Eddleston Water Path - Worth the wait…
For a generation the Community Council of Eddleston have been pursuing a new path to be opened up between the village and it’s neighbouring town of Peebles, situated 5 miles south. The towns were once connected by a railway which was removed more than half a century ago, so they found themselves attached only by the fearsome and at times deadly A703. Not any more however! In the summer of this year a brand new 5km multi use path was opened, giving an off road link from the outskirts of Peebles to the centre of Eddleston.
The Horseshoe Inn, Eddleston
One of a number of hospitality businesses set to benefit from the new path.
Is the route perfect and what the campaigners and organisers would ideally have wanted? Well, not quite. They would be the first to admit that a route following the old railway line, well away from the A703, would have been ideal but this was not feasible following discussions with landowners. The route they have achieved does, for some sections, go close to the main road but it is still infinitely preferable to anyone trying to cycle or even walk on that road. But to dismiss the new path as “it’s the best we could get” is to totally undersell its benefits, and the achievement of having it built. I want to take my cycle helmet off to Eddleston Community Council, Peebles Community Trust, Sustrans, SOSE, SBC and Transport Scotland for adding another link to the off road network in the Tweed Valley area.
“We all had a motivation, which was for our young people to travel independently ”
So what of the route itself? Starting at Peebles it picks its way through fields before crossing the minor road at The Crossings. From here you are on probably the best section, with the recently restored meanders of The Eddleston Water (or Cuddy as it’s known in Peebles) a delightful companion. A switchback climb takes you up to the small hamlet of Redscarhead, home to the George Meikle Kemp Memorial (see the video below for a bit more on that…) After Redscarhead we pass a link road to Cringletie before hugging the main road and eventually dropping below it before arriving at Eddleston. Not only will it benefit kids and anyone wanting to travel between Eddleston and Peebles, it also opens up a number of possibilities for onward hiking or cycling. Personally, I extended my recent exploration of the path with a route back to Peebles via The Meldons, Lyne, Barns and Cademuir. There are a huge number of variations this opens up, simply by getting us off the main road.
What about downsides? Well, even a Positive Pete like me has to accept that getting to the head of the path in Peebles isn’t the easiest on a bike. Hopefully a formal and safe off road link up can be made with this path and the phenomenally successful Tweed Valley Railway Path. Time will tell on that one.
The path was formally opened on the 17th of June this year. I was kindly invited to attend by Kirsty Peebles from the Eddleston Community Council and am delighted to now have properly sampled the path for myself. So, what are you waiting for, get out and see it for yourself if you haven’t already done so. One final point to add is a personal one, and it’s my belief that paths like this are transformative as we have seen between Walkerburn and Peebles - I cycled up on a Tuesday morning in late October, surely not peak time, but still counted three mums with prams, 6 cyclists and 7 walkers on various points of the path. Evidence of it’s worth already.
The official opening on June 17, 2023
Kirsty Peebles (Eddleston Community Trust), Sir Hew Strachan (Lord Lieutenant of Tweeddale) cutting the tape, Michael Ireland (Peebles Community Trust) and Councillor Watson McAteer (Convener, Scottish Borders Council).
A young lad from Eddleston was also involved, symbolising the hope that this path will benefit youngsters in the area. I have deliberately picked a photo which obscures his face.
Please note credit for the cover photograph on this blog belongs to Scottish Borders Council (2023). All other images are my own.
