Leithen Water - Source to Tweed
The Leithen Water is the river which gives Innerleithen it’s name. Or so they say. Apparently Innerleithen is derived from Inbhir or Inver Leithen, a Gaelic name meaning mouth of the Leithen (a bit like Inbhir Niss/Inverness or Loch Inbhir/Lochinver). Gaelic names are rare in this part of Southern Scotland, but not unknown. For me however I think the name is a derivation of the old name for the area - Henderland or Henderleithen. Anyway, let’s not get bogged down in names - today’s blog is all about the river and a journey from it’s lonely moorland source, then rapidly down 8 or so mile length to meeting the River Tweed in the shadow of Caddon Bank. Along the way we will encounter poets, racehorses, America’s most notorious Gangster and loads of local tales.
Leithen Water valley with Williamslee Farm
The river rises on the lonely moorland slopes of the Moorfoot Hills, closer to Eddleston than Innerleithen. Dundreich is as descriptive a Moorfoot name as you can hope and the wee streams that trickle off it’s southern slopes represents the upper limit of the Leithen Water. The stream soon leaves moorland and enters the vast forestry plantation of Leithenwater estate. Owned by Roseberry Estates, these forests were planted in the early 1970’s and are as a result being harvested now. The vast, thirsty plantations do little to slow the Leithen downstream - it is an extremely fast flowing river, I once read second only in speed to the River Spey which seems far fetched but I can’t confirm or deny the fact. Regardless, it flows and rises quickly and the river in spate is a very different beast to the trickle we saw through town this summer.
The infant Leithen is swelled by the Bowbeat Burn, running from the hill which in 2001 became home to Eon’s Bowbeat Windfarm. 24 turbines sit on top of this windy (that's handy) and lonely hill. Visible from Edinburgh and Midlothian the windfarm is still very productive and is a favourite destination of the greater spotted Tweed Valley graveller. For my part I have cycled around the windfarm once (some pushing may have taken place) and found the sound of the blades a bit eerie but totally fascinating to get up close to them. Well worth a visit if you are feeling fit and adventurous.
Bowbeat Wind Farm
Back on the valley floor the Leithen is now joined by the forest road which leads up to the windfarm and moors. Eventually a break in the trees we see the ruin of Craighope, once a truly lonely location for a shepherd but now in a state of total disrepair. The river and road eventually break out of the thick spruce plantation at Hunters Knowe, another lonely settlement in a much better state. As far as I am aware this is still a private residence. We then arrive at Williamslee Farm, where James Hogg learned his trade as a teenage shepherd in the 1780’s. This was long before the fame which would see him honoured with a fine statue but it was here where, according to my friend and local historian Ted McKie, that Hogg was encouraged to read adventures and expand what had been a very basic education. The farm today is still a working sheep farm, albeit the spruce clad slopes to the north would look completely alien to Hogg.
Hunters Knowe
Williamslee Farm
By now the valley is much broader and a rough track strikes south, across the river heading for the mast on Dunslair Heights. A handy escape route from the top of Glentress Forest.
This area holds some many old memories for me and many other local lads. A Scout Hut was located on the haugh nearby, and I came to a few camps here. Sausage Sizzles, PT, map reading on the hill side, playing in the water and biting, achingly cold nights. Character building stuff. The hut is no more, rotten and knocked down in the 00’s but just being in this area makes me always think of the great Innerleithen Scouts Walker McLaren and RNJ Scott. Nostalgia soon gives way to wonder on this journey as we arrive at Leithen Lodge.
Leithen Lodge
The Lodge was first built in the 1850’s, extending an existing building into a Laird’s Estate lodge for Leithenhopes but was quite different to what we see today. The current style of Scottish Renaissance with some outstanding Arts and Crafts flourishes came later and the bright colour is a stark counterpoint to the more muted browns and greens of the countryside. It is a change from the days when we would go past in the Scout bus - in the early 90’s it was close to being derelict but thankfully it has received lots of TLC. It’s a beautiful house which the current owners clearly love and care for and does now have some self catering apartments. Anyone wishing to see Leithen Lodge is welcome to view from the private road (bikes and foot only) but please always remember the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and respect the privacy of this quiet area. The Leithen whizzes by the lodge, the water has no time to admire Arts and Crafts Mansions, and is soon joined by it’s own tributary, The Glentress Water. This burn rises up near Pipers Grave, following the B709 past Blackhope Byers and Whitehope (once home to Peaty Sandy, a famous racehorse who won the Welsh Grand National as my Granny told me every time we drove up that road!)
At Colqhuar a ruined Tower (we also passed near one at Williamslee) is an echo to the turbulent past, but the only turbulence caused here these days is when the Leithen floods the road as it does fairly regularly. Rivers have a way of finding their own way across their flood plain and in recent years the Leithen has found it’s way pretty close to a very low lying bit of road. So if that waters up beware!
Colquhar, Leithen Water on the left hand side of the road
We pass several roadside laybys, a favourite of the wild campers who favour spilling out of a car to getting to a campsite by a long hike. Good luck to them I say, as long as they clean up after themselves which, sadly, is often not the case.
Another estate is past, The Ley. Apparently this is the resting place for Al Capone’s car. No, seriously. A story so crazy you just hope it is true. We arrive at Innerleithen Golf Course. The oldest course in Peeblesshire, it was designed in the 1880’s by Willie Park, a multiple time winner of The Open Championship. A challenging wee 9 hole course it has a strong membership and busy clubhouse. The 5th (“Hill Hole”) is a wee beauty.
By now we will no doubt have seen several folk on fancy looking Mountain Bikes. We are in the shadow of Caberston Forest, the Enduro MTB capital of the UK. Further down, after crossing the Leithen on a great wee bridge, we arrive at The Cauld. This dam forms the start of the Mill Lade, which will get the Blog treatment on it’s own merits at some point. The wee car park at The Cauld is a perfect spot for watching salmon and sea trout leap, especially in the autumn.
The walk down the riverside from here to Kirklands is a fantastic wee trail and very popular with locals. Past Kirklands and onto Leithen Road and we soon arrive at Cuddy Bridge, Innerleithen’s Insta highlight and once carrying the main route over the hills to Peebles. It has extremely erroneously been known as the Roman Bridge in the past. Sounds like Bullshittius Maximus to me, it’s a much more recent addition dating from 1701. So many happy memories of swimming here as a kid and taking my own kids there now to paddle and skim stones. A special place to Innerleithen folk.
The Cuddy Brig
We are in the heart of Innerleithen now and the river roars on past, along The Backs (the community owned woodland which links Horsbrugh Terrace to Leithen Road), under the Main Road Bridge (a functional 1990’s design which, you’ll not be surprised to hear, used to look much better back in the olden days). The bridge is a great spot to watch runners in the Mighty Deerstalker race, a winter hill run which takes in this section of the Leithen. Next year will be the last time the event takes place after Covid and some seriously mental weather knocked the stuffing out of it. The river then passes by housing (including Leithen Crescent which is known by locals as The Batty) and the disused railway line (bridge long gone) before reaching The Tweed at what is perhaps generously described as a delta. A bit of a mess is probably a more accurate description.
Extreme winter conditions from Leithen Bridge
There you have it, a story of the Leithen Water told as fast as the river itself flows. Not even close to the biggest or most important tributary of The Tweed, but hopefully by reading this you’ll come to appreciate it’s charms in even greater light and come to understand why we love our wee river “doon where Leithen gurgles bricht”
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