The Best Dog Walks in the Ettrick & Yarrow Valleys, Scottish Borders - Discover Eight routes that your dog will never want to leave and neither will you.
- Neil Chalk
- Mar 29
- 6 min read
The Best Dog Walks in the Ettrick & Yarrow Valleys, Scottish Borders
Eight routes that your dog will never want to leave — and neither will you.
If you're planning a dog-friendly holiday in the Scottish Borders, you've quietly stumbled upon one of the best-kept secrets in Scotland. The Ettrick and Yarrow Valleys sit in the rolling hills south of Edinburgh — roughly an hour from the capital, a world away from everywhere else — and they were, quite simply, made for dogs.
Wide skies. Quiet tracks that see more curlews than cars. Rivers that beg to be waded through. And paths so peaceful you'll genuinely wonder why everyone else is walking in the same three places.
Whether you're staying at The Scullery — our boutique holiday let in the heart of the Yarrow Valley — or just passing through, here are eight walks we love for dogs and their people.
Below you can discover 8 of the best dog walks in the Ettrick and Yarrow Valleys
1. Along Ettrick Water — Park at the Waterwheel Café
Distance: Flexible | Difficulty: Easy to Moderate | Terrain: Riverside path & farmland
The Ettrick Water is one of those rivers that earns its reputation quietly. Park at the Waterwheel Café and follow the banks downstream through a beautiful stretch of open farmland and ancient mixed woodland. The water is accessible almost the entire way — which, if you're a dog, is basically the whole point.
This is a walk that rewards a slow pace. You're unlikely to meet many other walkers, the birdsong is exceptional, and the river provides a constant, companionable soundtrack throughout.
Dog walker's tip: The Waterwheel Café is warm, welcoming, and very happy to see well-behaved dogs. Perfect for a coffee before you set off or a well-earned slice of cake at the end.
2. Bowhill House & Grounds
Distance: Varied | Difficulty: Easy | Terrain: Managed estate, woodland & lochside paths
The historic estate of the Duke of Buccleuch throws open its grounds to walkers, and the result is one of the most beautiful managed landscapes in the Scottish Borders. Sweeping woodland paths, a picturesque loch, and long open lawns make for an exceptional morning or afternoon out.
This is the kind of walk that photographs beautifully and lingers pleasantly in the memory — grand in scale, peaceful in character.
Dog walker's tip: Dogs are welcome but must be kept on leads throughout the grounds. An entry fee applies, and the estate has seasonal opening hours, so check ahead before visiting.
3. Toll Wood Trail, Innerleithen
Distance: 3–5km | Difficulty: Easy to Moderate | Terrain: Mature woodland
Just outside Innerleithen — one of the Borders' most characterful small towns — the Toll Wood Trail winds through mature mixed forest with occasional glimpses out over the Tweed Valley below. It's sheltered, peaceful, and remarkably beautiful in any season.
This is one of those walks that works brilliantly on a grey or rainy day. The tree canopy keeps things manageable underfoot and overhead, making it a reliable choice when the higher ground is in cloud.
Dog walker's tip: Worth combining with a wander around Innerleithen itself afterwards — the town has good coffee, a couple of fine local shops, and the kind of easy charm the Borders does effortlessly.
4. Tweed Valley Forest Park
Distance: Multiple routes from 3km | Difficulty: Easy to Moderate | Terrain: Forest trails & hillside paths
The Tweed Valley Forest Park — centred on the Glentress area near Peebles — is one of the most expansive places to walk with a dog in the Scottish Borders. A network of well-waymarked trails fans out through Glentress Forest and the surrounding hillside, ranging from a gentle lochside stroll to longer climbs with genuinely spectacular views.
For dogs who need real space and real exercise, this is the place. Miles of trail, almost all off-road, through proper forest.
Dog walker's tip: The Glentress Hub has a café, toilets, and plenty of parking. The forest is also home to some of Scotland's best mountain biking — trails are shared on some sections, so keep dogs close on busier days and weekends.
5. Broadmeadows Paths, Upper Yarrow Valley
Distance: Flexible | Difficulty: Easy to Moderate | Terrain: Open hillside, riverside paths
Close to The Scullery, the Broadmeadows area offers quiet paths through the upper Yarrow Valley — open hillside walking above the river, with the kind of solitude that is increasingly hard to find. This stretch of the valley feels genuinely, wonderfully remote. The hills here are broad and unhurried, the paths rarely busy, and the landscape as beautiful as anywhere in southern Scotland.
If you're based with us at The Scullery, this is practically on your doorstep.
Dog walker's tip: Open grazing throughout — please keep dogs on leads near any livestock, and leave all gates exactly as you find them.
6. The River Tweed at Abbotsford
Distance: 4–6km | Difficulty: Easy | Terrain: Riverside path
Few rivers in Scotland carry as much history as the Tweed, and the stretch near Abbotsford — the home of Sir Walter Scott — is among its finest. The riverbank path here is wide and accessible, with the Tweed at its broadest and most dramatic. Literary heritage hangs gently over every step without ever becoming heavy about it.
This is a walk for a quiet morning when you want beauty without effort — easy underfoot, endlessly lovely to look at.
Dog walker's tip: Abbotsford House itself is worth a visit and dogs are welcome in both the grounds and garden. Check seasonal opening hours at the Abbotsford website before you visit.
7. The Ring of the Loch — St Mary's Loch
Distance: 11km (7 miles) | Difficulty: Moderate | Terrain: Lochshore, moorland & drove road
This one is special. The Ring of the Loch is a spectacular circular walk around St Mary's Loch — the largest natural loch in the Scottish Borders and one of the most beautiful corners of Scotland. Famed in the poetry of James Hogg and the paintings of generations of Scottish artists, it is the kind of landscape that earns its reputation every time.
Starting from the Hogg Monument at the southern end of the loch, the route joins the Southern Upland Way along the lochshore, passing through ancient woodland at March Wood (look out for stones carved with local poetry), past contemporary shoreline sculptures at Shinglehook, and along to the eastern end of the loch.
The return leg follows an ancient Drove Road above the A708, with far-reaching views across the moorland, before climbing to St Mary's Kirkyard — a peaceful, atmospheric place of worship high on the hill, where history and legend seem to meet in the quiet.
There are two optional diversions along the way: Dryhope Tower, where a spiral staircase has been installed to let visitors enjoy the stunning view from the top; and Cockburn's Grave with the nearby Dow Linn waterfalls.
Dog walker's tip: Several sections of this walk cross open grazing land — dogs must be kept on leads whenever livestock are nearby. If the loch level is exceptionally high after heavy rain, some shoreline sections may flood; keep to the road verge in that case. The walk is described in the route leaflet in an anti-clockwise direction, but either direction is equally enjoyable.
8. The Southern Upland Way — Yarrow Valley Section
Distance: Flexible | Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging | Terrain: Moorland, hillside & lochside
Scotland's great coast-to-coast long-distance path — stretching from Portpatrick on the Solway coast to Cockburnspath on the North Sea — passes right through the Ettrick and Yarrow Valleys, and the local section is walking of genuine quality. Moorland, open hillside, and lochside paths combine in a route that feels properly wild without being technically demanding.
You can walk just a short section as a standalone walk, or link it with the Ring of the Loch (walk 7, above) for a longer day in the hills.
The Ettrick and Yarrow Community Development Company have produced a comprehensive guide to walking in the valleys, covering 19 circular routes ranging from easy riverside strolls to more serious hill walks — all downloadable for free.
Dog walker's tip: Download the full route guide for detailed maps and directions. For this section of the Southern Upland Way in particular, good footwear is strongly recommended — moorland paths can be boggy after rain.
A Note on the Scottish Outdoor Access Code
Scotland has some of the most generous outdoor access rights in the world under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 — and the Scottish Outdoor Access Code sets out the responsible way to use them.
When walking with dogs in the Ettrick and Yarrow Valleys, please:
Keep dogs under close control — on leads whenever livestock, ground-nesting birds, or other walkers are nearby
Leave gates exactly as you find them — open gates left open, closed gates left closed
Take all litter home — there are no bins on most rural paths
Act responsibly and respect people's livelihoods — these paths cross working farms and private land
For more information: www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot
Staying in the Yarrow Valley with Your Dog
If you're looking for the perfect base for a dog-friendly walking holiday in the Scottish Borders, The Scullery is a boutique, one-bedroom holiday let tucked into the folds of the Yarrow Valley — within easy reach of all eight walks on this list.
Three acres of private countryside, a beautifully considered interior, and the kind of quiet that takes a day or two to fully settle into. We'd love to have you and your dog.
Discover 8 of the best dog walks in the Ettrick and Yarrow Valleys
Remember the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, and enjoy your walk.
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