Galashiels, a region in the heart of the Scottish Borders, is characterized by sweeping hills, lush forests, and the River Tweed. The landscape features the iconic Eildon Hills, offering panoramic views, and the peaceful Gala Water, providing diverse terrain for outdoor pursuits. This area offers opportunities for several sports like mountain biking, hiking, touring cycling, road cycling, and more. Its natural features make Galashiels a destination for active exploration.
For things to do in Galashiels,…
113
Routes
4.5
(80)
Average rating
1736
People visited

4.8
(6)
116
hikers
6.40km
01:40
50m
50m
Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

5.0
(2)
9
hikers
11.7km
03:21
270m
270m
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

5.0
(1)
4
hikers
12.5km
03:39
350m
350m
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

5.0
(1)
2
hikers
22.3km
07:00
870m
870m
Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
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4.0
(4)
12
riders
11.8km
00:44
110m
110m
Easy bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.0
(1)
5
riders
52.5km
03:22
610m
610m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.5
(2)
77
riders
86.0km
05:18
780m
780m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

5.0
(1)
46
riders
94.5km
06:03
1,110m
1,110m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
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78.1km
07:32
2,040m
2,040m
Hard mountain bike ride. Very good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary. Some portions of the route may require you to push your bike.

16.6km
01:28
360m
370m
Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary.

36.8km
03:10
800m
800m
Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary.

2
riders
27.2km
02:24
590m
590m
Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary.
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129
riders
93.7km
04:39
1,120m
1,120m
Hard road ride. Very good fitness required. Some segments of this route may be unpaved and difficult to ride.

49
riders
116km
05:30
1,300m
1,300m
Hard road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

5.0
(1)
48
riders
52.2km
02:30
540m
540m
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

42
riders
118km
05:05
900m
900m
Hard road ride. Very good fitness required. Some segments of this route may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
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5.0
(1)
43
riders
49.5km
03:28
720m
720m
Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

14
riders
43.8km
03:00
520m
520m
Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

16
riders
63.2km
04:00
740m
740m
Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

5
riders
23.3km
01:48
420m
420m
Moderate gravel ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
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24
runners
38.0km
04:47
1,120m
1,120m
Hard run. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

19
runners
15.7km
01:39
130m
130m
Hard run. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

12
runners
8.05km
00:52
100m
100m
Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

10
runners
15.2km
01:47
310m
310m
Hard run. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
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Galashiels offers a range of outdoor activities including Mountain biking, Hiking, Touring cycling, Road cycling, Jogging, and Gravel biking. The region features over 100 routes for various skill levels.
Galashiels is a popular destination on komoot, with more than 20,000 visitors having explored its routes. The region's routes have an average rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars from over 1,700 ratings.
Galashiels provides diverse mountain biking trails, from easy routes to challenging downhill sections and cross-country trails. Popular options include those around Glentress Forest, Gala Hill DH, and Dance Monkey. More information is available in the MTB Trails around Galashiels guide.
Galashiels is ideal for walkers, with the Southern Upland Way skirting through the town and surrounding hills offering hikes for all abilities. The Eildon Hills provide significant hiking opportunities with rewarding views. Pleasant riverside walks also follow the Gala Water. Explore more in the Hiking around Galashiels guide.
Yes, Galashiels offers family-friendly hiking options. These routes are suitable for various ages and abilities. Specific family-friendly trails can be found in the Family-friendly hikes around Galashiels guide.
Galashiels benefits from local cycle routes suitable for road and touring cyclists. It sits on National Cycle Network (NCN) Route 1 and is part of the Kirkpatrick Coast to Coast route. Waymarked routes like the 4 Abbeys cycle route and the Tweed Cycle Way are also available. Consult the Cycling around Galashiels guide for more.
The region around Galashiels features the iconic Eildon Hills, which offer panoramic views and hiking opportunities. The peaceful Gala Water flows through the town, and the River Tweed is nearby. Wooplaw Community Woodlands also provides a natural escape.
Galashiels offers easy hiking trails suitable for beginners or those seeking less strenuous walks. These routes often include pleasant riverside paths and gentle ascents. The Easy hikes around Galashiels guide provides specific options.
Komoot offers several guides for Galashiels, including MTB Trails around Galashiels, Hiking around Galashiels, Family-friendly hikes around Galashiels, and Cycling around Galashiels, among others.
For comprehensive information about Galashiels, the official website is galashielsheartland.org.uk. For general inquiries to the Scottish Borders Council Galashiels contact centre, the phone number is 0300 100 1800.
Yes, Galashiels offers opportunities for gravel biking. Routes are available that combine paved roads with unpaved tracks, suitable for gravel bikes. The Gravel biking around Galashiels guide provides specific routes.

