Some five miles south of Peebles lies Dun Rig, the highest summit at 744m in an area of rolling hills bounded by the Manor Water to the west and the B709 to the east. The undulating eastern side is traversed by part of the Southern Upland Way that g
oes from St Mary's Loch in the Yarrow valley to Traquair. The area is traversed more centrally by a right of way from Peebles to the Yarrow valley; a 12-mile section of one of the old drove roads used to take cattle from the Borders to the north of England.
But what was my particular interest in this area?
The Edinburgh medical graduate class of 1968 (together with their spouses and partners) hold a grand reunion every five years, and this autumn that was at Peebles Hydro. The weekend consists of lectures lasting scarcely more than two hours and, more and more, a number of gentle leisure activities, perhaps not surprising as after 40 years almost all of that class are now retired. Margaret enjoys those nostalgic moments with her fellow graduates, all of whom wonder where the past five years have gone.
I had been asked to lead one of those leisure activities, a gentle jaunt, so the week before we checked out such a walk to Dun Rig. The weather on that day was disappointingly wet and cloudy. Margaret wisely turned back, the attraction of bird watching being more appealing, as I soldiered on to Dun Rig and then returned by Glensax.
You will need Ordnance Survey map 73, Peebles, Galashiels and Selkirk. The walk starts from the large free car park (with toilets) in Kingsmeadows Road at the south end of the bridge over the Tweed at map ref 251402. Opposite is Springhill Road and heading south-east this gives a gentle urban approach to the start of the path/drove road (at map ref 260392), that leads on to the line of tops undulating to Dun Rig. It is possible to park thereabouts but space is limited. The way is signposted, a tree-lined lane leading to the often-muddy Gypsy Glen and crossing the Glensax Burn, partially in spate when we were there.
Now for the initial climb of some 350m to Kirkhope Law, two miles distant. However, the drove road has a good surface and gradient and the steadily increasing views of Peebles and the Tweed valley distract from the efforts of the climb. The first bump, gloriously covered in purple heather, is bypassed to the east, signposted Kailzie, the drove road giving an easier line of ascent to Kailzie Hill. From there proceed by the plantation edge to Kirkhope Law.
Following the line of a new fence on the left, it is then faster walking as the drove road gently descends. Ahead is Birkscairn Hill, a climb of 150m. The road almost bypasses the hill, but do go to the top.
At the dip between that hill and Stake Law the road descends southwards to the Yarrow valley. However, the way ahead to Stake Law and on to Dun Rig is south-west and another 150m to climb. By now on a less well made though still helpful track, the final ascent to Dun Rig goes by the roughest part of the walk; a peat haggy area, tedious and wet when I was there, and best avoided to the north.
Eventually the summit dome is reached. The trig point on Dun Rig lies atop a grassy mound though the highest point lies just ahead at a corner of the fence. A romp down the north ridge quickly leads past old shooting butts to an unmapped track by the Glensax Burn at map ref 261334. Glensax, a building now in disrepair, is soon reached and the main glen road gives an easy three-mile stroll to Haystoun, from where a Tarmac road leads back to the south-east side of Peebles and Springhill Road.
So how was the actual day for the medics and spouses? The weather was glorious. The early morning cloud in the Tweed valley soon lifted and we had superb views of the Hydro. With time constraints and levels of fitness, Dun Rig was always going to be too distant, but, apart from poor Ashley who missed the departure, we got as far as Kirkhope Law. More importantly, all enjoyed their short outing before the rigours of the ceilidh that evening.
Factfile
Map Ordnance Survey map 73, Peebles, Galashiels and Selkirk
Distance 12 miles
Height 700m
Terrain Old drove road leading to hillside, then return by track
Start point Car park at south end of bridge over the Tweed, map ref 251402
Time 5 to 7 hours
Nearest town Peebles
Nearest refreshment spot Simply Delicious coffee shop, Peebles
The full article contains 809 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
