Scotland’s Great Trails are walks beyond brilliance. The lesser-known footpaths and the ones I forge myself through the roaming are pricelessly perfect. The city paths are also full of delightful and urban discovery. Is there any more that could possibly be asked for?
For me, yes there is. Something that walkers don’t really pay much heed to. Something that I, however, have had all the pleasure in discovering – the country lanes.
My attraction to country lanes
So, what attracts me then to the country lanes? Why choose roads over footpaths, tarmac over the forest floor?
The route along the roads provides a different perspective. It offers no less beauty than the Great Trails and the lesser-known footpaths. Instead, it offers a point of view seen mainly by drivers and cyclists. A point of view that is well worth seeing.
The walk
Starting my walk in the small village of Birgham, I briefly take in its sights before heading off down the single-track country lane. Already, the walk begins to deliver. Beside the village hall, and facing northwest towards Eccles, the views are already lovely. Green fields contrast with bare hedge, almost as if summer and winter are competing. The two extreme seasons of summer and winter clashing in the middle ground of the autumn.
It is a wonder to watch the wildlife that congregates near the roads. Birds still reside in leaf-stripped hedges, chirping away and jumping from branch to branch. And although the leaves are gone, the birds are not completely exposed, not yet. There are still luscious looking red berries; something to feed these bobbing birds.
As the roads twist and turn, I see the Borders countryside laid out before me in many ways, varying according to perspective. When there are no cars, I feel as if I am alone. Not just alone on the roads, but alone in the entire rural countryside. It’s a calming sensation; being able to look out at the views beyond the road without interruption. It brings me peace and clarity and makes me feel at one with myself.
Stunning Stichill
These country roads reveal not just amazing views of the countryside, or clarity and inner peace to myself, however. They also reveal the little villages dotted around the rural landscape, those often overlooked by many. I travelled through three villages on my walk, and while Birgham and Eccles were nice, one village truly captured me.
The sun shone from a now-blue sky down onto an old-fashioned village that appeared to be the very definition of the word. Despite a few new builds, stepping into Stichill was like stepping back in time. It was as if I had walked into a nostalgic, picturesque village, the type that could be found on a jigsaw puzzle.
There was a scatter of old-fashioned houses and cottages, an old red phone box, and road signs from a bygone age. There was even a stone well in somebody’s garden. The vibe screams peaceful, old and beautiful. Even most of newer houses seem to fit in well with the character of the village. But it isn’t just the old architecture, the ancient-looking church or the beautiful gardens on display that captured my eye.
Surrounding countryside
Stichill is embedded in surrounding rolling hills and far-reaching fields. I saw them all on the walk but here, looking down on them from the village, they took on a new beauty. A little bit further down, there is a beautiful waterfall – Stichill Linn. It is nothing short of spectacular, well worth a visit and, in the summer, a dip. I found all of this beauty by exploring the simple country roads.
Stunning sights from a new point of view, new things you don’t necessarily see on the trails and footpaths, like hidden away houses or the wildlife that lives by the roadside. The winding roads themselves give you a break from rough terrain. But the best thing about this walk for me, were the villages – in particular, Stichill. The fields and forests, moors and mountains are priceless to travel and behold, but the villages are unique in their own way and are the perfect compliment to the natural world. Truly, travelling these country backroads was a revealing experience.
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