Smailholm Tower

Lady Hill, Scottish Borders

Smailholm Tower, photographed from part way up Lady Hill

The Hill: Lady Hill

Location: By Smailholm Tower, Sandyknowe Farm, Kelso, TD5 7PG

Grid Reference: NT 63547 34522

Height: 207m

Classification: Tump, Trig Point

The Walk

Ascent: 30 metre

Distance: 1km (round trip)

Terrain: Grassy sheep track type paths

Parking: Smailholm Tower Carpark or nearby verges

Smailholm Tower dominates the landscape for so many miles around that it is a little surprising that it isn't actually on the highest point in the area. The summit of the tump is a little beyond the tower and marked with a trig point. Of course you would be higher up if you visited the tower and climbed to the top, sadly however it was closed when we visited, and at the time of writing remains closed. However, I have it on good authority (the word of an aunt no less) that it is worth a visit, so we will attempt a return trip once it reopens. 

Another downside of the tower being closed was that the carpark was locked. We were slightly anxious that we'd struggle to park without blocking farm access, but in the end managed to leave the car near (but not blocking) the gate to the carpark. There were also quite a few cars parked next to the carpark on the verge. I think you would comfortably be able to get six or seven cars parked there before you started impeding access. However, as there were four cars there when we visited on a windy weekday in September, I probably wouldn't recommend visiting on sunny weekends or bank holidays until the Tower (and carpark) reopen... 

The Hillbagger posing beside our handily tiny car, not blocking access to Smailholm Tower carpark

Of course the upside of the Tower being closed is that you can't use the carpark, and therefore don't have to pay to use it. There are some quite fierce signs telling you that the parking is only for visitors, and the cost for visiting. The signs also warns of rockfalls, forbids drones and tells you to keep your dog on a lead. Which are all actually fairly reasonable. The rockfalls don't seem particularly likely, but I am all for banning drones in peaceful scenic areas. And keeping dogs on leads is highly necessary as the tower is on a working farm, especially if you are visiting the tump which is ultimately a farmers field not a tourist attraction.

We didn't bring dogbad the terrible on this excursion, and I was quite glad. Mostly because walks are more peaceful without a fetch obsessed collie, and you can eat a picnic without anyone dropping a slavery stick in your hummus, but also because the tump field was inhabited by cows. 

I generally get on well with cows. I grew up on a croft and my shortcut to the school bus regularly involved shoving my way through a herd of cows which hung about a crucial gate hoping to get fed.  Generally they are entirely safe so long as you don't get between a cow and it's calf, or get in front of them when they are running downhill. Cows going downhill do not have good brakes. Or steering. These general cow safety rules however go out the window if you bring a dog into their midst. Cows don't like dogs. Not all cows, of course, but that's a bit like saying not all men, isn't it? If you don't know the cows then best play it safe. 

As it was, we had no dog, the cows were at the bottom of the hill so there was no danger of downhill cow brake failure, they ignored us and we ignored them. 

Gate from the carpark to Smailholm Tower, complete with fierce signage

There are two routes up to the tower, either from the road, or through the carpark. Historic Scotland marks the path from the road as the easier route, and the path from the carpark as the steeper route. We are fairly confident that they have these the wrong way round, and would recommend starting in the carpark and going through the kissing gate, taking the route to the right of the Tower. 

Steepest Section of the path to the tower, my recommended route in centre, other route joining from left side.

It doesn't actually make much difference though, as both routes have similar path surfaces and meet just before the steepest section on the way up to the tower.

Smailholm Tower from the path, with random tourists peering over the gate.

From the tower, the most direct route to the summit of Lady Hill is straight ahead over a barbed wire fence. I would not however recommend this route, as no one enjoys climbing over barbed wire fences, and there is a very serviceable unlocked gate which only involves a very minor detour. It's on the south side of the of the tower and there is a roughish path to it. 

Smailholm tower from the path to the very serviceable gate

One very serviceable gate, and the best way from Smailholm Tower onto Lady Hill

After going through the gate turn right. From there is is mostly just a case of walking uphill. The grass is grazed down nice and smooth, and there is a kind of bunker on the summit of the hill next to the trig point so you really can't miss it! 

Ladyhill, with the bunker just visible (right of centre, on the skyline)

It was at about this point that I suggested to the hillbagger that a picnic on top of the hill might be fun. It was an option we had discussed in the car, but we hadn't actually brought the picnic with us... He gallantly volunteered to head back and get it, and meet me at the summit. There are times when it is exceedingly handy to have a partner who is about a thousand times fitter than you are, and this was definitely one of them!

Trig point and weird bunker, summit of Lady Hill.

Of course it immediately clouded over as I was waiting at the summit for the hillbagger to return with our bounty of food. Fortunately there was a stiff breeze and the cloud cover was shifting fast. There was a German man on the summit who was trying to find rainbows to photograph. There weren't any, at least while we were there, but the view from the summit is expansive and we did get to watch several patches of rain pass across the landscape to the north and south of us. 

The Hill Bagger approaching the summit, laden down with picnic and picnic paraphernalia.

The cloud which was at the summit didn't turn to rain, and rushed off to bother someone else before the hillbagger arrived back with the food. So we even had a brief patch of sun for our picnic. 

Borders picnics really are particularly excellent. The wonderful little market towns dotted all over the borders have an amazing range of independent shops, which give you so many exciting picnic food options. My favourite shops are the greengrocers, and I had two of my favourite fruits victoria plums and russet apples for my picnic treat. The hillbagger doesn't have quite the same passion as I do for greengrocers, so he went to the bakery and bought toffee cake, which he thought was absolutely divine, and I thought tasted of chocolate liquorice allsorts. We had a brief argument about whether chocolate liquorice allsorts exist. I won. We both also recommend the really hearty sausage rolls from the butchers in Kelso, if you are more keen on savoury snacks.

All in all an excellent day out!

The only photo the hill bagger took on the trip, featuring me somewhat obscured by a trig pillar...

Smailholm tower photographed from the carpark path