Melrose Abbey

Borders Abbeys Way

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Overview

Route

What's Included?

Itineraries & Prices

Accommodation

Travel Info

Additional Days

Overview

Walking Holidays

6 - 7 Nights

68 miles / 109 km

Prices from: £775 per person
Start: Jedburgh, Scottish Borders
Finish: Jedburgh, Scottish Borders
Availability: Any start date from March to October
Grading: Easy to Moderate
Way-marked: Yes

Borders Abbeys Way Highlights

Wonderful scenery

Amble through the wonderful Scottish Borders of rounded green hills, wooded riverbanks, lush forests and rich farmland.

Travel back in time

Enjoy the wealth of religious and local history this region has to offer, from ruined abbeys to fateful battlefields and picturesque stately homes.

12th century abbeys

The majestic ruins of four 12th century abbeys, in particular the romantic setting and architecture of Dryburgh Abbey.

Historic market towns

Visit the historic market towns of Jedburgh, Selkirk, Kelso and Melrose – the loveliest of the Borders towns – where you will discover quaint architecture and friendly locals.

Easy waymarked walking

Relax and take in the unrivalled vistas of the Scottish Borders on this gentle and well-waymarked trail.

Flora and fauna

The peaceful, rural setting of the trail provides fabulous opportunities to observe diverse wildlife and an abundance of wildflowers.

A Historic Walking Route in the Beautiful Scottish Borders

The Borders Abbeys Way is a beautiful circular walking route in the heart of the Scottish Borders. The region is famed for its magnificent 12th century abbeys at Jedburgh, Melrose, Dryburgh and Kelso, each of which are located on the trail.

Although the Abbeys are only ruins today, a wealth of history dates back to the time when King David I reigned. This gentle walking trail of 68 miles gives you the feeling of stepping back in time where the pace of life is somewhat slower.

Enjoy walking through peaceful countryside steeped in history along wooded riverbanks, forest paths and through rich green farmland. The rural nature of this area provides you with some fabulous opportunities to observe the diverse wildlife, with the wildflowers being particularly enjoyable in the spring.

Along the way explore the charming historic market towns of the Scottish Borders which include Jedburgh, Selkirk, Kelso and Melrose, the loveliest of all the Borders towns. Make sure you allow enough time to admire Kelso’s stunning Georgian buildings and cobbled market square.

Borders Abbeys Way Route Map

Recommended Itinerary

Our most popular itinerary is BAW2 which covers the route in 6 days.

Travel to Jedburgh for your first night’s accommodation

Travel to Jedburgh and spend the evening at your first night’s accommodation. Visit medieval Jedburgh Abbey with its stunning setting overlooking the Jed Water.

Day 1: Jedburgh to Hawick (14.5 miles / 23 km)

The Borders Abbeys Way begins with a steep climb out from the town centre. The walking is pretty varied mostly through farmland, and Black Law is the highest point of the day at around 300 metres. From here the route descends gradually to the village of Denholm and then follows the River Teviot to Hawick and your overnight accommodation.

Situated in lovely Teviotdale, Hawick is the largest of the Border towns and is internationally famous for its fine quality knitwear.

Day 2: Hawick to Selkirk (12 miles / 19 km)

Today starts with another steady climb out of the town onto the slopes of Drinkstone Hill and into typical hill farming countryside. This is followed by a descent into Ale Water Valley near the village of Ashkirk.

Then it’s a section on the old Thief Road to Wollrig before a further climb brings you to the high-point of the day in Hartwoodmyres Forest. A gradual descent takes you into The Ancient and Royal Burgh of Selkirk.

Day 3: Selkirk to Melrose (10 miles / 16 km)

The route leaves Selkirk by way of Selkirk Hill, which is a haven for wildlife and flowers. The path gradually rises through farmland to Cauldshiels Loch by way of an ancient drove road where you can enjoy fantastic views over the Eildon Hills.

You then descend to the River Tweed by Abbotsford House, where the route follows the south bank of this fine Salmon River into Melrose. The town sits at the foot of the Eildon Hills and is steeped in history. At its centre is the magnificent ruin of Melrose Abbey.

Day 4: Melrose to St Boswells (8 miles / 13 km)

Today the route follows an old road under the flank of the Eildon Hills passing through Newtown St Boswells, to reach the River Tweed once more. You cross the river to Dryburgh Abbey nestling in a loop of the River Tweed. Your accommodation is nearby in the small village of St Boswells.

Day 5: St Boswells to Kelso (10 miles / 16 km)

The Borders Abbeys Way continues alongside the River Tweed. The route into Kelso is relatively flat and easy, making use of paths, tracks and country lanes. Kelso is an attractive market town with a cobbled square in the centre, adjacent to the ruins of the abbey.

Day 6: Kelso to Jedburgh (13.5 miles / 22 km)

The final day’s walking back to Jedburgh is fairly flat and easy as it follows the River Teviot for much of the way. A short climb on leaving the river along the Roman Road of Dere Street is followed by a final descent into Jedburgh.

The majestic abbey ruins are a welcome sight as you finish this wonderful circular walking holiday through the Borders towns.

Onward travel

After breakfast, you will start your journey home after a memorable walking holiday on the Borders Abbeys Way.

What's Included?

Your Borders Abbeys Way walking holiday includes:

Carefully selected accommodation along the route and trail transfers when applicable
En-suite or private bathroom facilities whenever possible
Daily door-to-door baggage transfers
Comprehensive information pack, kit list, guidebook and map (one set per room)
Personalised itinerary with details of your accommodation, route and recommendations for lunch and dinner
Traditional Scottish breakfast
24-hour emergency contact number
Full financial protection

Your walking holiday doesn't include:

Travel insurance
Transport to and from the start and end of the walk
Lunches and evening meals

Itineraries & Prices

We offer 2 suggested itineraries for walking the Borders Abbeys Way.

Our most popular itinerary is BAW2 which covers the route in 6 days.

Tour code

Itinerary

Average miles

Difficulty

Price per person

BAW1

5 Days / 6 Nights

13.5 miles per day

Moderate

From £775

Average miles : 13.5 miles per day

Tour code: BAW1

Difficulty : Moderate

5 Days / 6 Nights (BAW1)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag, there is a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Jedburgh for your first night's accommodation

Day 1 Jedburgh to Hawick 14.5 miles / 23 km

Day 2 Hawick to Selkirk 12 miles / 19 km

Day 3 Selkirk to Melrose 10 miles / 16 km

Day 4 Melrose to Kelso 18 miles / 29 km

Day 5 Kelso to Jedburgh 13.5 miles / 22 km

Depart Onward travel from Jedburgh

Prices

Premium

Best available Guest Houses, Inns & Hotels

From £960 per person

Carefully selected guest houses, inns and hotels throughout your walk, which will be the best available in each location. As premium accommodation is in short supply on this trail, please note that some establishments will be of a higher standard than others. En-suite facilities or private bathroom guaranteed.

Enquire Now

Standard

Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels

From £775 per person

Good quality and comfortable B&Bs, guest houses and some hotels located as close to the trail as possible. We will prioritise en-suite facilities or a private bathroom, although in remote areas with limited accommodation this may not always be possible.

Enquire Now

BAW2

6 Days / 7 Nights

11.5 miles per day

Easy

From £925

Average miles : 11.5 miles per day

Tour code: BAW2

Difficulty : Easy

6 Days / 7 Nights (BAW2)

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this package. Transfers are included when you are staying away from the trail.

Additional nights can be added at any stage along the walk and we would be delighted to adjust it for you.

All of our prices are per person based on two people sharing a room. Our packages include all accommodation, baggage transfers and full information pack.

Single room & solo walker supplements

Single rooms are available at a supplement which covers the additional costs of a single room or single occupancy of a twin or double room.

As we incur additional costs for transferring a single bag, there is a solo walker supplement in addition to the single supplement.

Arrive Travel to Jedburgh for your first night's accommodation

Day 1 Jedburgh to Hawick 14.5 miles / 23 km

Day 2 Hawick to Selkirk 12 miles / 19 km

Day 3 Selkirk to Melrose 10 miles / 16 km

Day 4 Melrose to St Boswells 8 miles / 13 km

Day 5 St Boswells to Kelso 10 miles / 16 km

Day 6 Kelso to Jedburgh 13.5 miles / 22 km

Depart Onward travel from Jedburgh

Prices

Premium

Best available Guest Houses, Inns & Hotels

From £1080 per person

Enquire Now

Standard

Good quality B&Bs, Guest Houses & Hotels

From £925 per person

Enquire Now

Borders Abbeys Way Accommodation

All of the accommodation that we reserve for you has been personally selected by our expert team to ensure it meets our exacting standards. We regularly review our extensive database.

We will always prioritise accommodation as close to the walking trail as possible. Occasionally, your accommodation may be located a short distance from the trail, or you may need to spend more than one night in the same place, in which case we will provide return transfers.

Travel Information

As an environmentally conscious tour operator, we actively encourage the use of public transport by providing clients with a detailed breakdown of travel options in their information packs. The following information may help with your pre-trip planning.

Getting to & departing from Jedburgh

By Air

Nearest International Airport: Edinburgh International Airport.

An airport shuttle bus and tram runs from Edinburgh Airport to the city centre (journey time 30 min). From Edinburgh, you can connect with onward bus or train services to Jedburgh.

By Public Transport

Nearest Railway Stations: Tweedbank and Galashiels.

The easiest way to travel from Edinburgh to Jedburgh by bus. Borders Buses run a direct service (journey time 2 hours)

Alternatively, train services operate from Edinburgh Waverley Station to Tweedbank (journey time 1 hour) and Galashiels (journey time 54 min). From both stations, you can travel onwards to Jedburgh by bus (journey time approximately 1 hour) or taxi (journey time 30 min).

The journey from London Kings Cross to Edinburgh Waverley Station takes approximately 5 hours.

By Car

If you plan to travel by car, it may be possible to park at your accommodation in Jedburgh for the duration of your holiday. We can advise you about parking options when you make your enquiry.

Additional Days

We would be delighted to arrange additional accommodation for you along the Borders Abbeys Way.

You may wish to plan a rest day or have an additional night at any of the locations along the route which offer activities or sightseeing opportunities – we’ve made some suggestions below. Please request this when you make an enquiry.

Jedburgh

Explore the historic 12th-Century ruins of Jedburgh Abbey
Follow the Town Trail to discover Jedburgh’s colourful architecture
Visit Jedburgh Castle Jail and the Mary Queen of Scots’ Visitor Centre for a true taste of the town’s rich history

Hawick

Amble through peaceful Wilton Lodge Park
Visit the Borders Textile Towerhouse and gain a unique insight into the region’s esteemed knitwear and tweed manufacturing history
Tour the Borders Distillery, the first Scotch whisky distillery in the Scottish Borders since 1837

Melrose

Visit the burial place of Scots’ King Robert the Bruce’s heart at Melrose Abbey
Discover the influence of the Romans in Scotland at the Trimontium Museum
Spend time with nature at Melrose’s two National Trust for Scotland gardens – Priorwood and Harmony Gardens
Spectate at the historic Melrose Sevens, an international rugby festival held in the town in springtime

St Boswells

Visit impressive Dryburgh Abbey, located on the trail just outside St Boswells
Discover the breathtaking vistas of Scott’s View, reputed to be one of the favourite views of Sir Walter Scott

Kelso

Visit the Bull Ring in Kelso’s main square, a clear reminder of the town’s past market days
Discover spectacular Kelso Abbey, once the mightiest monastery in the region
Explore Floors Castle – Scotland’s largest inhabited house – and its collection of paintings, antique furniture and tapestries

How do our Walking Holidays Work?

For more than 20 years, we’ve been weaving together unforgettable walking holidays amidst the enchanting landscapes of the British Isles. Dive deeper into how they work in our comprehensive guide. Read more

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Walking Back in Time on the Borders Abbeys Way

History lover? You'd be hard pushed to find a more appealing walking trail than the 68 mile Borders Abbeys Way, meandering between 12th-century abbeys, ancient castles, and the historic towns of the picturesque Scottish Borders. Stuart from the Absolute Escapes team explores this enchanting long-distance walk ... Read more