Rating out of 5: 4
Source: Walkhighlands (Cauldshiels Loch and the River Tweed, Melrose (Walkhighlands) )
Reasons:
This lovely route through the village of Melrose and the surrounding countryside towards Abbotsford, the home of Sir Walter Scott, following the riverbanks back into Melrose and to Melrose Abbey, offers a lovely scenery.
I personally adjusted the route a small bit according to a route I found in a book, leading me directly past Abbotsford due to the change. This gave me the opportunity to easily connect the walk with a visit to Sir Walter Scots home before heading back into Melrose and visiting the heart of King Robert the Bruce.
But, if you stay on the original route (which for the part I left out, follows the Border Abbey Way) you can visit Abbotsford by taking a wee detour just after crossing the B6360.
With parts of the route being walked either next to or on streets it at times can be very annoying, the first stretch out of Melrose of an instant runs right next to the busy A6091, however the trees in-between isolate the noises at least a bit and since I am more annoyed when walking straight on a street it was still okay (when I walked there it was raining so the trees provided some shelter, which might add to me not seeing it as that bad).
The minor reads following on some sections of the way are still acceptable but definitely are my reason for not giving this route 5 stars no matter in which constellation.
I personally suggest some route alterations if you’re not a fan of walking parts twice and want to do the Border Abbey Between Selkirk and Melrose on a certain point. The area offers various alternatives to switch about a wee bit and make each and every version of it a pleasant walk with a lot of beautiful scenery, hills and the banks of the River Tweed. The cultural diversity never to mention, offering two key sights in the Scottish Borders – Abbotsford and Melrose Abbey (including the heart of Robert the Bruce as mentioned above).
A solid four stars for this route.
