The Scottish Borders provide excellent opportunities to see a large range of woodland, moorland and farmland wildlife species and habitats. In particular, the region hosts important red squirrel and black grouse populations.

The fresh water ecology of the Tweed catchment area creates an environment where individual species can be protected in spectacular surroundings.
Click on the forest name for more details.

Caberston is a relatively young forest, with large areas of conifers. The hill tops are open moorland with deep heather linking the forest to the surrounding grouse moors.

This is an ideal location to see both grey and red squirrels. The greys can be found in the beech and scots pine woodland next to Innerleithen. Reds live in the coniferous trees, next to their feeding stations.

Glentress Forest, one of the most diverse in Scoltand, lies at the heart of the the Tweed Valley Forest Park. It contains an enormous Douglas Fir, the oldest in Scotland! The Forest is set in a glen and the River Tweed, famous for its salmon, forms the backdrop to a landscape that changes constantly throughout the year.

And, have you heard? The Ospreys are back and you can watch them from the Glentress Viewing Centre.

The Eildon Hills dominate the landscape of the Tweed Valley. The prominent peaks that rise up above the historic abbey town of Melrose can be seen from miles around and the summits offer panoramas over the gently rolling countryside of the Scottish Borders.

Steeped in legend, they have links with the Romans, King Arthur and Sir Walter Scott.

The old carriage track known as the Duchess' Drive links Bowhill House, one of the homes of the Duke of Buccleuch, with the Ettrick and Yarrow valleys and makes a fine circular walk of about 6 miles (10km).