Borders Abbeys Way

Borders Abbeys Way

A circular walking holiday through the heart of Scotland's border towns, visiting the ruins of four great abbeys.

3 to 8 nights
31-68 miles
Moderate to Demanding

From £390 per person

Find your holiday

About the trail

The Borders Abbeys Way self-guided walking holiday tours 68 miles between four great ruined monasteries. Each has its own distinct character waiting to be discovered: the vast abbey church at Jedburgh, the outstanding detail of every carving at Melrose, the domestic architecture of Dryburgh and the Romanesque style of the remaining tower of the formidable Kelso Abbey.

As well as the four iconic abbeys, the Borders Abbeys Way has much to offer. The trail winds through the rounded green hills, wooded riverbanks, pine forests and rich farmland of the Scottish Borders, exploring a wide range of castles and outstanding viewpoints over the surrounding spaces and the glittering Tweed.

This is the perfect circular walking holiday through a beautiful area studded with historic gems.

We offer multiple holiday options along this trail. If you wish to experience the entire trail, simply select the first option from the list below.

Choose your route

  • This route includes dog friendly tour options Borders Abbeys Way
  • This route includes dog friendly tour options Borders Abbeys Way Highlights

Dog friendly tours available

Dogs are welcome on select routes along this trail. Look for the pawprint icon when choosing your holiday.

About this route

3 to 4 nights
31 miles
Moderate / Demanding to Demanding
2nd January to 24th December
Includes Dog-Friendly Tours

From £390 per person

Borders Abbeys Way Highlights

Ideal for those without the time to complete the full Borders Abbeys Way trail, the Highlights option visits all four of the route’s great abbeys and cuts off the mix of river walking and open terrain from Jedburgh to Melrose through Selkirk.

There are still plenty of riverside paths to enjoy during this short break, alongside rambles through woodland and along the Roman road of Dere Street as it climbs to the break’s conclusion in Jedburgh. The abbey’s cloisters and herb gardens here form a very pretty and unusually fragrant end to this engaging walking holiday.

 

Available tours

Code Tour Duration Difficulty Price per person
BAWH1 From Melrose to Jedburgh 3 nights, 2 days walking Demanding £390
BAWH2 From Melrose to Jedburgh 4 nights, 3 days walking Moderate / Demanding £520

Customer reviews from the Borders Abbeys Way Highlights

“We thoroughly enjoyed the Borders Abbey Way walk - working with Contours was easy, good communication throughout. Accommodation was great for the entire trip. Appreciated the maps. Really enjoyed it all.”
Mr Allison, USA
“Had a great walk, level of challenge met our expectations. Package details were waiting for us on arrival. Luggage transfers went without hassle. Every thing went well.”
Mr McBride, Canada
“Everything was great. We had an awesome time in sunny Scotland.”
Mr Hayes, USA
“It was well described and well organised. Very impressed. All the arrangements were well made (especially as we were travelling with our dogs) and the instructions were clear. The distances for each day were accurate and the accommodation was well chosen. Would absolutely recommend this holiday to others. If we had tried to arrange this ourselves we would not have managed the same experience. It was a great way to undertake a walking holiday.”
Ms Cruickshank, UK
“All the accommodation was excellent - the standard seems to improve year by year - and we had an excellent walk.”
Mr Howell, UK
Find your holiday