View of Abbotsford House – River Ettrick loop from Melrose

View of Abbotsford House – River Ettrick loop from Melrose

Moderate

riders

View of Abbotsford House – River Ettrick loop from Melrose

01:55

39.1km

310m

Road cycling

Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: August 27, 2026

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

Get Directions

4.76 km

View of Abbotsford House

Highlight • Castle

Abbotsford is the preserved home of the man who popularised tartan, saved Scottish bank notes and was a celebrated novelist: Sir Walter Scott.

Admission to the house, chapel and gardens are ticketed with modest prices. Do check opening times as this varies due to season.

There's also a gift shop, cafe and gardens, and a free minibus pick up from the nearby train station.

Tip by

8.14 km

Old Tweed Bridge

Highlight • Historical Site

Can fly along this car free section as long as you keep an eye on the surface. Beautiful old bridges at either end.

Tip by

8.61 km

River Ettrick

Highlight • River

River Ettrick is noted for its salmon and trout fishing

Tip by

8.81 km

Lindean Hill

Highlight • Summit

Lindean hill. This is a cracking hill that keeps on going and going. Some great steep sections

Tip by

18.9 km

View of the River Tweed from Yair Bridge

Highlight • Viewpoint

This splendid summer scene shows the photogenic River Tweed viewed west from Yair Bridge in the scenic Scottish Borders.

The Tweed is one of the longest rivers in Britain and is a great salmon-fishing river. This wide, shallow and peaceful river is a delight to walk nearby.

Yair Bridge occurs on the A707 3.5 miles southwest of Galashiels.

Tip by

20.8 km

Beidpath Plantation

Forest

30.2 km

Bank Street Café and Waffle House

Highlight • Cafe

Such waffles as have rarely been seen this far from their natural home. Enormous confections, draped in maple syrup, or other toppings of your choice! Big enough to share by a substantial margin. It's worth riding around here just to build up an appetite to tackle one of these bad boys.

Other food is also available, and they do a damn fine coffee.

Tip by

35.7 km

Tweedbank Station

Highlight • Rest Area

A train station might not be the most glamorous of highlights to visit, but it's more about what it enables you to do.

Tweedbank Station is the southern terminus of the Borders Railway, giving great access to the Scottish Borders. Whether you're on a bike or on foot, you can travel here from major cities and connecting lines for an incredibly remote and wild adventure in the Borderlands.

Tip by

38.1 km