Kirnie Law from Innerleithen

The route

Start in Innerleithen and climb south out of the town onto Kirnie Law, making an 8.9km loop over the hill and back to the Tweed. It is a short outing but a genuine hill one, rising steadily from the riverside to open moorland with the reservoir and its old waterworks on the way. The climb is front-loaded, so once you are up the running opens out across the broad, breezy top.

The hill

Kirnie Law rises above Innerleithen to give one of the best short viewpoints in the Tweed Valley, a 180-degree sweep over the town, the river and the surrounding Border hills. The reservoir below it was built in 1919 to power the mills in the town, part of what is remembered as one of Scotland's first hydro-electric schemes, and the remnants still sit on the hillside. In August the heather comes into bloom and the whole slope turns purple, which is the hill at its finest.

Why it works

This is a route for a quick hit of height without a big day. The distance is short, the climb honest, and the reward is out of proportion to the effort. Underfoot it is a mix of track and open moorland path, boggy in places and rough on the top, so it is more than an easy jog despite the length. Navigation needs a little care on the open ground in cloud, where the paths thin out, so carry a map. Peebles at the foot is a proper Borders town with cafes, shops and the Tweed for afterwards, and the Glentress trails sit just up the road if you want to make more of the day. As a lunchtime hill loop with a view like this, it is hard to beat anywhere in the Borders.