Abbey St Bathans (x2!)

'The first ford is a concrete bottom ford that is suitable for all. However, just a bit further downstream is a much bigger ford. This is a proper river crossing and is about ten or twelve car lengths long. At certain times of the year it can be bonnet deep on a 4x4, definitely one for the more adventurous 4x4 driver.'

'This ford crosses the Sourhope burn and is used by both farm vehicles and motor vehicles.'

'On a public gravel road which is also part of the Borders Cycleway - the northern approach has three or four giant water-filled potholes. The ford itself is about 25ft across and six inches deep, with a bottom of lateral concrete sleepers. The high footbridge has been renewed, with ramps rather than steps.'

'3 inches deep, Natural river bottom, large rocks and boulders very rough. Steep gravel/mud entry and exit ramps. Has footbridge but no signs of gauge. Unsuitable for road cars unless 4x4 (or 2cv).'

'Was in the Scottish Borders yesterday and came across this ford between Burnhead Farm and what was Old Halterburnhead which is now just a ruin.The ford is called Latchly Sike and it eventually runs into the Halterburn.The track is just used now by farm vehicles and by walkers as its on the Pennine Way.'

Calroust (x2!)

'The fisrt ford iis just further upstream from the village of Mowhaugh and leads to the building that used to be the school there and later the post office--it is now a house. The second is just a little bit further upstream from the one at Mowhaugh and will only be used by farm vehicles to get from Swindon Cottage to the other side where there are farm buildings on what is called Swindon Haugh across the Bowmont water.'

'It has a good cobbled base and is 7 yards across and 5 inches deep, without warning signs or depth gauge.'

'A fine ford, with part-setted and part-concrete bottom, through Whiteadder Water. About 20yd across and 3in deep at low water; signs, footbridge, depth gauge (uprooted by floods).'

'This is one of the few fords on A or B roads. It an Irish bridge and lies just to the west of the small village of Preston on the B6355. Signs at the road junctions to the east and west warn that the road is liable to flooding. There is also a standard ford sign to the west. I crossed with some trepidation, not due to the depth, which was several inches, but due to the fast flow and forceful current. I made it safely. There are no depth gauges or a footbridge.'

'At the end of the road as it reaches the farm at Cocklawfoot is this ford. It has a concrete base and is six yards wide and two inches deep. There’s a private road bridge alongside.'

'This is a good quality ford just off a minor road. It is cobbled and is about 10 yards wide with six inches deep with fast-flowing water. It doesn’t really take you anywhere (other than a field) but anyone can give it a go and come back the other way. There’s a footbridge upstream.'

'The lane on either side is not tarred but is easily motorable. It would normally be about 10 yards wide. There’s no footbridge, but the remains of two. A concrete base and a depth of five inches make this suitable for all. The only proviso is that it should be tackled from the north so that the ascent of a steep hill is avoided.'

'This is a long, deep crossing of the River Tweed. Image 1 is the western bank, and Image 2 the eastern.'

'Found this ford not far from Town Yetholm. Its at a place of a few houses called Duncanhaugh and the water runs past what was the old mill which can be seen on the left of the second photo.The road leads to another place of a few houses called Hayhope.There is a wooden bridge on the left of the first photo which you can cross over the stream.'

'A deep ford with natural bottom, about 30ft across, through Leader Water; handsome suspension footbridge.'

'This is a deep ford with a gravel bottom and sandy approaches, worthy of 4*, it is however 900mm deep at the West side just before climbing out on to the bank. The rest of the ford is around 400mm deep so the pool is a surprise.' Ronald Dempster

'This is on an unmade road just off the A1. The ford was about a foor deep on this visit and has a concrete base in the middle but with some roughness to either side. It may be suitable for all in low flows.'

'This is rather a rough crossing, which ostensibly gives access to a house (Deephope) but also to the forest. It’s about 10 yards across and 6 inches deep.'

'Part-time ford in pretty setting. Footbridge, no signs.'

'It is the last ford you cross at the Northern end of the Pennine Way about a mile south of Kirk Yetholm.It is only used by the farmers with their quads and land rovers.It is near the farmstead and holiday homes of Halterburn.'

'This is a rather deep (about a foot) and rough crossing of Kale Water. It’s still in use despite there being a fairly new road bridge alternative.'

'Good cobbled ford, on bend; annual highlight of spectator special stage on Jim Clark Rally, part of professional British Rally Championship.' Image mouseover sent in by Dave Taylor (27/01/2003)

'There are asphalt roads either side to within 20 or 30 yards of this rough ford, which looks as if the middle is a deep pool. About 20ft across; footbridge nearby.'

'This is on an unmade lane that would just about be motorable were it not for the ford. It is 8 inches deep with a very rough surface.'

'Another ford on the Kale water is about half a mile North of the one at Hownam Grange. It is near the edge of the road from Morebattle to Hownam and from the map seems to be a crossing place only used by the farmers as it leads back to the main road from Morebattle to Town Yetholm. This would save a two mile journey if it wasnt there for farmers with livestock coming from the south. It is marked on the maps as a ford.'

'This ford through Jed Water is about 20 yards across and over a foot deep (especially near the western bank). It has a stony base with a liberal scattering of larger rocks. The access roads are unmade but not too bad.'

'Again the river was extremely swollen so I don’t know what the surface of the ford consists of. The lane is tarmac as far as the ford but unsurfaced and rough beyond it. It was very deep at the time of the photo, but I don’t know what conditions are normally like.'

Newmill (x2!)

'Two absolutely splendid fords within a couple of hundred yards, just off the A7. Both have made-up hard bottoms and are three to four inches deep at their most benign. The westerly one, which crosses the River Teviot, is about 50ft across; the other, across Allan Water, is slightly shorter. Both are prone to rising water in wet weather, when they become a challenge.'

'Easy crossing, very shallow, for every kind of car.

Sourhope (x3!)

'There used to be two fords on the road near Sourhope. The first was an Irish bridge over a tributary of the main watercourse (Image 1: now replaced by a bridge). The second is still there and is a proper ford through the main stream. It's base is concrete and it is 7 yards wide and two inches deep. Each of the fords can be avoided using two wooden road bridges with 3 ton weight limits. Image 3 shows the whole set-up.'

Image 4 shows the final ford by the farm.

Sent in by John Brown (15/05/2003) 'Go through the gate to the right of the farm, and follow round behind it, to find this rough deepish ford leading through the Ale Water (no, it's just water), from which the public byway, a rough and little used stony track, continues over the hill. The rotten footings of a footbridge can be seen alongside.'

Todshawhaugh (x2!)

'There are two fords at Todshawhaugh. The main one is not marked on OS maps and is at the entrance to the farm alongside a road bridge (Image 1). It’s about a foot deep near the northern bank and 15 yards wide with a stony base.

At the time of my visit access to the second had been blocked by a heap of rubble. The ford itself shows little sign of use and would appear to be well over a foot deep. (Image 2)'

'Very nice motorable ford in a remote corner of the scenic Cheviots. About four inches deep with bridge and depth gauge'

'Its about 3 miles further up the valley from tTow Ford. This one is at Upper Hindhope on Kale Water and by the looks of the new bridge it might have been repaired the same time as the one at Tow Ford as the could have been washed away in the big floods a few years ago.'

'Nice but deeper ford in the middle of the town of West Linton, 8-10 inches deep with a reasonably steep bank to climb out, nothing a normal car couldn't do with care. Bottom is natural river bottom. No signs or depth gauge, locals were amused to see us go through. Apparently this ford is damned every year to make it much deeper for the town wheelbarrow race which goes through it.'