Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(Mon-Sat 2 hourly, 1 on Sun; 35min); Jedburgh (Mon-Fri 1
daily; 50min); Kelso (Mon-Sat 8-10 daily, 5 on Sun;
55min); Langholm (Mon-Sat 2 hourly, 1 on Sun; 1hr
15min); Melrose (Mon-Sat 2 hourly, 1 on Sun; 20min);
Selkirk (Mon-Sat 2 hourly, 1 on Sun; 15min).
Tourist information There's no tourist office in
town, but there are plenty of leaflets at the library
(Lawyers Brae, south of the river; Mon, Wed & Fri
9.30am-5pm, Tues and Thurs 9.30am-7pm, Saturday
9am-12.30pm).
Peebles and around
Fast, wide, tree-lined and fringed with grassy banks, the Tweed looks at its best at
PEEBLES , a handsome royal burgh that sits on the north bank, 22 miles due south of
the capital. he 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. A steady stream of day-trippers from the capital, as well as the large population
of commuter locals at its make this an a uent place; consequently there are plenty of
enticing shops, restaurants and tearooms.
Nearby, hills, drove roads and a disused railway line make this a perfect starting point
for easy-going treks into the lush green landscape. Upstream from Peebles the Tweed
gradually narrows as the hills tighten up on either side and settlements become small
and sparse. Lush fields and deciduous trees thrive in the valley floor while the
surrounding high peaks offer a foreboding blanket of heather interrupted frequently
by over-regular spruce plantations.
2
Old Parish Church
High St • Daily 10am-4pm • Free
he soaring crown spire of the Old Parish Church rises up at the western end of the
High Street and, inside, the church has some unusual features such as the elegant oak,
bronze and engraved-glass entrance screen and 22 modern oil paintings illustrating the
Scriptures. Suspended from the ceiling are tattered Napoleonic flags, emblems of 1816,
the year the Peebleshire Militia disbanded.
Tweeddale Museum and Gallery
Chambers Institute, High St • Mon-Fri 10.30am-12.30pm & 1-4pm, Sat 9.30am-12.30pm • Free
Housed in the Chambers Institute, presented to the town by local worthy William
Chambers in 1859, the Tweeddale Museum and Gallery is dedicated to the
enlightenment of his neighbours. he benefactor stuffed the place with casts of the
world's most famous sculptures and, although most were lost long ago, today's
“Secret Room”, once the Museum Room, contains two handsome friezes: one a copy
of the Elgin Marbles taken from the Parthenon; the other of the Triumph of
Alexander, originally cast in 1812 to honour Napoleon.
WALKS AROUND PEEBLES
Ordnance Survey Explorer maps 337 and 338
A series of footpaths snake through the rough-edged burns, bare peaks and deep woods
hills of the surrounding Peebles. The five-mile Sware Trail is one of the easiest and most
scenic, weaving west along the north bank of the river and looping back to the south. On
the way, it passes Neidpath Castle, a gaunt medieval tower house perched high above the
river on a rocky bluff. The walk also goes by the splendid skew rail bridge, part of the
Glasgow line, which was finished in 1850 and closed in 1969. Other, longer footpaths follow
the old drove roads, like the thirteen-mile haul to St Mary's Loch or the fourteen-mile route
to Selkirk via Traquair House (see p.130). For either of these, you'll need an Ordnance Survey
map, a compass and proper hiking gear while for a more gentle stroll there's a three-mile
amble downstream on the Tweed's southern banks which takes you to the privately owned
Kailzie Gardens.
 
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