Forest bathing at Glentress Forest

Glentress is the busiest part of Tweed Valley Forest Park, on the north side of the A72 between Peebles and Innerleithen. It is best known for mountain biking and a treetop adventure course, but the waymarked walks climb through ash, birch and pine, past ponds and a stand of Douglas firs nearly a hundred years old on Dougie Bank, with long views over the Tweed Valley. Iron Age settlements at Janet's Brae and Shieldgreen Tower are reminders of much older life on these hills.

All the walks begin on the wide, firm Multi-user Trail from the Gateway building. The Ponds Trail is the one for slow time: about two and a half kilometres on firm gravel with regular seats, where you may see herons and red squirrels. The Glen Trail follows the Glentress Burn up to the Douglas firs on narrower, uneven paths with short steep slopes. The Gateway, café and bike shop area can be very busy, so walk on past them for quieter ground.