Last year, when we were up visiting family in the Scottish Borders, we discovered the Blackadder Walk – an easy circular walk in the Scottish Borders, starting at the Allanton Inn. The inn’s owners have put together a couple of local walks that they used to do with their own children, so they’re not just scenic – they’re also tried-and-tested family friendly walks. Both of the walks route directions can be collected from the Allanton Inn.
We loved the Blackadder route so much that we promised ourselves we’d come back and try the Whiteadder Walk (pronounced Whit-Adder) next time we were up here. It’s another gentle circular route that takes in the countryside around Allanton, showing off the rivers, fields, and woodland that make this area such a treat to explore. If you’re looking for easy family walks near Duns, this one ticks all the boxes and is just a short drive from the town.
Walk Overview
- Location: Allanton, Scottish Borders
- Distance: Around 5 miles (circular)
- Terrain: Quiet lanes, woodland paths, private tracks
- Time: 1.5 – 2 hours with children
- Best for: Families, children, grandparents
- Facilities: Toilets, meals, and drinks available at the Allanton Inn – ideal for a post-walk treat!
Top tip: If it’s a warm day, bring a towel – there’s an accessible ford that’s perfect for paddling.
Our Day on the Whiteadder Walk
Setting Off from the Allanton Inn
Monday 21st July 2025. The first week of the school summer holidays saw our family take off to Scotland to spend a week with my parents. The forecast finally looked promising after a spell of wet weather, so on our 3rd day we rounded everyone up and drove to Allanton to give the Whiteadder Walk a try. This time, my mum decided to join us too – since dragging her out on the St. Abbs Lighthouse walk on our last visit last summer, she’s really tried to fit in little walks regularly, and was excited to get a bigger walk under her belt.
Like the Blackadder route, this one starts from outside the Allanton Inn, but instead of heading out the same way, it takes you in the opposite direction and to a different part of the village/area.
Although the route is described as “mostly country roads”, we were excited to be led almost immediately into a lovely stretch of woodland with a wide gravel path. It was cool and shady – a welcome start, as the sun was already warming up.
Quiet Roads and Country Cottages
After the woodland we crossed the “main” road (main by Borders standards – it’s still very quiet!) and followed another peaceful lane which lead us past some farm buildings.
And just beyond them were these colourful cottages – the photo doesn’t really show off the colours!
We turned left at the top of this road and passed a couple of egg farms, which thankfully didn’t have the smell our local chicken farm often produces 😅.
Not long after we passed the barns, we turned left onto a road that was closed to traffic because of ford renovations – which made it even more peaceful than usual, and passed this little cottage, West Lodge, which in turn leads to Hutton Castle.
Our route however didn’t lead toward the castle, and instead we followed the main road through some ‘Road Closure Ahead’ signs…
The Ford and a Tempting Paddle
A short way along we came to a bridge over the Whiteadder, not far from the ford. We all enjoyed some time up here admiring the view, appreciating the size of the river, and spotting fish!
After crossing the bridge we were able to get a better view of the ford. The water looked so inviting today, and it would have been a perfect place for a quick paddle, but I’d not bought any towels, and we were planning to meet Grandad back at the inn, so we decided to keep our feet dry and press on.
We had a short climb ahead of us along this quiet country road, before the route then left the tarmac behind and took us down a private track through more woodland. The sun was out in full swing by this point and the walk up the hill with it beating upon us was pretty tiring, so the woodland was very welcoming yet again! As we approached the track we saw these huge rhubarb like leaves – the sheer size of them made the boys laugh and they of course wanted a photo under them! Tia (our dog) was less keen on posing for the camera!
This section was very peaceful – we saw a heron swooping around, a group of geese enjoying a paddle, and plenty of wildflowers lining the track. The boys loved this red one and asked me to take a photo to Google once we got back. Apparently it’s Crocosmia for anyone interested – which is readily available for sale and use in gardens but apparently is invasive and shouldn’t be in the wild…
The Final Stretch
As the shady woodland track came to an end, a huge Georgian-style house came into view. The original was apparently demolished in 2015, having been derelict since 2007, but the new version has been rebuilt with a modern twist, keeping that grand, Georgian look. I was curious on the history and keen to see some photos of the original property, but my Googling has been mostly fruitless which is a shame, so if you know anything I’d love to hear from you!
Not far from there, a quirky garden sculpture depicting standing stones caught our attention as we headed back towards the village. I’ve passed this property many times in a car and never noticed these!
Back to Allanton
Back onto the main road that leads through the village, we used the large grass verge to safely make our way back toward the Allanton Inn – being momentarily distracted by huge mushrooms that the boys insisted I photographed beside their feet to show the size (don’t worry, I shan’t bore you with all those photos 😅). We crossed the Whiteadder river one final time, at the very point where the Blackadder and Whiteadder meet. We’ve never looked over this bridge and it was very beautiful to look at.
From there it was just a gentle stroll (uphill!) back into Allanton, where we left our bags in the car and treated ourselves to a very well-earned cold drink at the Allanton Inn. Well, we are on holiday! 😉
How Child-Friendly is the Whiteadder Walk?
Like the Blackadder route, the Whiteadder Walk is brilliant for children.
- It’s a manageable distance for little legs, especially if you have a pushchair to break it up, or include little breaks along the way.
- There’s enough variety – shady woods, wildlife spotting, and river crossings – to keep it interesting.
- Even though part of it is on roads, they’re very quiet, and during our visit they were even quieter than usual because of the road closures near the ford.
- The terrain is pushchair friendly, and most of the road sections had plenty of room to safely get to the side and allow any traffic to pass.
Final Thoughts
We loved this walk – it’s peaceful, pretty, and easy to follow, with plenty of things to spot along the way. If you find yourself in the area, I’d definitely recommend doing both the Blackadder Walk and the Whiteadder Walk while you’re here, and finishing off with something tasty at the inn! If you want a taste of Scotland, you’ll certainly get it here! The boys absolutely loved the bridge and the ford, but their can of Irn Bru at the end really made the walk apparently 😂. If you have any recommendations on walks nearby do let us know!
Walk Facts – Whiteadder Walk, Allanton
- Start/Finish: Allanton Inn, Allanton, Scottish Borders
- Distance: Approx. 5 miles (circular)
- Terrain: A mix of quiet country roads, woodland paths and private farm tracks
- Time: Around 1.5 – 2 hours with children
- Pushchair friendly? For the most part yes – there are steps either side of the bridge
- Toilets & Refreshments: Available at the Allanton Inn (perfect for a post-walk drink or meal)
- Highlights: Riverside views, a shady woodland start, wildlife spotting, pretty cottages and gardens, a Ford perfect for paddling, and seeing the Blackadder and Whiteadder rivers meet
- Good to know: The majority of the walk is on roads, but they’re very quiet; the Ford is currently under renovation (summer 2025) so there’s little to no traffic
More Walks in the Scottish Borders
Looking for more family-friendly walks nearby? You might enjoy:
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Love those sorts of lanes, no cars and perfect for getting somewhere quickly through the countryside so you can spend more time along the more interesting woodland/moorland/coastal bits
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Me too! It’s lovely being able to walk not having to constantly worry about cars, and as you rightly said, we can enjoy the more interesting bits for longer. Will definitely have to return with a towel and enjoy the Ford in peace before they fix it!
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Looks like such a peaceful and fun family day out! Loved the mix of nature, quiet roads, and riverside views, and that Irn Bru reward at the end made me smile 😄
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It was a really lovely walk, and haha yes the Irn Bru was a winner 😄
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Haha, definitely a well-earned treat after a good walk! Glad you had such a lovely day out 😊
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I’ve done a few walks around that area. My mate THO used to live in Paxton so we’ve walked the coastal bits, and explored some of the paths around the Tweed. An unusual and quiet corner of the country
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Ahh the coast is brilliant for walking (post coming soon!) it’s definitely a lovely quiet corner of the country, I’d move there in a heartbeat!
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Looks like an enjoyable walk and it is great your mother came with you.
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She loves a walk, so we try to find new places each time we visit and drag her along 🙂
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