviot Bridge and a fiddly section around Monteviot House. There follows a pleasant woodland walk. Pleasant until I tripped and oh dear I may have bust a rib. Fortunately the going is easy along Dere Street. St Cuthbert's Way turns right towards the Tweed, but we carried on along Dere Street untill it came to a faily abrupt halt alongside the A68. Fortunately there is a wide, flat, grassy tract of land beside the road into Melrose. At Birchbank Laretburn there is a footpath to St Boswells Green then easy paths to rejoin the SCW by the Tweed.
The path alongside the Tweed from St Boswells to Tweed Horizons is surprisingly up and down, but interesting. From Tweed Horizons there is a climb up through woods to Newtown St Boswells where there is a Coop with a convenient chair outside for drinks and snacks. It is here that we leave the SCW and join the Borders Abbeys Way.
From Newtown St Boswells to Melrose is largely a road walk, but the road is closed to traffic between Eildon Mains and Oakendean House. At Oakendean the BAW turns right to Newstead, but we continued straight down the (very quiet) road to Melrose. At Melrose Abbey we are picked up by our taxi.
Day 3 Photos
Melrose to Yair Bridge 8.5 miles
Rebellion in the ranks means we actually walked this section from Yair Bridge back to Melrose just so we can explore after the walk, so West to East it is. Anyway, we both need an easy day.
The start is a steady, but not too steep, climb to Calfshaw on the Southern Upland Way. If you happen to be walking West to East watch the route here as the obvious path drifts to the Northwest, but you need to head Northeast along the flank of Hog Hill, aiming between two woods. The rolling hill walk to Galashiels is excellent. At Galashiels we diverted to the B road looking for sustenance, but we couldn't be bothered moving far enough into the town for the shops so rejoined the SUW and continued to the Tweed, which is crossed beside the railway bridge.There is a footpath alongside the railway, but for reasons that are not clear it leaves the footpath and follows the B6360. If I was doing it again I'd just stick beside the railway.
The SUW drops down to the Tweed again, skirting around Waverley Castle . The Way continues past Chain Bridge Farm to enter Melrose by the Abbey, but we diverted to the carpark where our taxi was waiting.
Day 4 Photos
Yair to Traquair 10 miles
We had a couple of days off, my ribs really hurt after the fall on Day 2. We had vague hopes of a long walk today, but by Traquair I'd had enough.
We started from Fairnilee Farm, crossing the Yair Bridge and entering Lindinny Wood on the SUW. This is an excellent woodland walk climbing gently until a little kick at Red Score Nick up to Little Crib, with another gentle climb over moorland up to the Three Brethren at 464m.The SUW is following an old drove road at this point and it continues climbing to Brown Knowe at 523m. The weather now is accurately described as "dreich" by a cyclist coming the other way. In fact, yet again everyone is going the other way. Whilst I'm sure the views are fabulous, we didn't see any.
There followed some gentle up and down across Little Minch Moor, before starting a very persistent down on Minchmoor Road. Just steep enough to hurt the knees. Whilst this is still an old drove road, it used to be the main road across these hills. Apparently Sir Walter Scott's mother could remember, as a little girl, being taken across this road in a coach and six with six footmen to keep it out of the bog.
On the descent after Dunbetha Knowe I found my enthusiasm for a long walk waning, so called a halt at Traquair. We would have some time to wait to be picked up and decided to walk into Innerleithen, about a mile and a half away. Here we found the excellent "Durty Brewery" which we heartily recommend.
Day 5 Photos
Traquair to Peebles 9.2 miles
We left Traquair on the SUW, but soon turned off on to the Cross Borders Drove Road. This entails a couple of miles on quiet roads until The Glen, just before Glen House. The Drove Road turns northwest between two properties, the signage is sparse (a picture of a cow), but ok. However, where the "road" turns southwest towards Birks around the corner of the wood, the OS map shows the track heading west. On the ground this is not visible, but a little further along is an obvious, if narrow, path heading north and northwest that takes you to join the track as marked.
From here there is a steady climb around Birks Hill and then Yellow Mire before reaching Kirkhope Law at 537m. After this there is an excellent ridgewalk down to Peebles. The views are fantastic and the going very comfortable.
Day 6 Photos
Peebles to Broughton 14.1 miles
We had to do things a little differently today. Up early and drove to Broughton, parked the car and caught the No:91 bus to Peebles. Mildly inconveniently the bus stopped at the top of a hill by the school, which meant we had to walk back down the hill to rendevous with the end of the previous walk.
Joining the John Buchan Way (JBW) there is a climb up a steepish tarmac path towards Frankscroft and the school where the bus stopped, but now on the other side. There followed some tree lined paths and a short section of road to Tantah. From here the JBW follows a well maintained grassy track to the The Whaum.
Just before The Whaum, the OS map has the JBW passing to the left of a little hillock, whilst on the ground the JBW is signposted to the right, swinging round the hillock to The Whaum. Naturally we went straight over and left the JBW to climb up to the two hillforts . Having done this it becomes obvious why the JBW doesn't come up here as the Western descent to Milton is steep and a bit uncomfortable. After rejoining the JBW at Milton there is a road walk to The Glack.
The JBW then follows the Glack Burn up to Glack Hope. It is no longer so well maintained and in places decidedly wet. The path then winds its way past Syke Hill and Easter Dawyck to Stobo. It was pretty wet and there was nowhere dry to sit until finding a rock above Easter Knowe Farm. Now we could have a cup of coffee and a snack.
From here the path climbs up to Hammer Rig and Knowe. The track is easy to follow, but not so good underfoot. Just short of Stobo Hopehead the track joins a new logging road, but this is soon left behind as the JBW continues around Hopehead Rig and Hammer Head. It is pretty wet underfoot and the path has been chewed up by heavy machinery.
From Cowiemuir Hass the path descends along Broughton Hope, by the Hollows Burn. When you get to Broughton Place it is worth looking for the waterwheel at the end of one of the farm barns. The Way follows the driveway down to the A701, then there was a short walk through Broughton to where the car was parked.
Day 7 Photos
Broughton to Biggar 5.6 miles
An easy day today. On a summer's day it could easily be tagged onto the previous section, but this was November. The bus journey today was from Biggar to Broughton, having parked the car in Biggar. There's a short walk from the bust stop to the end of the previous day's walking.
The JBW ends in Broughton, but the onward journey is on an easy path that requires little in the way of signposting. Opposite Broughton School there is a road to Broughton Brewery (the beers are very good). At the end of this road there is a bridge over Biggar Water, cross this bridge and turn right onto an old railway track.
There follows a very easy walk to Biggar Golf Course. Here the track is blocked requiring you to cross into the grounds and follow a gravel path with a channel on the left for about half a mile. This brings you to Biggar. Despite being short, it is well worth doing for the stunning views, particularly of the hills to the South.
Day 8 Photos
Biggar to Thankerton 6.4 miles
Another short day, but deliberately so as the route is not at all obvious, and no one I contacted was clear as to how this could be done without walking the road. Specifically how to cross Biggar Common and Quothquan Law. However, google turned up the South Lanarkshire Core Paths Network, which proved invaluable. Reconnoitering by car failed to show any footpath signs from the East side of Quothquan Law, despite the fact that even Google Maps, let alone the OS map, shows the "little triangle footpath".
Nonetheless, armed with a printout of the core paths network and the fabulous Scottish "right to roam" we felt we could do this. Having parked in Biggar, we walked along Lindsaylands Road, turning right into Little Mitchell Wood just before Langlees Road. A pleasant stroll around the perimeter brings you to Langlees Road which swings West then North (go right at the fork) to Langlees House, turning left to pass Springfield Farm.
At the gate a footpath is signposted straight ahead, rather than skirting the edge of the field as shown on the core paths map. However, these routes meet again at the Southeastern end of a rectilinear wood that runs Northwest. It looks as if it would be nice to walk through, but it is surrounded by a barbed wire fence. There is a gate, but rather than going through, walk between the row of trees and the Southwestern fence to the Northwestern corner.
The fence continues but there is a wooden section to hop over at the end. From here follow a tumbledown dry stone wall to a gate into the woods of Biggar Common. I was tempted by a side path off the obvious track, but this was a mistake as it soon started to curve Southwest. Instead stick to the path, bearing west though the woods until a descent to the road to Quothquan.
A little way North up this road you come to "little triangle path" (google maps) or CL/4468/1 on the core paths map. This path is important enough to be mentioned in planning applications. It is actually inaccessible from the road as the entrance is barred by a broken down gate and scrub. However, there was an open gate into the adjacent field so we walked around the edge until we could go through another gate to join the path.
There is a short uphill section to Loanhead where there is a stile. Following the road straight ahead you come to a T-junction. Turning left, then right through an open gate allows you to skirt the back of the houses to a fence. Following this uphill towards the Law brings you to a gate at the bottom of the steep flank of the Law.
We took the sting out of the ascent with a zig-zag route to the top. At the trig point we took a neutral position in the ongoing war between trig point baggers and cairn builders. We removed enough of the cairn to show FB plate only.
After taking in the glorious views we walked down the Southsoutheast slope to the corner of Law Wood and Crawhill Wood. The wood is mostly taking a lie down with very few standing trees. At the fence we turned due South which brought us to Cormiston Road. From here it is less than a mile to Thankerton Bridge, about a mile in total to the bus stop at Boat Road in Thankerton itself. From here we caught the bus back to Biggar.
Day 9, 10 months later, Photos
Thankerton to Kirkfield Bank 15.2 miles
We, again, do not have our taxi driver, so are reliant on public transport for getting to the start point, and/or back from the finish point. Today we parked at Crossford Park and then caught buses to Lanark, then Thankerton.
There are a limited number of ways of getting from Thankerton to Lanark, particularly as the Clyde itself forms a formidable barrier. The obvious route is up the A73, but that would mean about 4 miles of busy A road with no footpath. There is a rough, narrow, grass verge, but I can't imagine it being a pleasant walk.
With this in mind we resolved to try and find a way across Carmichael Hill to Hyndford Bridge. Leaving Thankerton on Perryflats Road, where the road bears right there is a gate beside a sign that says "Carmichael 2.84 miles". Go through/over this gate and the next and follow the fence line (on your right) directly to the A73. Cross straight over and go down the track opposite, this bears right and becomes Warrenhill Road. This brings you to a crossroads with the Carmichael visitor centre straight ahead.
We turned left up the unclassified road, then right down a track that passes a windmill to its right. After the windmill there is a track on the left that dog-legs through a wood and over the Cleuch Burn. It continues West, to the South of Kirk Hill, before turning Northwest past "The Gardens". After this it does a left/right to head towards the sawmill. The track itself then does 3 sides of a rectangle before heading west, but you can actually just head directly west on a path between the high wall on your left and rhododendrons to your right. You are now on the road to Carmichael/Westgate.
From this road we struck North to summit Carmichael Hill then explore the area to the North and Northeast, seeking a way through Shawhill Wood to Netherton.Unfortunately we could not find a way through. There are new plantations that do not show on the 1:25,000 2023 OS map that are surounded by deer fences with no access ladders (such as are common elsewhere). Consequently we had to return to the Carmichael road, adding at least a mile and a half of quite difficult walking to the trip.
At this point the choice was really between turning East to the A73 and 2 miles of unpathed road walking, or continue West and then North up Devonside Road. A third option of continuing West to the A70 then North up Kirkfield bank road wasn't entertained for long as it involved uncertainties of how to get to the Falls of Clyde and cross the footbridge, or continuing up the road all the way to Kirkfieldbank. We may explore this on another occasion.
We decided to go up Devonside Road, which turned out to be very quiet, but we did have to walk on the road. It is single track, though reasonably wide and we saw only 6 vehicles. This road joins the A70, but there is a cycle track/path, set well back from the road, all the way to Hyndford Bridge. The next mile of the A70/73 towards Lanark was a mixture of path, painted cycle lane and lastly a wide grass verge that was actually quite pleasant walking.
Keen to stay away from A roads as much as possible we crossed into the old racecourse between Langloch and Lanark Moor (a little later than we could have done). This was easy going on a grassy surface finally looping round an equestrian centre to come back to the A73. Here we crossed and continued down the minor road to the power station. This passed below Bonnington Mains before turning West round Robiesland. It is tarmacced all the way to the power station despite passing through a cow field.
At the river we joined the Clyde Walkway. This was an obvious path until reaching the visitor centre when all signage disappeared. After much toing and froing we found that the path goes up Braxfild Road. Along here you will find a sign having a lie down, but more or less pointing down through the trees. Following this path brings you back to the Clyde, though well above it. Sadly after about half a mile there is a steep switchback section that brings you back up to Castlebank Park.
From here the CW goes down St Patrick's Road, then follows the old road down to and over Clydesholm Bridge. At this point we'd had enough so caught the bus to Crossford Park where we had left the car.
Day 10 Photos
Kirkfield Bank to Garrion Bridge 9.9 miles
Organisation is starting to get a little tricky, but we found a parking place on Lanark Road (just North of Garrion Bridge), at its Southern end, where it is blocked/bypassed by the A71. We caught a bus from Cornsilloch Brae to Kirkfield bank where we finished yesterday. From Kirkfieldbank we walked along the footpath by the A72 until joing a track that runs beside the Clyde as it passes round Hakespie Hill. The CW crosses the Clyde via footbridge then continues along the North/East bank to Crossford.
As you approach the B7056 at Crossford the CW sign looks like it is pointing left. Don't be fooled! Turn right, cross the road then take the path back down to the river. However, after a mile and a half or so we came across a sign saying the path was closed due to poor condition of the infrastructure. I now know there is a sign at the B road, but unless you read the noticeboard there you won't see it. Since bringing this up with the relevant authorities the closure is now advertised on the Council website. At the time of writing it is not advertised on "walkinghighlands.co.uk", "visitlanarkshire.com" or "scotlandsgreattrails.com". Apparently the Council hopes to repair the infrastructure in 2025, budget allowing.
From the closure you could walk up the minor road past Waygateshawhead, up the B road to Carluke, then down the B road to Cardies Bridge but this is something like an additional 5.5 miles of dubious walking. You could try and follow tracks to the monument to General Roy, then past Gillbank and Jock's Gill Wood, that would shorten it somewhat. Alternatively you could go up the A72 from Crossford, but it is pathless and would be madness.
So, whilst we can't suggest anyone else ignore such signs, we did. We simply didn't use the infrastructure (steps and boardwalk) that are there to make things easier. As it happens we had no difficulties at all, but ideally this would be fixed before going this way.
Continuing along the CW brought us to Cardies Bridge, where we turned down the A71 to Garrion Bridge and the parked car.
Day 11 Photos
Garrion Bridge to Bothwell Bridge 9.8 miles
Unfortunately we caught a bug and had to have a couple of days off before continuing, hence another easy day today. It didn't start particularly well though. We parked in Hamilton and waited for a bus to take us back to Garrion Bridge. Unfortunately it sailed straight past without stopping, thanks Stuart Coaches. As there wasn't another for 2 hours we got a rather expensive taxi ride to our starting point.
There is no signage where the B7011 meets the A71, but the route is obvious on the OS map. Directly opposite the B road it goes down an unclassifed road. There is no path, but it is very quiet. At the end of the tarmacced section it carries straight on, ignoring turns to left and right until in Highmainshead Wood there is first anarrow path on the left (ignore) then a wider track on the right side of a burn that takes you down to the Clyde.
For the next 2.5 miles the path is obvious. However, due South of Dalzell Park the path by the river is blocked (collapse). Do not take the obvious route heading Northwest, this will take you to Dalzell Park. Instead look carefully in the hedgerow/trees on the right and you will see a narrow path that winds through the trees back to the riverbank.
Again the route of the CW becomes obvious, following the Clyde with Baron's Haugh Nature reserve on the right. Keep going under the railway and the A723 until reaching Strathclyde Country Park. The path continues along the Southwest bank of the loch, before passing through the grounds of a Holiday Inn and to reach the junction of the A725 and M74.
The path as marked on the OS map is dangerous, ignore that and use the elevated walkways to get to the Bellshill Bypass then the B7071, Bothwell Road. As you come South over Bothwell Bridge the CW drops down through a gap in the wall on the right to continue on the opposite side of the Clyde. It is even waymarked at this point. We continued to the bus stop to find our way back to the car.
Day 12 Photos
Blantyre Station to Westerton Station 21.3 miles
The plan had been to walk the remaining distance today, but we really needed an earlier start! We parked at Westerton Station as there are trains from Milngavie to Westerton and from Westerton to Blantyre. We caught the train to Blantyre and started our days walk from there. This left a small gap from Bothwell Bridge to here, we'll deal with that later.
From Blantyre Station we walked down to the David Linvingstone Museum then over the bridge towards Bothwell. Continuing North, the OS map shows the CW passing between two housing estates. There is, however, a narrow but servicable path that hugs the river. These routes come together at Bothwell Castle, then continue to the footbridge at Kylepark.
The CW crosses the river again and climbs up to Townfoot Farm. Here the OS map shows the CW heading down Calder Road, over Redlees Bridge then along Westburn Road. Having done this I would not recommend it, the roads are busy and pathless. Instead I suggest following the path as shown on the downloadable maps. This route turns right down Blantyre Farm Road, then taking a track on the left that passes under the railway. It then crosses Rotten Calder on a footbridge before following paths between Newton and the Clyde.
These routes join at Newton Bridge. The CW is now obvious, passing under the A763 before crossing the Clyde on Cambuslang Bridge. It continues on the opposite bank towards the City centre. We deviated at the Hockey Centre, continuing stright ahead through Glasgow Green, before rejoing the CW at the riverside. The CW ends at the conference centre.
From here we picked up the Kelvin Walkway (KW) by crossing the A814 via the footbridge, then following the path round the hospital. From here the KW is relatively well marked and follows either side of the river Kelvin to the locks at Maryhill. Here we decided we'd had enough and walked to Westerton Station and the parked car.
Day 13 Part 1 Photos
Maryhill to Milngavie 7.9 miles
We parked the car at Milngavie and caught the bus to Maryhill. We walked along the canal, past the locks to rejoin the KW where we left it yesterday at the aqueduct. The path follows the Kelvin until Dalsholm Road, which it passes up, before crossing the A81. It winds round some housing, climbing to the top of a hill with fair views (at 64m) before coming down to Culdercuilt Road and passing the Academy and a riding school until it meets the Kelvin again.
The path is obvious, but of variable quality, until Bulmuildy Bridge. Cross the bridge and the A879 to find steps back down to the Kelvin, now on the opposite bank. The path now deteriorates and is often overgrown. At the junction with Allander Water, the path turns West. Although the OS map continues to mark the path as the Kelvin Walkway, when you reach Milngavie you will find it signposted as the Allander Walkway.
The path continue to be pretty rough until the A879 is crossed again, then the B8049. It now improves steadily in quality. At the A81 you turm left to pass under the railway, then turn immediately right down a minor road and right again to cross Allander Water. The path now winds past a supermarket and crosses the water twice before turning left to cross the B8030 up to the start of the West Highland Way.
Day 13 Part 2 Photos
Blantyre Station / Bothwell Bridge loop 3.7 miles
As we finished one day at Bothwell Bridge and started the next at the David Livingstone Museum, there was a gap that needed filling. We parked near the Museum and walked back towards Bothwell Bridge. Here, initially, the path was entirely obvious and paved. It runs high above the Clyde alongside Low Blantyre. It continues past Craighead and seemed to terminate at a steep embankment. The path as shown on the OS map should have turned South, East and South to come alongside the A725. There was no visible route. We scrambled down the embankment and followed an obvious path across a grassy field. The path then enters some woods between the Clyde and the A725. After a short distance you come out on cycle route 74, which takes you to Bothwell Bridge.
The route on the official CW map follows that shown on the OS map so we turned round and tried to follow the marked route from Bothwell Bridge. The route follows cycle route 74 on a steady climb alongside, but separated from, the A725. At the top of the hill the path on the map is shown turning right just before "Works" by Craighead. This route is blocked by a high fence and is inaccessible. Consequently both the offical CW map and the OS map are wrong.
When walking West from Bothwell Bridge the now correct route is to follow cycle route 74 past the Lido Gardens. After the last set of stairs down to the Gardens you will see stone gateposts in the trees (but no gates). Pass between these posts and follow the path through the woods. On entering the field first keep the metal fence, then the chain link fence on your right (these separate you from steep drops into the Clyde) untill you see the obvious path across the field, WNW, towards the wood on the hill. Scramble up the steep embankment then follow the obvious path to the David Livingstone Museum.
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