Explore Roxburgh through two distinct interests: building history and trails along the River Teviot. Roxburgh Church, the ruins near Roxburgh Castle and the Teviot Viaduct provide tangible points of reference for cultural history; the trails add riverside stretches and a former railway line. When looking for a holiday let, it helps to decide in advance whether architecture and historic sites or walking will shape your stay.

Building History and Architecture

Roxburgh Church has a clearly dated building history: it dates from 1752, was repaired in 1828 and extended around 1865. Painted coats of arms and a bell dating from 1705 add specific details about its fittings to this chronology. This makes it possible to consider the building phases and individual features separately. Wallace’s Tower is a good example of a medieval tower house. The term describes a type of building and complements the church’s chronological perspective with an architectural type. If you are interested in building history, the dates of the church, its specific details and its classification as a tower house offer different perspectives on historic architecture.

Castle, River and Viaduct

Roxburgh Castle is believed to date from the time of King David I; its foundation is dated to around 1128. Ruins lie nearby, close to the confluence of the River Tweed and the River Teviot. The castle and its riverside location offer different points of reference for understanding the site’s history. The Teviot Viaduct, also known as Roxburgh Viaduct, was built in 1850 to carry the railway over the River Teviot. A walking route reaches Roxburgh Viaduct to cross the river. At this structure, the former railway connection and the river crossing on a walking route can therefore be considered as two separate aspects.

Trails along the River Teviot

The Kelso & Roxburgh Circular explores what was once an important Roxburgh. It follows stretches of the River Teviot and joins the Borders Abbeys Way there. On the return to Kelso, the circular route follows the trackbed of a former railway. The route therefore features both a riverside stretch connecting to another trail and a former railway trackbed on the return journey. These features give the walk different points of reference, without implying a walking time. When considering the circular route, you can treat the river and the former railway trackbed as separate sections of the route.

Getting Your Bearings and Planning

Among the Scottish Borders Council’s core path resources is a map of the core paths of Roxburgh and Kelso. It includes both place names within the scope of the map and can help with finding your way around the core paths. For your trip planning, this lets you consider the path network alongside your choice of historic sites. The walking routes feature different characteristics: on the return to Kelso, the circular route follows a former railway trackbed, while a walking route reaches the viaduct to cross the river. As walking conditions can change, check them before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Newcastleton, Eyemouth, Heriot, Coldstream, Cockburnspath, Duns, Houndslow, Earlston.

For the overview of the wider region: The Scottish Borders.