The Southern Upland Way

General: The accomodation on the SU Way is like the people using it – it comes and goes. The SU Way website at its new address dgtrails.org/southern-upland-way/ is the start point for current information. Do please report any fresh information, updates or corrections via the feedback form there.

Accommodation providers providing vehicle backup: Brookford B&B at Dalry no longer offers pickups across the Glenkens (Pick-up points 1 and 2). A current accommodation provider in the Glenkens may offer car pick-up on an informal basis: it's always worth asking.

At the highest point of the SU Way, the Lunch Box on Lowther Hill (p103) is now a comfortable small shelter, timber lined, with a bench inside.

Winter 2020/21, the Barnhill Bridge over River Annan NT 092 029 is closed for repairs. Signs divert walkers into Moffat by Annandale Way and out again by Oakrigg, ie the alternative routes marked on pages 112 and 124. Works should be completed by spring 2021.

Most walkers will need to continue from Traquair to Innerleithen to find accommodation. There is now a pleasant footpath from the war memorial at Traquair running to left of the road through fields and woods to the Tweed bridge near the edge of Innerleithen, replacing what was a nasty road walk (and an even better one for the return to the SU Way in the morning).

see MAP below Stage 11 update.

An excellent roadside footpath has (in 2019) been made from the House o' Hill at Bargrennan to Glentrool village. This would allow you to take advantage of any facilities at Glentrool, although there are currently none. Continuation would be by a roadside footpath east to Stroan Bridge, and downstream to left of Water of Minnoch to rejoin the SU Way by a footbridge over Water of Trool. However the riverside path of the SU Way is a better route.

If you stay overnight in Innerleithen, there's a very attractive link path (built 2020) to take you back to the SUW. Return over the Tweed to the car park for the 7Stanes mountain bike area. From its corner, the well built path runs to left of the road, across a side road, then steeply uphill. It runs along the foot of plantations, with wide views across the Tweed valley. After 1.2km it crosses an uphill track, to a second one, which is the SUW 750 metres above Traquair.

see Map below:

Appendix D, accommodation providers offering luggage transfer:

New for 2019, a string of B&Bs / hotels offer piecemeal baggage transfer covering the entire route (provided you stay at their places) – see the official website at www.southernuplandway.gov.uk.

Dec 2018

Some updates to the accommodation listing column in Appendix A: but please refer to www.southernuplandway.gov.uk for the most current information.
184km Brattleburn bothy (near): Bunkhouse (Rivox)
220km Scabcleuch: B&B (Cossarshill) – see previous update!
247km Traquair: no accomm (but Innerleithen does have)
251km Minch Moor: B&B at Yarrowford
322.5km B6355 Lodge Wood: B&B (Greenhope)

Aug 2018

Page 122 The unofficial high-level line above Ettrick glen, Stage 9 'Alternatives', is covered in full on the Harvey Maps route map of the Southern Upland Way.

June 2018

Accommodation update: the 2018 revisions to the official website at www.southernuplandway.gov.uk have uncovered lonely B&Bs at New Luce (end Stage 2), at the foot of Ettrick glen (end Stage 10) and Longformacus (end Stage 11). The second of these in partricular will make it possible for energetic walkers to complete the Way without needing vehicle pick-ups and drop-offs. Please check the official website for details.