Pykestone Hill from Manor Water

By Glenrath below Posso Craig

From the A72, a couple of kilometres west of Peebles, a narrow road heading south can be taken at a junction signposted for Kirkton Manor and Manorhead.

This road is followed as it crosses the River Tweed, passing through Kirkton Manor. After approximately 2km, another junction is reached - a right turn should be made towards Manorhead, continuing along the narrow road for about 6km. A wide, grass-covered valley floor is soon arrived at.

Parking can be found just after a small bridge over Mill Burn, where a farm track heads northwest.

Pykestone Hill from Posso Craig

The route begins by following the farm track westwards for a short distance, after which a veer is made to aim for the crest of Posso Craig's northern shoulder, crossing over grass and through bracken. Upon reaching the crest of this shoulder, an ATV track can be picked up, which is then followed as it ascends.

Higher up, the track cuts through heather, briefly disappears, and then reappears just before the summit of Posso Craig, where a small cairn marks this minor hill's top.

From the cairn, the route to Pykestone Hill is defined by faint ATV tracks, which are followed through heather over Northy Knowe and along the eastern shoulder of the hill. A fenceline crosses Pykestone's summit crest, with its summit being marked by a trig point near the fence and not by either of the small cairns lying to the north or the east.

Dollar Law from Pykestone Hill

Dollar Law from Pykestone Hill

Drumelzier Law with the Coulter Hills and Tinto beyond

From the trig point on Pykestone Hill, the route continues southwest towards Middle Hill, following the fence line. Along the way, sharp stones protruding from the grass-covered ground are passed - likely the source of the hill's name.

Drumeizer Law, another 'Donald Top', lies around 2km northwest of Middle Hill. Instead of continuing directly to Middle Hill, a veer from the fence line can be made as it nears the broad summit of Grey Wether Law . From there, a route westward bounding over heather and grass can be taken, aiming directly for a well-constructed cairn on Glenstivon Dod .

A well-worn path leads from this cairn, descending Glenstivon Dod's north-western shoulder through thick heather to a col before rising again towards the summit of Drumeizer Law . The first cairn reached doesn't mark Drumeizer Law's summit - its summit lies approximately 300m further on. From the summit, fine views over the Coulter Hills and Tinto in the distance can be enjoyed.

The cairn on Glenstivon Dod with Dollar Law and Middle Hill beyond

The cairn on Glenstivon Dod with Dollar Law and Middle Hill beyond

Descending Kirkhope Rig back towards Glenrath

Taberon Law, another 'Donald Top', is located about 1.5km south-west of Middle Hill. A decent path can be followed tracing the fence line on Middle Hill towards this rather flat and heather-clad little hill. Although the path begins to fade into the grass and heather lower down, nearby ATV tracks can be picked up to ease the final 500m to Taberon Law's top , where a solitary white boulder marks its summit.

Back on Middle Hill, the route can be extended towards Dollar Law and beyond, exploring the surrounding hills of Manor Water.

To return to the foot of Posso Craig, ATV tracks over grass and heather can be followed aside the fenceline crossing Middle Hill towards Long Grain Knowe . On the summit of this broad hill, three fence lines converge - crossing to the eastern side of these allows another track to be picked up, leading to a cairn by the top of Kirkhope Rig.

A faint track, almost entirely swallowed by heather, descends from the eastern shoulder of Kirkhope Rig. As the descent continues, the gradient eases, and the terrain shifts from heather to grass-covered fields grazed by sheep.

The remains of the bridge over Kirkhope Burn

The remains of the bridge over Kirkhope Burn