We love countryside walks and this is probably the activity we do the most of. We are slow walkers, appreciating what is around us in terms of landscape, nature and history. The walks that we share here are mostly fairly straight forward and under 10 miles long, so no massive challenges, just regular countryside walks that we recommend to our friends.
To help your enjoyment we have included a route map, stats of the route and highlighted things to look out for on the walk at different times of the year. Where we can, we will recommend where to have your picnic/brew-up and where to stop for coffee and cake.
We frequently look up walks in local information booklets, websites or books and these will be referred to in each description - what we have done is enhance the walk description with our personal experience.
We have a joke that when Sam chooses the route we go down dead-ends and when Peter chooses the route they are always much longer than anticipated. To allow for these foibles we always carry plenty of drinks and a map. Unless it is a short walk and the weather is settles we also take layers of clothing including waterproofs and wear stout walking boots.
Kelso Circular Route
Views, Viaducts and a Famous Junction. A lovely late winter morning saw us setting off for a trail run with a friend on this Kelso circular route. Once again we had seen the route in the “Borders 40 best walks” book, however we did it in the reverse direction. Due to flooding en route we…
Greenlaw Circular Walk
Blackadder and a hillfort This splendid Greenlaw circular walk is the first walk we have done from Robbie Porteous’ “Scottish Borders 40 favourite walks” book – a very welcome Christmas gift from my sister. Of course, in true Sam and Peter style we didn’t follow the exact route as described, as you will find out…
River Till circular walk | Northumberland
A Winter Walk in Northumberland I love a winter walk, particularly between Christmas and New Year when there is a real need to blow away the cobwebs. When the sun finally came out this “twixmas” we happily set off armed with the OS Explorer Map of the area (great Christmas present, thanks Matthew) and a…
Earlston Circular Walk – Scottish Borders
Earlston Circular – a mixture of new and familiar So, I have been a bit quiet on the blog lately, because we have moved house, re-locating to Coldstream in the Scottish Borders. Coldstream is a lovely town on the borders between in England and Scotland. It is excellent for walking, with various easily accessible routes…
Stunning Loch Katrine Route
It was one of those gorgeous autumn days when we just had to make the most of the weather, so we left the office and set off for a return trip to Loch Katrine. Last time we had been there had been a drizzly, grey day in June and although we enjoyed a good walk…
Circular Walk by Loch Ard
Going Anti-clockwise There is a large car park at the start of the walk, with a good information board, showing the three walks available. We chose the medium route – waymarked in red, which is 4 miles long and we set off along the forestry road uphill. This was easy underfoot, surrounded by lovely woodland.…
Walk in the Trossachs
So Good We Went There Twice. Back in March this year we decided to have a week off work and spend some time exploring the wonderful area we had moved to. One of the first walks we did was up from Lendrick Hill, close to Brig O’ Turk. We loved the route so much, that…
Walking and Swimming in Swaledale
Wildflowers and Swim Spots Galore When we go on a holiday we enjoy going somewhere and being able to explore from our base. Upper Swaledale is perhaps one of the best places in the country to do this – stunning walks, either in the valley bottom or across heather-clad tops. A beautiful river, full of…
Circular Route near Stirling
Sauchie Crags and North Third Reservoir. This is a short but spectacular circular route close to Stirling which has a variety of habitat, including spectacular cliffs, mixed woodland and banks of North Third Reservoir. It is one of the routes recommended in the book Scottish Trail Running, which I have previously reviewed. As it was…
Strathblane Circular Walk, Stirlingshire
Views, new plants and a lunchtime dip We have a bit of an ongoing joke between us that when I choose the route we end up without a footpath and when Peter chooses the route it is much longer than intended. As it was a hot day in July Peter chose this Strathblane Circular route…
