About the woodland
Purchased by the Council in 1974, the woodland once formed part of a larger estate owned by Hugh Scott, Laird of Galashiels.
The Policies are home to both native and foreign tree species, such as ancient Oaks that are thought to have formed part of the original Ettrick Forest, Norway Maple, Weeping Ash and magnificent Giant Redwoods that grace one of the entrances to the wood. There is a network of short paths within the Policies, together with a pond and picnic area.
A wheelchair-friendly path runs from the main gates up to a magnificent viewpoint, where the southwest side of the wood meets open country. Part of the Southern Upland Way footpath runs through the wood.
Gala Policies Management Plan
At the end of 2024 Scottish Borders Council, the community, and key stakeholders set about developing a new site and habitat management plan for the Policies, which lays out a 10-year vision for the site. The Management Plan covers a whole host of work areas including infrastructure improvements, community involvement and habitat restoration actions.
More information
Part of this vision is the expansion of volunteering opportunities and exploring the creation of a ‘Friends of’ group. If you would like to find out more about the volunteering opportunities at the Policies, please email parksandenvironment@scotborders.gov.uk
To ensure everyone has a safe, enjoyable and memorable experience, we kindly ask you to take a moment to review our Gala Policies guidelines. These are designed to protect our beautiful environment and ensure the wellbeing of all visitors.
More information about Gala Policies, including walking paths and the other facilities on offer in the area can be found here.