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Loch of the Lowes – St Mary's Loch loop from St Mary's Loch

Routes

Hiking trails & Routes

Loch of the Lowes – St Mary's Loch loop from St Mary's Loch

Moderate

4.7

(3)

hikers

Loch of the Lowes – St Mary's Loch loop from St Mary's Loch

02:38

10.1km

70m

Hiking

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: June 12, 2026

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

Get Directions

10 m

Loch of the Lowes

Highlight • Viewpoint

Keep your eyes open for the ospreys

Tip by

35 m

Fantastic food and very generous, you're sure to have a good meal at the Glen Cafe! There's a huge selection (almost too much) and the wonderful staff will be really happy to help you. There are loos too as well as public loos outside, plenty of parking and outdoor seating, plus it's really popular with motorbikers and cyclists alike.

Tip by

228 m

Loch of the Lowes

Highlight • Viewpoint

Loch of the Lowes is a wonderfully-picturesque stretch of water surrounded by a ring of rolling hills. It is separated by a small stretch of land from its larger and more famous neighbour, St Mary’s Loch. You get a lovely view over the loch from this position and there is also a cafe nearby.

Tip by

543 m

St Mary's Loch

Highlight • Viewpoint

St Mary's Loch is set amidst the stunning scenery of the Yarrow Valley. The largest natural lake in the Scottish Borders, St Mary's edges the historic Ettrick Forest, a place where William Wallace—a Scottish knight who became one of the main leaders during the First War of Scottish Independence—and his allies grouped before raiding English settlements nearby. These days, the loch is a very picturesque and peaceful place to hike around.

Tip by

737 m

St Mary's Loch

Highlight • Natural

St Mary's Loch is a large body of water in the Southern Uplands. The Southern Upland long distance trail runs along the southern shore and the A708 runs along the northern shore.

Tip by

1.51 km

March Wood

Highlight • Trail

March Wood is a community woodland in the Yarrow Valley sitting on west the bank of St Mary’s loch and stretching along the fringe of Bowerhope Law and located along the Southern Upland Way. The woodland is shown on one of the earliest maps of Scotland, is situated where the old road from Selkirk to Moffat once was and may be a remnant of the ancient royal hunting ground – the Ettrick Forest.

Tip by

2.82 km

St Mary's Loch

Lake

5.08 km

St Mary's Loch

Highlight (Segment) • Lake

This stunning section of the Southern Upland Way takes you right along St Mary’s Loch, the largest natural lake in the Scottish Borders. Surrounded by a ring of hills, its crystal-clear waters reflect the rolling landscape wonderfully.

Tip by

9.70 km

Tibbie Shiels Campsite

Highlight • Rest Area

Fantastic campsite with an impressive shower block! Very reasonable prices and friendly owners. Nice laid back feel. Contact the campsite directly to book.

Tip by

10.1 km

End point

Bus stop

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

6.03 km

2.91 km

673 m

443 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

6.67 km

2.93 km

443 m

< 100 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Thursday 9 July

26°C

11°C

11 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 14.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

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Loch of the Lowes – St Mary's Loch loop from St Mary's Loch

Loch of the Lowes

Glen Cafe

Loch of the Lowes

St Mary's Loch

St Mary's Loch

March Wood

St Mary's Loch

Tibbie Shiels Campsite

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