Long celebrated as one of Scotland’s great salmon rivers, the River Tweed is set to become the home the first official canoe trail in the south of Scotland. The Tweed Valley Canoe Trail has been created by Go Tweed Valley and covers a distance of 30 miles. The focus of the river journey is the scenic upper Tweed.
The canoe trail is aimed at all abilities and starts at Stobo, just minutes from Dawyck Botanic Garden, with six sections of varying lengths taking paddlers as far as Galafoot Bridge, just outside Galashiels.
The trail has been created in close collaboration with landowners, the River Tweed Commission, Paddle Scotland, river guides and local businesses. It will be promoted as an experience to enjoy from April to September, avoiding the peak salmon fishing season in October and November.
As part of its development, Go Tweed Valley has established a donations system that enables paddlers to contribute to ongoing maintenance of the trail, as well as support conservation projects along the river.
More about the Tweed Valley Canoe Trail
The Tweed Valley Canoe Trail passes some of the area’s most iconic landmarks, including Neidpath Castle, Traquair House and Sir Walter Scott’s Abbotsford, and connects paddlers with the people, places and stories that have shaped this part of the Scottish Borders.
Although strong paddlers might cover the full distance in a single day, the trail has been designed to be enjoyed over multiple days – or dipped into section by section – allowing time to stop and explore the area’s towns, villages and attractions along the way.
Infrastructure on the route is light touch, with information signage in five locations, a series of waymarker posts, secure canoe anchor points and a range of paddler-friendly accommodation.
Rich Rowe, project manager at Go Tweed Valley, said: “Our ambition is for the trail to celebrate one of Scotland’s great rivers like never before, as well as showcase the Tweed Valley as a destination for a different kind of visitor.
“In addition to the physical adventure, the trail will enable people to immerse themselves in the area’s cultural history and experience the landscape and its wildlife from a unique angle.”
The new trail is seen as a natural extension of the area’s existing network of waymarked routes, many of which run close to or in view of the River Tweed.
Lindsay Quayle, project officer at Go Tweed Valley, said: “From cyclists to walkers, runners and horse-riders, the Tweed Valley already attracts an active crowd and it felt like a natural next step to create a route on the Tweed itself.”
As well as trail infrastructure, there are also physical maps plus detailed information online to help paddlers enjoy the river safely and responsibly, with particular emphasis on the Tweed’s precious wildlife and ecology.
The Tweed Valley Canoe Trail has been made possible thanks to generous support from the Fallago Environment Fund, which shares the benefits of the Fallago windfarm in the Lammermuir hills with projects across the Scottish Borders.
The fund aims to enhance the quality of life of communities and visitors by protecting and enhancing the area’s natural, built and cultural heritage.
For more information on the Tweed Valley Canoe Trail, see: gotweedvalley.co.uk and Tweed Valley Canoe Trail.