Some trips are not about having the biggest adventure or covering the most miles in the hills. Some trips are just about finding a nice spot for the tent and enjoying the evening pottering around your temporary home. This was such a trip.
Dollar Law sits at the head of the Manor Valley to the south of Peebles, in an area of hills I have not managed to visit before now. But this sunny, spring day created the perfect opportunity to get acquainted with them. Our route climbed up through sheep farm country with curlews calling mournfully in the fields while skylarks sang above. A steep pull put us up onto the heathery ridgeline but it was bone dry up here and we soon had to drop back down again to collect water, a slightly dispiriting diversion.
Weighted down with enough water to get us through the night, we continued west along the ridge to a flat bealach just below the top of Dollar Law, a perfect spot for pitching the tents. This high place gave wide open views. When you think of hills in Scotland, you more often than not picture the Highlands but here in the Borders hills and ridge lines filled every compass point to the horizon. Culter Fell dominated the view to the west with Tinto just poking above.
The sun dipped and cast a golden light over our tents. Later it set with quite a spectacle, appearing as a bright red ball that dropped behind Culter Fell. It was equally beautiful the next morning when it rose to the east and our camp spot was perfectly perched to enjoy both sunrise and sunset.
After breakfast it was an easy stroll to the top of Dollar Law but a knee-crunching, steep descent to the valley floor to walk back.
Fact File
Public transport: None so we used my friend's car.
Route: Walked up the track to the old farm at Kirkhope and skirted to the left of the buildings to start climbing the grassy ridge above the river opposite Southey Hill. Followed the fenceline here for much of the way and gained the ridge at Newholm Hill. Picked up a path running southeast over the shoulder of Dollar Law and camped on the large flat area to the north of Fifescar Knowe. For the return, we dropped directly northeast of Dollar Law, coming down the side of plantation to rejoin the road to walk to the start.
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