THE re-branding of the Borders section of a famous walking route has been revealed.

The Southern Upland Way is Scotland’s only coast-to-coast long distance route.

It runs across the country from Portpatrick on the Atlantic Ocean to the North Sea at Cove to finish after 341km at nearby Cockburnspath.

As part of the 40th anniversary of the Southern Upland Way, Scottish Borders Council has been working in partnership with Dumfries and Galloway Council and the South of Scotland Destination Alliance to help promote the route.

Part of the plan is to divide the route into three sections and elected members were asked to select an appropriate name for the section in the Borders, that could be used in new marketing materials.

At a meeting of full council on Thursday, it was announced that the Borders section is from now on to be known as ‘The Merse’.

The low-lying part of Berwickshire between the Tweed and the Lammermuirs is known as ‘The Merse’, taken from the old Scots word for floodpath.

Councillor Watson McAteer, the council's convener, said: “Following a call to elected members I have decided that the most appropriate suggestion for the Borders section of the Southern Upland Way is to be called ‘The Merse’, an historic reference to southern Borderlands that stretch from west of Kelso to Berwick.

“I should add that I was assisted in this determination following conversation with a good friend of the council, author and historian Mr Alistair Moffat.

“The Southern Upland Way is a key economic driver for the south of Scotland and brings a range of visitors to this area of Scotland, attracted by the fantastic scenery and importantly the history and culture of our area, which you know is extensive.

“I hope that this new marketing approach will attract even more people to the Borders and the south of Scotland to take their time to walk and experience the route.”