Peebles Ramble (3 miles)
The historic town of Peebles lies on the River Tweed and this circular walk makes use of some old railway infrastructure. From the town centre, walk westwards along the main road. This means you will have the river on your left. We cross the Eddleston Water which empties into the Tweed and reach the edge of the town.
Turn left into Hay Lodge Park and walk down to the water. Don't cross the footbridge. Instead follow the footpath on the north bank. This soon takes us past Neidpath Castle which is accessible only by pre-booked private tours. Continue along the river and the Neidpath Viaduct reveals itself.
One of the finest examples of skew-arch construction in Scotland, the 8-arch viaduct is built on a curve and now functions as a footpath after the railway's closure in 1962. Cross the bridge and pass through the cutting which leads to the mouth of Neidpath Tunnel. Dating from 1864, the horseshoe-bored tunnel is 600 yards long. Enter if you dare!
Although the inside of the tunnel is fairly dry, the trackbed at the far end can be boggy so boots are recommended for this expedition. Follow the path through the woods to the bridge back across the Tweed. We simply make our way through the park to the town centre. Several pubs in Peebles serve cask ale. The word Neidpath has cropped up several times along this walk so let's go with the Neidpath Inn which you pass twice on the walk.
