Follow the tarmac road past the public car park and turn right uphill into the woodlands, passing two large boulders on your right and reaching a wooden sign pointing you to the right.
Follow the route until you get to a gate across the track, climbing through maturing woodland, enjoying glimpses of the Ettrick Valley and the restored Aikwood Tower through the trees.
Passing through the gate, the landscape immediately changes into open moorland. Follow the track, sweeping around Fastheugh Hill in a clockwise direction and passing a line of traditional stone grouse butts on your left.
A further line becomes visible on the horizon to the right. As the second line comes closer the track divides. Keep to the right here and follow the well worn track through the gate, ascending the hill with the grouse butts on the left. Enjoy stunning views over the Scottish Borders as you continue along the track into Black Andrew wood, walking past Douglas Fir trees planted in 1923.
Panoramic views of the Moffat Hills and Yarrow Valley open up at this point. As you leave Black Andrew wood, follow the arrow pointing right on to the tarmac road leading back 2 miles to the courtyard. Once past Newark Tower continue back along the tarmac road, heading right at the forked junction back towards the tree lined drive and the courtyard.