Kirnie Law and The Reservoir
Kirnie Law is a relatively small hill of some 469 metres sitting north of the Tweed Valley and it’s flanks are home to the remains of a vast concrete water tank (59m of concrete walls on each side). This tank is a remnant of the first hydro scheme of its kind in Europe which, when built in 1920, helped power Ballantynes mill in Walkerburn for around 30 years. A funicular railway was used to take thousands of tonnes of materials from the valley floor up to the broad saddle between Kirnie Law and Priesthope. The reservoir, when full, held 3.5 million gallons of water and would take a working week to fill from empty, drawing water from Walkerburn’s broad, deep and a bit dangerous Mill Lade. It was all a bit ingenious. A renewable energy source designed and built in the Tweed Valley decades before renewables became the headline grabber they are today. Water was sent up the hill overnight via a 9 inch pipe (powered by the lade so no electricity used), and released during the day to power a turbine which in turn fed an electric generator, offering power to the then vast mill site. I will do a blog in more detail about the textile industry at some point but it’s worth baring in mind how massive it was for Walkerburn - the population was once double what it is today and employment was plentiful, if tough. The hydro scheme was eventually superseded by the more convenient and efficient, but less eco friendly, diesel and gas power before finally being decommissioned in the late 1940’s as the National Grid powered the mill.
The Resevoir (as any local knows the concrete remains) then became a pretty dangerous playground for local kids before being surrounded by dark plantations of Spruce trees planted by The Forestry Commission in the 1960’s. Eventually a huge hole was blown in the side in (I think…) the early 1990’s. It is of course a source of massive frustration that the hole was blasted at the section which included the following text:
HENRY BALLANTYNE & SONS LTD
KIRNIE LAW RESERVOIR
Only a few of these words remain and the concrete walls are now an unwitting and incongruous centre piece to arguably the UK’s finest mountain biking area, as well as being host to some interesting graffiti.
Walkerburn was founded on innovation and excellence in textiles and this crumbling edifice is a monument to a once mighty industry, now all but gone. Pleasingly local firm FINDRA clothing are however keeping Walkerburn’s textile heritage alive in the 21st century with their business based in the grounds of the mill, which closed in a devastating blow in 1988.
I’ve always loved the reservoir, we have hiked up there as a family since we were kids and both my own children were taken there before their first birthday - usually sleeping but they’ll see the photos! It’s a favourite hike of Innerleithen and Walkerburn folk and is now baffling and fascinating a new generation of visitors who come here to mountain bike, with access now provided for all users via a new path built in 2021. I hope if any of them get to read this story it brings a deeper understanding of the heritage of Walkerburn and how innovation is nothing new in this valley.
