Maiden Paps, Scaw'd Law, Berry Knowe and Greatmoor Hill

This medium-grade circuit explores a broad sweep of upland country south of Hawick in the Scottish Borders, linking the rounded tops of Maiden Paps, Scaw’d Law, Berry Knowe and Greatmoor Hill over roughly 12 km / 7.5 miles with about 400 m / 1,312 ft of ascent. The hills sit in open moorland a little south of Hawick, with the nearest practical landmark for the start being the Shankend area on the minor roads west of the B6399, around 6 miles / 10 km south of town. Maiden Paps itself is identified as a twin-peaked hill near Hawick, while Greatmoor Hill rises to about 599 m / 1,965 ft and Maiden Paps to about 510 m / 1,673 ft. (themountainguide.co.uk)

Expect a route that feels remote for its length. Even though the distance is moderate, the terrain is typical Borders hill country: grassy and heathery slopes, wet patches, rough trods rather than engineered paths, and stretches where the line of travel matters more than any obvious trail on the ground. In poor visibility, these rounded hills can feel deceptively featureless, so careful route-finding is important and HiiKER is the best tool to have ready before setting out. The outing is best suited to hikers comfortable with uneven, often soggy ground and with the stamina for repeated short climbs rather than one single sustained ascent. The open upland around Scaw’d Law and Greatmoor Hill is also exposed to wind from all directions. (geograph.org.uk)

Getting to the start

For drivers, Hawick is the main approach point. The B6399 is one of the key roads running south from the Hawick area toward the hill country and Hermitage Bridge, and the Shankend area lies just over 6 miles south of Hawick. Parking for walks in this landscape is usually informal rather than a dedicated trailhead car park, so use only obvious roadside spaces without blocking gates, estate access tracks, or passing places. (commons.wikimedia.org)

By public transport, Hawick is the realistic hub. Scottish Borders Council directs travelers to its bus network information and Traveline Scotland for current services, and Borders Buses serves Hawick as one of the main Borders towns. Reaching the exact start from Hawick by bus can be difficult because the hills are in a sparsely served rural area, so many hikers will need to combine a bus to Hawick with a taxi for the final approach. (scotborders.gov.uk)

On the hill

The character of the walk is defined by long views, rolling ridges, and a sense of space rather than dramatic rock architecture. Maiden Paps is the most distinctive landmark of the group, its twin rounded form standing out clearly from surrounding moorland and giving the route its most memorable skyline feature. From there, the traverse toward Scaw’d Law and on to Berry Knowe and Greatmoor Hill moves through classic Borders uplands: heather, rough grass, peatier hollows, old boundary lines, and occasional forestry edges on lower slopes. Geograph records from the area show heather and bracken-covered ground near Scaw’d Law, plantations on nearby slopes, and replanted forestry on the lower flanks of Maiden Paps, which matches the