Dog-Friendly Scottish Borders (2026)

The Eildon Hills, the Tweed Valley, St Abb's Head and Coldingham Bay - the best dog-friendly walks in the Scottish Borders.

The Eildon Hills above Melrose in the Scottish Borders, a dog-friendly walking area
Updated
By Rob Griffiths18 June 2026 · 9 min read

The Scottish Borders are one of Britain's most underrated dog-walking counties, a rolling country of river valleys, abbey towns and lonely hills between Edinburgh and the English frontier. You can walk the Eildon Hills above Melrose in the morning, follow the River Tweed through a handsome market town in the afternoon, and finish on a quiet sandy beach on the Berwickshire coast. It is sheep and farming country with generous open access, so the lead matters near stock and on the seabird cliffs, but dogs are warmly welcomed throughout. Here is where to go.

Are the Scottish Borders dog-friendly?

Yes, and they are blissfully quiet compared with the Highlands or the Lakes. The region is criss-crossed with rights of way and long-distance trails like St Cuthbert's Way and the Borders Abbeys Way, the forests and river valleys give easy walking, and the abbey towns are full of dog-welcoming pubs and cafes. Melrose makes a lovely central base, while the Berwickshire coast offers cliff walks and sandy bays.

The two things to plan around are livestock and the coast's wildlife. This is serious sheep country, so a lead is essential near grazing flocks, and the seabird cliffs at St Abb's Head need dogs kept close in the nesting season. Away from those, the Tweed Valley forests and the river paths give relaxed, scenic walking with a dog.

What are the best dog-friendly places in the Scottish Borders?

Scottish Borders dog-friendly highlights

MELROSE · TOWN & HILLS

Melrose & the Eildon Hills Editor's pick

An abbey town under three distinctive peaks

  • Hill walking
  • Town base
  • Riverside paths
  • Type Market town & hills
  • Dog access On-lead near stock, abbey grounds
  • Terrain Hill paths, riverbank, town
  • Highlight The Eildon Hills walk
Melrose is the perfect Borders base, a handsome little town beneath the three rounded summits of the Eildon Hills. The classic walk climbs from the town onto the Eildons (part of St Cuthbert's Way) for a huge view over the Tweed Valley, and easier riverside paths follow the Tweed itself. Dogs on a lead are welcome in the grounds of Melrose Abbey, and the town has plenty of dog-friendly cafes and pubs. The hills are grazed by sheep, so keep your dog on a lead near the flocks.

BERWICKSHIRE · COAST

St Abb's Head

A dramatic seabird headland on the Berwickshire coast

  • Clifftop walking
  • Seabird spectacle
  • Big sea views
  • Type Clifftop NNR
  • Dog access On-lead near cliffs & nesting birds
  • Terrain Clifftop path, grassland
  • Highlight The cliff circuit
St Abb's Head is the scenic highlight of the Berwickshire coast, a National Nature Reserve where high cliffs teem with nesting seabirds in spring and summer. A circular clifftop walk from the village of St Abbs gives tremendous views and passes a lighthouse and a loch. Keep your dog on a lead throughout: the cliff edges are sheer and the nesting seabirds are easily disturbed. The little harbour village has a dog-friendly cafe, and nearby Coldingham Bay adds a beach to the day.

PEEBLES · FOREST

Tweed Valley & Peebles

Forest trails along the upper Tweed

  • Forest trails
  • Riverside walks
  • All-weather option
  • Type Forest & river town
  • Dog access Welcome on trails, lead near stock
  • Terrain Forest track, riverbank
  • Highlight Glentress Forest trails
The upper Tweed Valley around Peebles is the region's best country for easy, all-weather dog walking. Glentress Forest, just east of the town, has a network of waymarked walking trails (shared in places with mountain bikers) climbing through the trees with viewpoints over the valley, plus a cafe and car parks. Peebles itself is a friendly town with riverside walks along the Tweed and dog-welcoming places to eat. The forest tracks are firm and sheltered, making this a reliable choice when the hills are wild.

KELSO · TOWN

Kelso & the Tweed

A handsome town where two rivers meet

  • River walks
  • Market-town base
  • Castle grounds
  • Type Market town & rivers
  • Dog access On-lead, riverside & estate paths
  • Terrain Riverbank, parkland, town
  • Highlight Tweed and Teviot confluence
Kelso is one of the prettiest of the Borders towns, set where the River Teviot joins the Tweed, with a broad cobbled square and a ruined abbey. Riverside walks follow the Tweed from the town, and the wider Roxburghe estate country around it gives gentle, scenic walking. Dogs on a lead are welcome on the estate and riverside paths and through the abbey grounds. It is a relaxed base for the eastern Borders with dog-friendly cafes and a strong fishing-and-farming character.

JEDBURGH · ABBEY TOWN

Jedburgh & the Jed Water

A border abbey town below the Cheviots

  • Abbey town walks
  • River paths
  • Gateway to the hills
  • Type Abbey town & river
  • Dog access On-lead near stock, river paths
  • Terrain Riverbank, town, hill edge
  • Highlight Jedburgh Abbey & Jed Water
Jedburgh sits close to the English border below the northern slopes of the Cheviot Hills, its ruined abbey one of the great Borders monuments. Easy walks follow the Jed Water through the town, and the surrounding country leads up towards the Cheviots and the Pennine Way for those wanting a bigger hill day. Dogs on a lead are welcome through the abbey grounds and the riverside paths. The town makes a good southern base, handy for crossing into Northumberland and the Cheviot border country.

BERWICKSHIRE · BEACH

Coldingham Bay

A sheltered sandy bay on the Berwickshire coast

  • Sandy beach
  • Family-friendly
  • Coast path
  • Type Sandy bay
  • Dog access Dog-friendly, check local signs
  • Terrain Sand, coastal path
  • Highlight Sheltered swimming bay
Coldingham Bay is a sheltered crescent of golden sand on the Berwickshire coast, a short walk from the village of St Abbs and one of the best dog beaches in the south-east of Scotland. The bay is good for a swim and a run on the sand, and the Berwickshire Coastal Path links it to St Abb's Head for a fine cliff-and-beach day out. As with any beach, check for local seasonal signs, and keep a lead handy for any grazing stock on the coastal grassland above.

Can you walk dogs at St Abb's Head?

Yes, on a lead. St Abb's Head is a National Nature Reserve with a superb circular clifftop walk, and dogs are welcome, but the cliffs are sheer and the seabird colonies are sensitive, so keep your dog on a lead throughout, especially during the spring and summer nesting season. Combine it with the sandy sweep of Coldingham Bay nearby for a beach-and-cliff day. Bring water for the dog, as the headland is exposed and there is little shade.

Tips for visiting the Scottish Borders with a dog

Lead up for sheep and seabirds

The Borders are working sheep country, and the coast holds nesting seabirds. Keep your dog on a lead near livestock and on the cliffs at St Abb's Head, as the access code requires.

Use the Tweed Valley forests for easy walks

Glentress and the Peebles forests have firm, waymarked trails that are sheltered and relaxed, good in any weather and away from grazing stock.

Base yourself in Melrose

Melrose is central, with the Eildon Hills and Tweed on the doorstep and plenty of dog-friendly cafes and pubs. Kelso and Peebles make good alternatives.

Combine the coast with a beach

Pair the St Abb's Head cliff walk with sandy Coldingham Bay for a varied day, watching for the seabird-season lead rules on the headland.

Explore the long-distance trails

St Cuthbert's Way and the Borders Abbeys Way link the abbey towns with quiet, dog-friendly walking. Carry water, as the hill sections are exposed.

Frequently asked questions

Q01Are dogs allowed at St Abb's Head?
Yes, on a lead. St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve has a fine circular clifftop walk where dogs are welcome, but the cliffs are sheer and the seabird colonies are sensitive, so keep your dog on a lead throughout, especially in the spring and summer nesting season.
Q02Where are the best dog walks in the Scottish Borders?
For hills, climb the Eildon Hills from Melrose; for forests, head to Glentress in the Tweed Valley near Peebles; for the coast, walk St Abb's Head and Coldingham Bay. The abbey towns of Melrose, Kelso and Jedburgh all have easy riverside walks along the Tweed and its tributaries.
Q03Is Coldingham Bay dog-friendly?
Yes. Coldingham Bay on the Berwickshire coast is a sheltered sandy beach that welcomes dogs and is one of the best dog beaches in south-east Scotland. Check for any local seasonal signs and keep a lead handy for grazing stock on the coastal grassland above the bay.
Q04Where should I base myself in the Scottish Borders with a dog?
Melrose is the best all-round base, central and walkable with the Eildon Hills and the Tweed on the doorstep and dog-friendly cafes and pubs. Peebles suits the Tweed Valley forests, and Kelso or Jedburgh suit the eastern and southern Borders and the run into Northumberland.

Related guides

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North of the Borders: Arthur's Seat, the Water of Leith and dog-friendly city walks.
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West along the border: forests, the Solway coast and dog-friendly beaches.
Dog-Friendly Northumberland

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