River Tweed
The River Tweed (Abhainn Thuaidh) is Scotland’s fourth longest river at ninety eight miles long with a catchment area of one thousand, five hundred square miles.
The river rises at Tweeds Well near Tweedsmuir in Lanarkshire, Scotland and travels at first in a northerly direction before changing course to an easterly direction before arriving at it’s river mouth on the North Sea in England's northern most town of Berwick – upon – Tweed, pictured above.
The river is also renowned for being the only river in the United Kingdom that does not need a rod licence to fish it and for being the United Kingdom’s most prolific salmon fishing river, renowned for it's vast stocks of Atlantic Salmon.
The river flows through the Scottish towns of Coldstream, Cornhill – on – Tweed, Galashiels, Kelso, Melrose and Peebles and the English towns of St Boswells and the walled town of Berwick - Upon - Tweed.
The river has several tributaries the largest of which are the rivers Blackadder, Ettrick, Eden, Teviot, and Whiteadder on the Scottish side and the Rivers Breamish, Glen and Till on the English side.
The river is spanned by several bridges, the oldest being the Grade I Listed, fifteen arched, red sandstone bridge at located in Berwick, known as the Old Bridge, and was built in 1634.
Other bridges of note include The Melrose Chain Bridge built in 1826, a seven arched, stone bridge at Coldstream built in 1763, the Dryburgh Suspension Bridge built in 1817, a seven arched, stone bridge situated between Ladykirk in Scotland and Norham in England which was built in 1888, the Union Bridge built in 1820, situated between Horncliffe in England and Fishwick in Scotland, which is now part of the Pennine Cycleway, the four arched, concrete Royal Tweed Bridge at Berwick – upon – Tweed built in 1928 and the Royal Border Bridge, a twenty eight arch, brick built railway viaduct which was completed in 1850.
The river also passes several historic sites including the twelth century Dryburgh, Kelso and Melrose Abbeys, the thirteenth century Neidpath Castle in Peebles, the eighteenth century Floors Castle at Kelso, the twelfth century Norham Castle at Bamburgh and Heritage Quay and the twelfth century city walls and castle at Berwick – upon - Tweed.
The River Tweed's tidal estuary at Berwick upon Tweed is the site of a fourteen square mile special area of conservation (SAC), owing to it's vast swathes of mud and salt flats. The estuary is served by one, nineteenth century lighthouse, located at the head of the town's Victorian pier.
SOME RIVER TWEED WEBSITES
Tweed Valley - www.visittweedvalley.co.uk
Berwick - www.visitberwick.com
Angling - www.tweedguide.com
The Borders -www.visitscotland.com
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