Area focus: Peebles, Scottish Borders

Peebles Outdoor Film Festival is set to take place in a couple of weeks’ time, and this year the event will focus on adventure and rewilding with a programme that extends beyond cinema.
Peebles, Scottish Borders. Copyright (c) 2016 Peter Moulton/ShutterstockPeebles, Scottish Borders. Copyright (c) 2016 Peter Moulton/Shutterstock
Peebles, Scottish Borders. Copyright (c) 2016 Peter Moulton/Shutterstock

From Friday, 13 to Sunday,15 August, the agenda includes alfresco daytime activities such as paddling along the picturesque River Tweed and guided cycle tours, while a series of adventure-based films will run at Eastgate Theatre.

Whether your outdoors enthusiasm gears towards mountain climbing, horse riding, canoeing or cycling, the quaint Scottish Borders town of Peebles is a well-positioned destination for thrilling adventures.

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Its name is thought to have derived from the ancient Cumbric word Pebyl, meaning tent, suggesting a temporary settlement.

The Scottish Borders has had a turbulent history, but Peebles somehow remained largely unscathed by the damage caused in the 13th Century by the infamous Border Reivers – who killed anyone regardless of nationality – and the Scottish Wars of Independence.

It was made a Royal Burgh by King David I in 1152 and later, in 1650, Peebles is said to have resisted Oliver Cromwell’s troops for longer than any other town in the south.

The community thrived during the later part of the Industrial Revolution and, as a market town, Peebles was pivotal in the Border’s woollen and textiles industry.

The town’s last remaining mill on March Street closed in 2015, and a project is proposed to bring it back to life as a care facility with 30 flats and apartments.

The town’s charming High Street was developed from the 15th Century and is filled with historic gems, including Tweeddale Museum and Gallery, which is housed in a stunning 16th-Century building.

Built upon the confluence of the River Tweed and the Eddleston Water, Peebles is a highly desirable location. Indeed, the average market value of a property here is £306,151, according to Zoopla and, lying just 23 miles south of the Capital, the town is ideal for commuters seeking a home surrounded by arguably some of Scotland’s finest scenery.

South of the Eastgate is Tweed Avenue, which is a highly attractive area of 19th-Century cottages and the C-listed Priorsford House, built for oil man James “Paraffin” Young.

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The leafy avenue has an average house price of £381,446, and the much-sought-after properties rarely come to market.

The Old Town conservation area provides the main thoroughfare out of Peebles eastwards, and has a varied collection of property types, including 19th-Century detached, semi-detached and terraced homes, as well as flats.

The nearby Crossland Crescent features picturesque traditional stone villas built around 1870.

This quaint address is favoured among homebuyers seeking an idyllic property in a quiet residential area close to the town centre, and so a property there has an average market value of £369,591.

Clement Gunn Square, named after a local 19th-Century doctor, is a modern micro-development of grand detached houses close to the popular Hay Lodge Park, and south of the River Tweed, is a larger but similarly grand newer estate at Edderston Ridge.

Those seeking a more secluded residence should look to The Bridges, near Eastgate.

The cul-de-sac here comprises six houses built in the mid-1980s, all of which benefit from extensive gardens and garages.

There are three primary schools in the town and secondary education is provided at Peebles High School, on Springwood Road. St Mary’s Preparatory School is a 45-minute drive away in Melrose.

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For those attending independent schools in the Capital, there are half-hourly bus services with journey times of about an hour.

With Glentress Forest and the flowing River Tweed on its doorstep, Peebles is the ideal location for home hunters seeking a charming semi-rural location, with easy access to the great outdoors.

Market value

Average market value of properties (Source: Zoopla)

Detached house £448,991

Semi-detached £305,957

Terraced £220,149

Flat £174,360

Attractions

Glentress Forest on the outskirts of Peebles has a variety of walking routes, wildlife and views across the Tweed Valley. The forest also has some of the best mountain bike trails in Scotland, as one of the 7stanes locales. There is a visitor centre, car park and a dog-friendly café, which is open from 9am to 5pm, Sunday to Friday, and 9am to 6pm on Saturday. Glentress is also home to Go Ape, a thrilling 325-metre-long zip wire high in the trees. There are various challenges with something for all ages and times and prices vary. More information can be found by calling 01284 852210.

Biggar Adventure offers more outdoor activities at Dovecot Road, where an extensive programme of adventures can be tailored to each individual or group. They include abseiling, archery, rock climbing and canoeing, and the centre can also arrange accommodation nearby.

Neidpath Castle is a slower-paced must-see on the edge of Peebles. The preserved 13th-Century fortified tower house is said to be haunted by the Maid of Neidpath, Jean Douglas. In spite or because of this, the castle is popular with visitors all year round and tours can be booked by calling 07747 791 931. Neidpath also operates as a very special wedding venue, which offers accommodation in the castle itself and lodges around the grounds.

Kailzie Gardens is a mile east of Peebles and is home to a magnificent 19th-Century walled garden and a Mackenzie and Moncur glasshouse, home to many horticultural delights. It is open throughout the summer, daily between 10am and 5pm.

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