STL Licence: SB00199F

2011-2023

The Scottish Borders covers over eighteen hundred square miles of softly rolling hills, moors, valleys and rich agricultural land.

For the car-borne tourist and cyclists there are lovely and lively towns and villages to discover, castles, abbeys, stately homes, mills and museums to explore, local festivals to enjoy, and a wealth of activities in which to take part.

Historically, Innerleithen was a spa town made famous by the writings of Sir Walter Scott as well as being a centre for cashmere production.

Today, Innerleithen and the Borders attract people who are interested in a variety of different cultural and sporting activities as well as enjoying the beautiful scenery on offer.

Many of the historic Borders castles and houses such as Traquair, Abbotsford, Bowhill, Floors and Thirlestane are within easy reach by car and make for an enlightening and fun day out while Rosslyn Chapel of the “Da Vinci Code” fame lies 35 minutes to the north and is well worth a visit.

As an outdoor centre, the Scottish Borders is unrivalled. The area around Peebles, Innerleithen and Glentress offers hillwalkers, road cyclists and mountain bikers a wealth of open air activities, while in the River Tweed and its tributaries, you’ll find some of the best fishing in Scotland.

Below you can find a range of the different activites on offer in this area:

Walking & Hiking

Glede Knowe is ideally situated for access to the best of walking in the The Tweed Valley Forest Park which includes nearby Glentress, Cardrona, Thornilee and Yair. All have considerable networks of well maintained footpaths and trails. Most of these are excellent, waymarked walking.

Examples of some of these walks are;

A local walk from Glede Knowe’s front door. Turn right outside Glede Knowe. Go up the hill 100m and take path on the left up the hill. Keep to left path and veer uphill through the gap in the woods till you reach a tarmac path. Follow path uphill to picnic seat. Enjoy view of Walkerburn and Tweed Valley. Go through the gate behind the seat cross the field and go over the stile into the woods.

 

Follow the path along the top of the woods for about half a mile where it broadens into a wider track. Follow this until you can head downhill again. Here you will see the Velvet Hall Alpacas in the fields on the left hand side. Follow the track downhill till you reach the main road. Cross the main Peebles road and follow the path to the River Tweed. Turn left and follow the path beside the river back to Innerleithen.

The ascent of Lee Penn behind Glede Knowe. Follow the same path as above to the picnic seat and then turn right up the hill. Cross two stiles on your way to the top at about 1,500 feet and you will be rewarded by superb views in all directions. On a clear day you can see the English / Scottish border.

The Neidpath Castle walk in Peebles which provides a gentle 5 mile ramble. It starts on the right hand bank of the Tweed at the far end of Peebles, follows and then crosses the river on a disused railway bridge before returning to Peebles perhaps for a visit to Cocoa Black (coffee shop and chocolatier) for a well deserved refreshment.

 

If you are seeking a more strenuous walk, other routes in the vicinity include The Southern Upland Way, The John Buchan Way, The Walter Scott Way and the St Cuthberts Way.

We can provide excellent booklets of walks in the local area when you are here.

Mountain Biking

Scotland’s top mountain biking centre, Glentress Forest, is 3 miles from Glede Knowe and provides days of sport and excitement for novices and experts alike on green, blue, red and black graded trails.

You will find everything you need at Glentress for a great day out. The Peel Centre at the main carpark provides a great range of food and drink as well as facilities for bike hire, sales or repairs. There are also numerous organisations such as Ridelines,  https://ridelines.co.uk/ or Dirtschool https://www.dirtschool.co.uk/ that will provide tuition and courses at all levels whether you are a complete beginner or are looking to move onwards and upwards to tackle more difficult trails.

Expert riders are also being drawn in greater numbers to the trails at Innerleithen which demand a greater level of technical ability.

Cycling

The Scottish Borders is blessed with some of the best cycling routes in the UK on mainly quiet back roads through the fantastic rolling hills which typify this beautiful area. Routes range from the leisurely cycle path between Innerleithen and Peebles to the more exacting routes which are used for the ‘Tour O’ the Borders’ and the Tour of Britain.

We have a good selection of maps and ideas for cycle touring in the area, and are happy to suggest routes for a leisurely or more challenging day out.

This is only a small sample of what is on offer in the surrounding area. We have a great selection of leaflets on all the activities and attractions around us, and will be more than happy to help you plan your days out during your stay at Glede Knowe.

Fishing

The Tweed river system is world famous for its game fishing. During the long season – from 1st February to 30th November – more salmon are caught than on any other British river. We work hand in hand with TweedGuide (00 44 (0)7962 401770 or email tweedguiding@gmail.com) who can assist you in any way you require if you wish to spend time on the river, whether you are a novice or an expert angler.
The Peebleshire Trout Fishing Association permit allows fishing for brown trout and grayling on approximately 23 miles of the River Tweed and 5 miles of the Lyne Water. You can buy tickets and permits online from the Association’s website or from the Tourist Office at Caldwells in Innerleithen High Street.

Kailzie fishery is just a few miles west of Glede Knowe on the B7062 – follow the signs for Kailzie Gardens. The fishery is 2 acres in size with an average depth of 12 feet and is stream fed. The fishery is stocked daily to maintain a good head of trout at all times. The fish consist of top quality Triploid and Blue Rainbows starting at 2 lbs and going up to double figures. www.kailziefishery.co.uk »

Other Activities

With lots of open countryside, woodland trails and miles of off-road hacking, it’s easy to see why the Scottish Borders is popular with equestrian lovers. There’s something here for everyone − from experienced riders to novices.

10 minutes from Glede Knowe, you can find Kailzie Equestrian Centre which has an outdoor school and knowledge of plentiful mainly off-road hacking or trekking trails, through the surrounding countryside and local forests, as well all Border Common Ridings and Festivals.
www.kailzieequestriancentre.com »

Photo walks around the Tweed Valley and Scottish Borders with local landscape / nature photographer Graham Riddell.

Be Tarzan for a day, as you take to the trees to tackle the rope bridges, swings and crossings – before you fly high on the 325 metre zip wire at Glentress Forest, Go Ape is just 3 miles from Glede Knowe.

These courses are some of the most picturesque courses in Scotland ranging from Innerleithen’s 9 holes to Cardrona’s championship standard. All these courses have been beautifully crafted in the middle of some truly great scenery and appeal to golfers of all standards. Visitors are welcome all year round.

Enjoy afternoon tea in the genteel surroundings of Cringletie House just 2 miles north of Peebles. Soak up the peaceful atmosphere and maybe hit a few balls on the putting green or test out your croquet skills for a laugh.

Alpacas make ideal companions for trekking whether it be for groups or singles, for special occasions such as an unusual birthday present and is great fun for families.

Explore the Scottish Borders

The village of Innerleithen lies right in the heart of the Tweed Valley and within close proximity you can find attractions such as Traquair House, Scotland’s oldest inhabited house and home of the Stuart Kings, Robert Smail’s Printing Works, and St Ronan’s Well, a famous spa of bygone times.

The historic town of Peebles, just six miles to the north, makes for an interesting day out. The town has a delightful high street with a wealth of small, privately owned shops, the Tweeddale Museum, the John Buchan Museum and the Eastgate Theatre and Arts Centre with its year round theatre, music and art exhibitions.

Nearby are two wonderful gardens at Dawyck and Kailzie (15 acres of garden paths, and with the added attractions of fly-fishing, restaurant, children’s play area and an Osprey Watch between April and August).

A few miles to the south-east of Innerleithen lies the delightful village of Melrose, with its 12th century abbey highlighted against the backdrop of the Eildon Hills. The Abbey is the burial place of a casket said to contain the heart of Robert the Bruce. Three miles west of Melrose lies Abbotsford, where Sir Walter Scott lived for 20 years, open to visitors during the season. Other excellent places to visit are Floors Castle, Rosslyn Chapel (DaVinci Code fame), Thirlestane Castle, Smailholm Tower, Bowhill House and Manderstone House.

And of course, Edinburgh, with its world famous Princes Street, Royal Mile, Castle, Holyrood Palace, museums, shops and many other delights is only 28 miles north of Innerleithen. There is a regular bus service a few minutes’ walk from Glede Knowe which can take you into the centre of Edinburgh within the hour or to Galashiels where you can catch the Borders railway directly into the heart of the Scottish capital.

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