The Eildon Hills, the Tweed Valley, St Abb's Head and Coldingham Bay - the best dog-friendly walks in the Scottish Borders.
Updated
By Rob Griffiths12 July 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
📍TypeMarket town & hills
🐾Dog accessOn-lead near stock, abbey grounds
🥾TerrainHill paths, riverbank, town
⭐HighlightThe 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
📍TypeClifftop NNR
🐾Dog accessOn-lead near cliffs & nesting birds
🥾TerrainClifftop path, grassland
⭐HighlightThe 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
📍TypeForest & river town
🐾Dog accessWelcome on trails, lead near stock
🥾TerrainForest track, riverbank
⭐HighlightGlentress 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
📍TypeMarket town & rivers
🐾Dog accessOn-lead, riverside & estate paths
🥾TerrainRiverbank, parkland, town
⭐HighlightTweed 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
📍TypeAbbey town & river
🐾Dog accessOn-lead near stock, river paths
🥾TerrainRiverbank, town, hill edge
⭐HighlightJedburgh 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
📍TypeSandy bay
🐾Dog accessDog-friendly, check local signs
🥾TerrainSand, coastal path
⭐HighlightSheltered 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
01
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.
02
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.
03
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.
04
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.
05
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.
Live prices and availability for stays that genuinely welcome dogs.
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