Cademuir Hill – Up to the Old Forts Above Peebles
About 7.1 miles on foot.
Cademuir Hill rises just south of Peebles, a long, wavy ridge above the Manor valley with the remains of old hill forts along its top.
A waymarked loop from the middle of town takes you through the forest, along the ridge and back, with big views over the Tweed, and lunch in Peebles after it. It suits walkers who like a bit of history with their hill.
- Time
- Two to three hours for the loop; three for the longer way over the forts.
- The path
- Road, good path, forest path and open hillside, with a steep path up to the ridge.
- Where to start
- Kingsmeadows car park, Scottish Borders Council's, free, 62 spaces and 3 blue badge bays, at the south end of the Tweed Bridge in Peebles, with public toilets.
- Set off
- The walk starts at the car park on the John Buchan Way signs.
- When to go
- Open forest and hill at all hours in daylight; from November to February set off by 12.30pm. Coltman's opens every day from 10am.
- Dogs
- Under strict control or on a lead, and best left at home in the lambing, April to early June.
- Children
- A long walk of up to 11 km: for children used to a few hours on foot.
- Toilets
- Public toilets in Kingsmeadows car park; none on the hill.
- Before you set out
- From November to February set off by 12.30pm. Sheep lamb on the hill from April to early June. Forestry and Land Scotland may change routes in the forest.
The walk
Park in Kingsmeadows, the council's free car park at the south end of the Tweed Bridge in Peebles, which has public toilets. The council's Paths Around Peebles leaflet sends you round Cademuir Hill and up onto its ridge: 8.5 km for the forest loop, or 11 km taking in the hill forts on the top. It allows two to three hours, so give the longer way the full three. Follow the John Buchan Way signs up through the town's south-west corner to Tantah, then into Cademuir Forest, where a track runs round the hill before a path climbs steeply to a gate on the ridge.
Walk along the crest to the forts. The first, inside its tumbled stone wall, covers about the area of two football pitches, and 35 round houses were found in it. The way back comes down to the grassy John Buchan Way, 1.5 km to Tantah and the town. The ridge is open hillside, so wear boots and pick a clear day.
Sheep graze the hill and lamb from April to early June, when a dog is best on a lead or left at home. Forestry and Land Scotland may change routes in the forest: follow the signs. From November to February set off by 12.30pm.
If it rains
In rain or low cloud leave out the ridge and the forts: the forest track round the hill is the sheltered half, or walk the Tweed through the town and go early to lunch.
Afterwards
About 4 min on foot
Coltman's
Lunch
Lunch is four minutes' walk from the car park, back over the Tweed Bridge, at Coltman's, a deli and kitchen on the High Street in a building of 1711. It opens every day from 10am for breakfast and lunch, with soup, savoury tarts, sandwiches and its own cakes, by a log fire in winter. Book a table at weekends on 01721 720405. The way in is step-free and children are welcome; ring ahead about a dog. If it's full, the Tontine Hotel, a few doors along, serves food every day from noon.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
Book a table at Coltman's online or on 01721 720405, above all at a weekend.
For further reading, before you go.
Photographs by Yevhen and Craig Cockburn via Google