Craik Forest offers the perfect escape for those who want to get away from it all. The forest is an excellent location for those who want to escape the rigours of everyday life and enjoy some walking, biking and wildlife watching. There are a number of walks offering panoramic vistas, some of which are inter-linked, starting from Craik car park including the Burnside Trail, the Green Ride Trail, the Aithouse Burn Trail, the Drove Road Trail and the Crib Law Trail.
The waterfall walk along Aithouse Burn is particularly stunning and includes a spur trail which goes off to the Wolfcleuch Waterfall. There is also an all-abilities path along the Borthwick Water, with information panels on the salmon spawning, bats and local Roman history. In addition to walking trails, Craik also contains two dedicated mountain bike routes the Crib Law Trail and the Wolfcleuch Loop.
The location of this forest also makes it perfect for keen naturalists. There's a wildlife hide in the forest on the Policy Wood Trail which allows the fortunate to view elusive red squirrels and a variety of woodland birds.