6: Happy in Abbey St. Bethans
11km circular walk (3-4 hours)
Around One Hour Drive from Edinburgh
Easy Hills. Total ascent: 323m
Outstanding cafe (the Riverside Bakehouse) at the start/end of the walk
Varied landscape and lots to see with Cockburn Law, Edin’s Hall Broch and a suspension bridge making up some highlights.
Getting to the Start
This walk starts in the beautiful little village of Abbey St. Bathans (TD11 3TX) in the Lammermuir district of the Borders. It takes around an hour to drive there from Edinburgh and there’s a sizeable free car park in the village. The car park is the starting point for a numbers of walks; the Southern Upland Way passes through this point. This walk is a circular walk, which heads away from the Riverside Bakehouse, with the river on your left.
Sadly, there are no public transport services to Abbey St. Bathans.
Highlights
Cockburn Law
After 4 km of walking, you’ll start (optional) climb up Cockburn’s Law. It has an easy peak of 325m and is well worth making the effort to climb. There is a hill-fort on its summit, which is surrounded by two concentric ramparts. The views are fantastic.
Edin’s Hall Broch
A broch is a uniquely scottish Iron Age drystone hollow-walled structure. Most brochs are found in the Highlands and it’s unusual to find one in the lowlands. There is some controversy around this broch, with some suggesting it could be a roundhouse because of its huge radius of 11m. Nevertheless, it’s a lovely place for a picnic and a rest!
Whiteadder Water Suspension Bridge
The walk directs you across this suspension footbridge, warning you that only two people should cross at any one time. There’s definitely an “Indiana Jones” feel to this bridge!
The Riverside Bakehouse
This cafe is situated at the car park and serves light lunches, coffees and delicious artisan cakes. We had a cruffin (cross between a croissant and a muffin!) and it was something else…
Walk Description
From the Riverside Bakehouse car park, head down the footpath with the river on your left and under the telegraph poles. You'll quickly meet a minor road then follow another path off to the left after the woodyard.
Then you rejoin the road, turn left and follow the road until you see a sign saying "TOOT" on a sharp bend. Take the footpath on this bend, cross the river and climb up the contours of an open field.
Stay on this path until you reach the signposts. You'll return to this point later - now is the time for your Cockburn Law detour. Turn right to head towards Cockburn Law, following sheep paths through the gorse. The path is a bit patchy, but just head towards the top of the hill!
Once at the top, retrace your steps back down to the footpath junction with the sign. Now go straight ahead following the direction of Edin's Hall Broch.
After the broch, head east and the path slopes down to reach a kissing gate above woodland on the left. You'll follow the perimeter of a field and eventually you'll see a gap in the bushes, which leads through someone's private garden. Keep following the signs and you'll see the suspension bridge.
After the suspension bridge, you'll meet a narrow road. Turn right up that road and follow it until you walk through the cut tree trunks. Take the left road up the hill for 1.5km and then first right.
Continue straight ahead onto an unsurfaced track and follow signs for Abbey St. Bathans
TOP TIPS
Including the climb up Cockburn Law, the walk is only 323m ascent. However, if you want to shorten the walk and skip the Law, you’ll still have an amazing walk!
