West Scottish Borders

Overview

The Western Scottish Borders is well marked by the scenic valleys and rounded green hills that are characteristic of the Lowland landscape and contains the source of the mighty River Tweed, famed for its salmon fishing.

The Tweed Valley is the Borders at its best and one of the most scenic stretches begins here around the handsome royal burgh of Peebles that sits on the north bank. The town has a genteel, relaxed air, its wide, handsome High Street bordered by houses in a medley of architectural styles, mostly dating from Victorian times.

Following the valley downstream brings you to two other important attractions in the area. Innerleithen is a small village now famed for Robert Smail's Printing Works, a fascinating museum where you can try your hand at traditional typesetting and the sulphurous spa water of St Ronan's Wells, once frequented by Sir Walter Scott. A few miles further on from Innerleithen, the wonderful Traquair House, the oldest continuously inhabited house in Scotland, sits amongst the trees. It's worth making time to explore the surrounding gardens and sampling the output from the Traquair House Brewery, first started here over 400 years ago.

A good way to enjoy the scenic beauty of the area is by bike or on foot. A series of footpaths and trails snake through the hills surrounding Peebles with their rough-edged burns, bare peaks and deep woods. From Peebles, you can also link up to the clearly signposted 90-mile Tweed Cycleway.