Tweed Valley Pods - A new standard
This week sees the launch of the shiny new website for Tweed Valley Pods. This brand new self catering venture is the vision of friends of mine - Erik, Margot and Lisa. This local family have put heart and soul into getting this far, and the website launch is the culmination of years of hard graft. I am delighted for them, and think this new venture ups the game for accommodation options in the Tweed Valley. Read on to find out a bit more about the project, and it’s lofty goals…
Two of the pods
The four glamping pods are high spec, comfortable and modern but what makes this project special is the ethos behind it. A love of the outdoors and a desire to protect and enhance the landscape drives everything the guys are doing. A lot of graft has gone into making the site a home for wildlife as well as holiday makers, with bat boxes, bee hives and even a wee habitat for rescue hedgehogs on site. Erik also ensured more than 700 trees and hedge plants were added to the site - drafting in his pals, including yours truly, to plant them. Cheap labour! A great day was had and I was chuffed to plant Oaks, Scots Pine, Birch and Rowan - all of which will long outlast me.
The eco ethos extends to using Borders trades, from groundworks down to the pods artwork, furnishings and even the logo - designed by the legendary local artist Le Roc. The guys are also keen to embrace the ethos of our local tourist board (Go Tweed Valley) - travel slowly, and savour the area. One thing that will help on this is being directly on the bus route from Edinburgh - a bus you can take your bike on. The stigma around public transport is fading as people become more aware of environmental concerns, and it feels like Tweed Valley Pods are well placed to capitalise on this.
The pods are all named after mountain bike trails and that’s savvy marketing. A lot of people visit this area to hit these trails, and demand from mountain biking organisations has been high. My personal preference would always be hill walking and there are plenty options from this site. The newly resurfaced road which leads to the pods eventually extends into a fine off road path into Innerleithen. Indeed, anyone walking from the Pods on this route, which arrives in Innerleithen via a saddle between Caerlee and Lee Pen, is walking on what was once the main road through the Tweed Valley. Heading downhill from the site towards the river and you soon hit the railway path which gives miles of safe, off road walking or pedalling both up and downstream. In short, this location is an outdoor lovers dream. So, have I sold it to you?? I feel duty bound to say I’m not getting paid for my gushing write up, that’s not how we roll here! However in this day and age we are quick to be cynical and giving compliments seems to make us anxious. I say to hell with that, I’m proud of what my friends have achieved here and I want to let people know about it. Well done Erik, Margs and Lisa - prepare to be busy…
Thanks to Erik for the photos (pro photos by EnaMay photography, Innerleithen).
