Before heading off from Hawick spend some time visiting the Heart of Hawick or the local museum to get a flavour of the importance of the town in the Borders’ textile industry. Heading west and then north you will pass the Gordon Arms. On the outskirts of Innerleithen you can visit Traquair House, Scotland’s oldest inhabited house which dates back to 1107. In Innerleithen you can visit St Ronan’s Well Visitor Centre and Robert Smail’s Workshop. You may wish to follow the River Tweed direct to Galashiels or head north in a loop to Heriot first. Old Gala House Museum & Art Gallery can be found in Galashiels before heading towards Melrose where you can visit one of the four Borders’ Abbeys, Priorwood Garden and Harmony Garden. Before you leave, don’t miss Abbotsford House, former home of Sir Walter Scott.
There are a number of typical passes between valleys on this loop, as well as some short sharp climbs between Melrose and Hawick.
Further details on this route including route profile and gps details can be found on www.cyclescottishborders.com
