St Abb’s Head is a coastal headland with dramatic cliffs and colonies of seabirds. From this striking coastal landscape, you can explore the diversity of The Scottish Borders: trails lead to historic sites, while museums and nature areas offer very different discoveries.
Coast and wildlife watching
At Mire Loch near St Abb’s Head, you can spot swans, ducks, damselflies and butterflies in season. The Nature Centre provides information about the area’s wildlife, geology and history. If you are planning a visit, check the current visitor arrangements beforehand.
Nature and history also come together in the Glentress forest. Glentress ponds are surrounded by ash, birch and pine trees and are home to herons, bats and red squirrels. A route through Glentress Forest leads to the fortified settlements at Janet’s Brae and offers insight into the Iron Age and the lives of ancestors over 2,000 years ago. Nature watching and a glimpse into the past are thus presented as distinct themes.
Trails with different destinations
On foot, the trails reveal different sides of the region. The Borders Abbeys Way connects the four major ruined abbeys in Kelso, Jedburgh, Melrose and Dryburgh. St Cuthbert’s Way begins in Melrose and ends in Lindisfarne (Holy Island); its roughly eastward route passes several historic settlements and crosses the border into England. Both routes combine landscape with history, but differ in their endpoints and routes.
The Berwickshire Coastal Path has a clear focus on the coast: it is about 48 km long and runs from Cockburnspath to Berwick-upon-Tweed. Its described landscape features include cliffs, arches, stacks and crumbling castles. Detailed, printable maps are available for local routes through Scottish Borders Core Paths. Check maps and trail conditions before setting out.
Cycling and trails around Glentress
The Scottish Borders has many signed long-distance cycling routes as well as shorter routes accessible from towns. At Glentress, practice areas are marked by difficulty level; there is also a small mountain biking zone for the youngest visitors. Another route offers an introduction to mountain biking and leads through the forest. Conditions and trail markings can change, so it is worth checking the latest information before your ride.
The Glentress Multi-user Trail connects Glentress Gateway with the café, bike shop, practice area, taster trails and starting points for all walking and mountain biking routes. This helps you find your way between the different facilities on site. For a trip on the water, the 30-mile Tweed Valley Canoe Trail follows the River Tweed from Stobo to Tweedbank. Check local conditions before paddling.
A notice published by the Scottish Borders Council on 14 February 2025 describes a completed and opened section of the River Tweed Trail for pedestrians, wheelchair users and cyclists. This section provides a car-free link from the centre of Peebles to the Glentress mountain bike centre. Check the latest trail conditions before using it.
Museums, textiles and Scottish history
The Great Tapestry of Scotland consists of 160 panels and tells the story of Scotland’s history, heritage and culture in visual form. This offers a different way to explore the past than the ruined abbeys or the fortified settlements at Janet’s Brae: here, history is told as a connected picture.
At the Jim Clark Motorsport Museum, you can learn more about Jim Clark’s life and racing career through an interactive exhibition. Four of his most significant racing cars are currently on display. As collection details can change, check this information before your trip. The Borders Textile Towerhouse is devoted to the history of Border knitwear and tweed. It is housed in a restored 16th-century tower house; changing exhibitions showcase contemporary fashion, design, art and crafts. A variety of craft workshops are also held there throughout the year, with dates varying by season.
Walks at Abbotsford Estate
Abbotsford Estate is free and open to everyone. Signposted, surfaced and easy-to-walk paths lead through Scott’s woodland and along the River Tweed. They offer a different way to experience the landscape on foot than the longer long-distance trails. Check the latest operating details before your visit.
Explore more destinations
Explore more destinations: Gordon, Galashiels, West Linton, Melrose, Coldstream, Duns, Peebles, Selkirk, Kelso, Innerleithen, Kershopefoot, Clovenfords, Morebattle, Lilliesleaf, Carlops, Earlston, Cockburnspath, Newcastleton, Eyemouth, Saint Boswells, Lauder, Paxton, Houndslow, Heriot, Ettrickbridge, Roxburgh, Ashkirk, Walkerburn, Swinton, Ednam, Buccleuch, Traquair.
To the main travel overview: Scotland.
