Cycling in the Scottish Borders I Scotland I Stay in a Pub

One of the best ways to appreciate the breathtaking natural beauty of the Scottish Borders is on two wheels. Cycling in the Scottish Borders is fantastic with undulating hills and the ability to explore calm forest trails and exhilarating off-road routes. The plentiful choice of routes combined with the a variety of cycle hire options makes the Scottish Borders the perfect place to experience cycling at its finest.

Journey back in time and enjoy the circular Four Abbeys Cycle Route. This scenic trail takes in the four historic abbeys at Dryburgh, Kelso and Jedburgh, as well as Melrose Abbey, a grand medieval ruin where a casket containing the heart of Robert the Bruce is believed to be buried in accordance with his wishes. The River Tweed is the focal point for the Tweed Cycle Way which follows the winding river from Biggar to Berwick-Upon-Tweed, taking in spectacular hill and forest scenery and charming towns like Peebles and Coldstream.

The more experienced cyclist might like to try out the Borders Loop, a 250-mile route that meanders across minor roads and tracks, taking you through the towns, villages and countryside of this beautiful region. The bicycle friendly village of Newcastleton has quiet roads and challenging climbs making it an ideal base for cyclists taking up the challenge of the Southern Borders Loop. Another long distance route is the new Scottish C2C (coast to coast) between Annan and the Forth Bridge on the east coast is 125 miles in length. Join the route at Innerleithen to wind your way along cycle paths, country lanes and seaside promenades of Dumfries & Galloway, Midlothian, East Lothian and Edinburgh.

Join fellow bike enthusiasts from across Europe for bike rides, races and live music at the TweedLove Bike Festival in the Scottish Borders, held over two weeks in May and June. This festival is located in the verdant Tweed Valley, an area with hundreds of miles of the country’s best trails, tracks and roads. Here you can explore endless miles of natural cross-country riding and some of the UK’s most scenic, quiet country roads.

We recommend using Sustrans national cycle network app, which is free on Apple and Android and enables the user access to over 25,000 miles of walking and cycling across the UK.For more information on what to explore, check out our Things to Do page.

_{Photo by Stephen Talas on Unsplash}