I read last year that there was a bit of a hooha around this route with JK Rowling (or a company she owns) blocking access. I was thinking of heading that way in a couple of weeks and was just wondering what the state of play was at the moment?
The line of the original Captains Road isn't really there on the ground any more, but there is an obvious forest road instead. After crossing the watershed from the Yarrow, you have about 400m of gravel singletrack. Then turn left onto the forest road and follow it down to the Ettrick road.
The old captains road went years ago. Forest track is/was boggy at the top. If you're heading to tibbie shiels watch for your junctions there's a not obvious place where you need to veer left.
Was there in 2020. The original line is blocked by a high mesh gate where it leaves the forest above Thirlstanehope.
https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6724073
Presumably that path has grown over since. Now the route is by a new logging road - this also had a lot of non compliant sign litter on it too but was not physically blocked to the same extent. I caught it with the gate openable and got through.
https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6724079
According to Scottish Borders Council, the situation is resolved, so I presume the crepe has been removed from the forest road.
There was once a bad obstruction near the top of the route due to forestry and waterlogged ground. That had been repaired by a new good quality path in 2019. Soon after this opened the trouble to the east flared up.
