Following the Saint's journey from Hoddom to Glasgow
Route Heritage – Places of Interest – Drove Road Peebles
The droving of livestock in Scotland has gone on from earliest times but the Act of Union in 1707 greatly facilitated the trade between Scotland and England. The beef from Scottish hill fed cattle was greatly prized and was in high demand to feed the expanding empire. The droving trade in Scotland reached its peak in the 18th Century. Cattle were collected from all over the Highlands and North East and brought down to the great fairs in Crieff and later Falkirk. At its height 150,000 beasts were traded each year at the Falkirk Tryst.
Cattle destined for the English markets were brought south from Falkirk through the Cauldstane Slap pass in the Pentlands, through Peebles and over Kirkhopelaw to Dryhope at the east end of St Mary’s Loch. Beyond, the drovers had to take their herds through the lawless Borderlands where they were constantly under threat of attack by the Reivers. It was a rough and dangerous trade and the drovers had to be well-armed and capable of defending themselves.
As you approach Peebles from the south on the Cross Borders Drove Road the drystone dykes on either side of the path to keep the herds of cattle from straying are clearly visible
