52 miles · 4 stages · 3 nights
Where to stay on the Cross Borders Drove Road
Night-by-night accommodation from Hawick to Lauder — what's actually at each stop, and where booking ahead matters.
The overall picture
B&Bs at Hawick, Roberton and Lauder. Wild camping works well on the moorland sections. B&Bs in Hawick, Traquair (and nearby Innerleithen), Galashiels and Lauder; wild camping on the moorland sections is the obvious mid-route option in summer.
Night by night
Overnight options at the end of each stage, walking Hawick → Lauder. Search links open Booking.com for that stop — where a night is wild-camp or bothy only, there's nothing to book and no link.
Night 1: Roberton
Day 1 · Hawick → Roberton · 18km, 500m ascentRoberton has very limited B&Bs. Wild camping works well on the moors.
Search stays in RobertonNight 2: Traquair
Day 2 · Roberton → Traquair · 24km, 600m ascentTraquair has B&Bs. Innerleithen is 2km away with more options.
Search stays in TraquairNight 3: Galashiels
Day 3 · Traquair → Galashiels · 22km, 450m ascentGalashiels has hotels and B&Bs. Good resupply point.
Search stays in GalashielsNight 4: Lauder
Day 4 · Galashiels → Lauder · 20km, 450m ascentLauder has the Black Bull Hotel and B&Bs. A characterful Borders finish.
Search stays in Lauder
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Cross Borders Drove Road accommodation — common questions
- How many nights do you need on the Cross Borders Drove Road?
- Walked over the usual 4 stages, the Cross Borders Drove Road means 3 overnight stops between Hawick and Lauder. Many walkers add a night near the start the evening before, and one at the finish rather than rushing for transport.
- Do you need to book accommodation in advance on the Cross Borders Drove Road?
- In the peak months (May, June, July, August, September) — yes, book ahead; the overnight stops are small places with limited beds and they fill weeks out. Off-season you have more slack, but phone ahead anyway: some accommodation closes entirely outside the walking season.
- Is there luggage transfer on the Cross Borders Drove Road?
- Yes — Sherpa Van Project and AMS Bag Transfer Scotland move bags between overnight stops on the Cross Borders Drove Road (from around £10 per bag per day), so you can walk with a day pack. Book transfer once your accommodation is fixed — operators need the exact overnight addresses.