Walk: Once upon a Tyne – Gorebridge gander

📌 Gorebridge, Midlothian
★★

Along the upper reaches of the Tyne Water, old rights of way string together a series of nature and history sites, including a country park, collegiate church and 14th century castle. These are all accessible by car, but walking over the braes from Gorebridge is a perhaps a better way to appreciate the region’s scenic charms. Fortunately the area is blessed with an unusually dense network of paths, allowing a satisfying day’s circuit with a long return along the neighbouring Gore Water. Vogrie Country Park has a cafe should refreshments be required after the first hill.

📷 Chronological photo guide

🌍 Location

📌 Start / finish at Hunterfield Road (B704) / Greenhall Road junction, 0.5 mi north of Gorebridge town centre

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NT 340623

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.849226,-3.055623

🚆🚌 Train / bus to Gorebridge town centre, at slightly different points on the route

🚗 Street parking at start, or several alternative options elsewhere on route – see map

📝 Key info

► 19 km / 12 mi | ▲ 390 m | ⌛ 6-7 hr

Features: 🌳 Vogrie Country Park ★★; 💧 Tyne Water; ⛪ Crichton Collegiate Church ★★; 🏰 Crichton Castle ★★★; 🏰 Borthwick Castle; 💧 Gore Water

⬤ Moderate | Clear but sometimes narrow, rough or muddy paths for most of route. Short section after Borthwick Castle is pathless with a couple of gates to climb. Stepping stones across the Tyne Water and jumps over its tributaries could be difficult after rain, but there are local diversion options. Fairly complex navigation.

➡️ Clockwise circuit: start – Common Wood – Camp Wood – Newlandrig – Vogrie Country Park – Tyne Water – Crichton Collegiate Church – Crichton Castle – Borthwick Castle – B704 in Gorebridge by north bank of Gore Water – A7 at Shank Bridge by south bank – start

Download file for GPS

🥾 On our last visit

Wildlife: Sheep, lambs, goats, donkeys, horses all in adjacent fields. Highlands cows, grey squirrels, rabbits, lapwings, buzzards.

Weather: 20°C+ and sunny, but with a welcome breeze.

May 2020