Publisher's Information 2007
The Southern Upland Way
This is the most difficult of all Britain?s marked walking trails, with much up and down through wild and lonely landscapes with long distances between supply and accommodation places on the Southern Upland Way.
It will delight those who like wilderness, history, border ballads and the works of Sir Walter Scott and James Hogg.
Ten bastles or castellated houses lie on or near the route, plus many other places of historical, archeological or literary interest. In southern Lanarkshire a group of bastles or defensible farmhouses lie just north of the Way, and a separate section describes a circular walk taking in six of these, plus Lowther Hill, the highest point of the Way, just east of Wanlockhead.
Saint Cuthbert?s Way
Starting from where the Southern Upland Way makes a dramatic change of direction at Melrose, Saint Cuthbert?s Way links places which are associated with the saint?s travels, ending at Lindisfarne Priory on Holy Island.
This route links two major ruined medieval abbeys at Melrose and Dryburgh, uses part of the line of the Roman road of Dere Street and passes several interesting castles and churches.
It also intersects with the Borders Abbeys Way at three points, and at Kirk Yetholm links with the north end of the Pennine Way coming over the Cheviots.
The John Muir Way [this refers to the old John Muir Way route]
A comparatively level and easy walk along the coast, the John Muir Way now links Cockburnspath with Dunbar and East Linton.
It too offers a variety of heritage features from castles and medieval churches to nature reserves, an Iron Age fort, a restored water mill, and a museum within the birthplace of the conservationist John Muir.
Walkers unable to cope with the long and difficult middle sections of forest and bare moorland on the Southern Upland Way will be able to use this book to combine the easier eastern fifth of the Way beyond Melrose with either the John Muir Way or the Saint Cuthbert?s Way.
