‘It’s not the Zambezi, but the Tweed has its moments’: canoeing in the Scottish Borders
02.05.2024 - 14:59
/ theguardian.com
It was a morning of brooding green banks and dark skies on the River Tweed. Heavy rains had hit southern Scotland and the waterway had turned into a fast flood, with the deluge sweeping our two-seater canoe downstream through farmland and fishing beats as fast as a salmon escaping a rod and reel.
The river, usually easy to navigate and at times only a few feet deep, had swollen fat, the rush of water pushing out in oily swirls that ambushed us. Our pace was frenzied, the spray cold and fresh. But my mood was upbeat because this was why I had come: to see the Anglo-Scottish borderlands from a new perspective.
Times are changing on the Tweed. A world-class salmon fishing river in a valley with a recent history of hosting blockbuster events, including last summer’s UCI mountain bike world championships, the waterway is now looking to canoeing for its latest lure. The Tweed Valley Canoe Trail officially launches today (1 May) and, open to the thrill of a gentle paddle as much as whitewater, I had come to the Borders for a two-day preview of the 30-mile route on its upper reaches.
“You’re seeing the genesis of the trail, without its makeup on,” my guide, Craig Reid of Biggar Adventure, told me, at the starting point just outside Stobo, back in September. “It’s not the Zambezi, but the Tweed has its moments, meeting somewhere at the intersection of soft adventure and meditation. It’s peaceful, yet rewarding.” Anything I shouldn’t do? “Travel sideways in the fast flow,” he replied. I must have looked a trifle nervous.
The Upper Tweed valley may be the UK’s hottest UK river destination this summer, but it helps that the new canoe trail is manageable for first-time, have-a-go paddlers, as well as those who fancy more of a challenge, on its Grade 2 rapids. The trail has been divided into six bite-size sections between Stobo and Tweedbank, ranging from two to eight miles.
Light-touch infrastructure is now appearing along the riverside. That includes storage racks and anchor points for tying up safely, signposts and info panels. The project’s developer, Go Tweed Valley, is also working on increasing the number of paddler-friendly accommodation options to add to the already-present campsites. Free waterproof trail maps are available from outdoor shops in Peebles and Innerleithen, or there’s a digital version on Go Tweed Valley’s site. There are places to rent equipment in the Tweed valley and further afield in Edinburgh (such as Kayak and SUP Hire and Sales or Driftwood Adventure).
Our vessel was a 35kg Canadian canoe with a flat bottom (making it less manoeuvrable but more stable), large enough to carry two with overnight dry bags. Dippers and kingfishers whirred in flight and a great blue heron looked on as we