Gravelling: Yarrow Valley into Elibank and Kirkhouse

Thought I might have, having done a bit of riding round the Yarrow valley, but not the ones you're talking about I don't. But more generally, be wary of forestry boundaries: often the fire roads go close to them, and are inaccessible from outside - 10 yards of dense plantation forestry is enough to be virtually impossible. That one via Glengaber, looks a goer, but the one via Lewenshope Hope (so good they named it twice) is less clear. There's a dashed line on the 50k going straight into the forest and up to the SUW, but the 25k only shows a dead end track in the valley and nothing going into the forest. More research (satellite images and Geograph) on that one.

Yes, the closer you look, the more paths just look to end. Might try the route over to Glengaber as it looks solid double track on the 25k and I know the way to Traquair or Inners from there. Will fire up ye olde satellite tonight.

Within Kirkhouse looks frustrating - kind of like fire roads in north and south that don't appear to link up. If they did, I'd try getting up Paddy Slack off road for a change before down to the Gordon Arms.

@thenorthwind - do you have any suggestions for good tracks in Yarrow? Just looking for something new and not too far from home (Peebles) that contains a mix of road and gravel.

It's been a while TBH, but I remember Minchmoor road up to the SUW being nice, if a tough climb. Would have been on a MTB though, so not sure how it would be on gravel bike.

Some nice tracks into the back of the Bowhill estate too.

Within Kirkhouse looks frustrating – kind of like fire roads in north and south that don’t appear to link up. If they did, I’d try getting up Paddy Slack off road for a change before down to the Gordon Arms.

Yeah, it can be annoying. They're built as access for forestry operations from a single point rather than through routes. Often there's what I assume is a boundary between two landowners/managers, with access from both sides but no way through.

You can get from Kirkhouse and on to Glengaber, via a short 100m walk and then cross the fence line via a gates and descend to the Glengaber track.

The dotted line is a bit of  long hike a bike , best to go into the field first.

Some new fences have been put up as well the follow the field boundary down beside the new fences.

It's not worth crossing the fence onto the path shown on the map it's overgrown.and boggy in places

This can accessed  aslo be done from top of Paddy Slacks riding into Kirkhouse or from the Orchard Rig ride which descends into the Glen Estate and then cross over into Kirkhouse.

Or ride into Kirkhouse from top of Paddy Slacks as said above!

You can also drop into Yarrow from top of Paaddy Slacks from the forest Road  there is a deer fence (ladder)  to cross which is awakward on your own. And goes via a farm I went around it as they were working in the yard .

Lots of options in the area and good weather to explore just now.

The two dotted lines heading south from Glengaber towards Yarrow crossing open ground  are said to be boggy by some  ,not tried them personally.

I have not explained it well .

Pm me your email ,I will send a few ideas to you if you want me to

My experience is that the tracks over glengaber are just vague lines across boggy ground.
As mentioned by thenorthwind there is a track up through lewenshope that is useful, it goes up to the house at the end and then curves round the hillside to a walking path along a firebreak that cuts through to the forestry road that then takes you up to the SUW.

worth noting that there is forestry activity along there at the moment with the track up to the woods looking to have been improved for machine access but this may mean the short path through is less viable.

Also the farmer at the start of the track where you leave the yarrow road is pretty keen on having a go at you about private land even though it's a road to a house and nothing to do with him.

There is now a new farm track that goes up to SUW at  Brown knowe from the same point as the minchmoor drove road that is mainly pleasant, has a steep kick at the end.

There is also the broadmeadows way up to the 3 brethren that takes you past the old youth hostel from yarrow and also the Corbie linn way up to the brethren.

Easy enough to combine those with the various duchess drive at bowhill/black Andrew/whitchy knowe tracks along to the swire to get a lollipop loop based on the SUW.

Thanks everyone, some good advice and ideas. Given the weather has been so dry I think it'll be worth an explore to see what's what.

I have the map out now!

The track around Dodds Hill (Kirkhouse)  links up with track to where it ends at approx  Grid ref 33 ,31.  At turning circle.go on vague path to gate into big  field and descend to Hanel to pick up gravel track passing Glengaber .

Or ride to same spot from top of the Slacks.

You can get from Catslackburn in the Yarrow Valley to Feurs Moss. A track at the boundary is not on map and links to Paddy Slacks. Its a good track ,better than the map suggests

Bur One ladder and High deer fence , I dropped bike into dense bushes to get over.

I went southwards on first attempt and went around farm which was a of a loop  coning back came out on the main  road east of the farm on the Selkirk side of it , pretty obvious when u are there heading in that direction.