Dabshead Hill, Lauder

Sheila Grimston

17 April 2025

We set off from Lauder - Crawford, Moira, Willie, Stuart, Bob, Pamela and myself..

..passing the Spotty Dog Cafe (the name reminded Stuart and Willie of the Wooden Tops!), and turned left heading north east, following the sign for the Southern Upland Way (SUW) through the Thirlestane Castle grounds. The castle, built by Sir John Maitland in 1550 peeked over the treetops as we walked through grazing fields up to the A697. The weather was fair but a bit chilly.

Over the main road we continued to follow the SUW signs through a farm, where we saw the first house martins of the year. Ascending upland, we then turned north away from the SUW, along a long track through harvested woodland, which was still being felled, as we had to dodge round the stacks of timber!

We then skirted round the bottom of Dabshead Hill on a gravel path down to the Earnscleugh Water, passing an immaculate new build estate house. Following the burn for a while, we stopped for an early lunch in a sheep stell for shelter – we had planned to have lunch in Bermuda but it was too cold!

Nearing the mid point of the walk, we took a steep path up to the heather clad rolling moorland of Borrowston Rig - there was some newly burnt heather which we hoped had been controlled and not wildfire. Hearing the skylarks and geese above, we took a sharp right back south west up to the top of Dabshead Hill, 383 metres high, on which an oval shape 2000 – 3000 year old Iron Age Fort sits. The ‘lang stane’ on the top was erected to celebrate Lady Mary Maitland’s marriage in 1845.

After a wee snack (wagon wheels!), and a chance to enjoy the wonderful views across to the Eildons, down to the Cheviots and up to the Lammermuirs, we started our descent back down through Edgarhope Wood. By now, the blue sky had appeared after a quick hail shower. En route we came across a random sign ‘Ticket Book Box’, any ideas? (it was next to an empty fire extinguisher box?)

Finally descending back to Lauder through the castle grounds, we rested at the Spotty Dog cafe, where it was sunny enough to sit outside. Almost everyone was tempted to buy some of the specialist cheese that were on sale.