Rubers Law near Hawick

Rubers Law rises impressively in the Border Region near Hawick. The double peaked summit area was the situation for an Iron Age Fort and the wide ranging views explain why. The descent can and should be varied by heading through Gilboa Forest.

The Walk

Start the walk in the village of Denholm, 4 miles from the much larger town of Hawick. The village has been planned around the large village green and still maintains its attractiveness despite the new build housing. The climb of Rubers Law is steep, at least initially. However the views improve with each step and the final summit area is a real pleasure. The rocky nature of the summit reflects its long time history, the area the remains of a long extinct volcanoes. More recently the ancient britons, romans and a series of Scottish lords have used the viewpont as an excellent defensive position.

I returned by heading by heading east, down some steep slopes and in to the forest. Picking the route here is a little challenging, as is often the case in forest land but after a mix of open fields and woodlands I arrived on the Border Abbey Way (a first for me!). The route then picks its way through attractive farmland, the cluster of houses at Spittal Tower before dropping steeply in to Denholm.

Rubers Law is an isolated Marilyn and worthy of any visit. I have now completed all the English Marilyns so starting to venture in to Scotland and Wales to increase my tally. Ticking yes but when it ticking brings me to such excellent hikes and views, well worth it.

Recommend

In an area such as the Scottish Borders I find it useful to have a focus for a walk, whether I know the area or not. If there is no obvious challenge such as the Wainwrights why not use the Marilyn list of hills. A simple to follow challenge of mountains of any height with a 150m drop on all sides. Rubers Law is one.

Navigation Tips on Rubers Law

The descent from Reubens Law is tricky in places to follow. It is straightforward to follow the general direction but I suspect most walkers will vary the route a little.

Being in Scotland this matters less than England as the Access Lands are different. Here there is a Right to Roam everywhere (within reason) so exploring different paths is routes is fine. However just act sensibly, respectfully and you never know it may help the situation in England and Wales where access is much more restricted.