Peebles - town in Scottish Borders, Scotland, UK

Peebles is a town in the Scottish Borders, with a population in 2020 of 9000. The name is Brythonic: pebyll meant "tents" or a temporary dwelling place. It's a market town and had a textile industry, which (as in other Borders towns) collapsed in the 1960s. It became a byword for provincial tranquility: to say that somewhere was "like Peebles on a Sunday" was not necessarily a compliment. It's nowadays a commuter town for Edinburgh. The main reason to visit is Traquair House, and to walk the nearby hills and forests.

Get in

Peebles is 23 miles south of Edinburgh on A703. Borders Bus X62 runs hourly from Edinburgh via Penicuik and Eddleston to Peebles, taking 75 min. It then runs east along A72, the Tweed valley, via Cardrona, Innerleithen, Galashiels and Tweedbank to Melrose - M-Sa this section is every 30 min.

Borders Bus 91 runs five times M-Sa from Biggar to Broughton, Stobo and Peebles. Bus 93 runs three times M-Sa from West Linton to Romano Bridge, Blyth Bridge and Peebles.

Peebles main bus stop 📍 is on Eastgate next to the post office.

Get around

You need your own wheels to reach Traquair, Kailzie or Dawyck.

See

• Peebles Library Museum (Tweeddale Museum & Gallery), High St EH45 8AG. April-Oct M-Sa 10:00-16:30. The building is 16th century, acquired in 1857 by William Chambers the publisher, who had it remodelled in Baronial style. It now houses the town library and museum, and its artworks include a replica of the Elgin Marbles. There's also a display on John Buchan (1875-1940), who practised law locally. He's best known as the author of The Thirty-Nine Steps, but he went on to be Governor-General of Canada. Donation 2022-04-03
• Churches: St Andrew's (1195) has only a tower remaining, while Cross Kirk (1261) is little more than a foundation course. The Old Parish Church is a newcomer of 1887, still in use by the C of S.
• Neidpath Castle 📍 a mile west of Peebles is a L-plan tower house built from the 13th century. Admire the exterior, the interior can only be visited by special arrangement.
• Great Polish Map of Scotland 📍 is within the grounds of Barony Castle Hotel north off A703. It's a 50 m x 40 m relief map of Scotland built by Polish ex-pats in the 1970s.
• Harehope Rings 📍 are the earthworks of a hill fort, reached by a forestry trail.
• Horsbrugh Castle is a ruined 16th century towerhouse two miles east of Peebles. You see it for about 10 seconds as you drive along A72, and frankly that's enough. Nether Horsbrugh Castle another mile east is in even sorrier condition.
• Kailzie Gardens, Kailzie EH45 9HT (on B7062), 55.6349°, -3.145°, +44 1721 720007. April-Oct daily 10:00-16:00. Though Kailzie is open year-round, with spring displays of snowdrops and daffodils, the main draw is the 19th-century walled garden open from April. Dogs permitted on lead. They have accommodation. Adult £6, conc £5, child free 2022-04-21
• Robert Smail's Printing Works, High St, Innerleithen EH44 6HA, 55.6197°, -3.0621°, +44 1896 830206. Apr-Oct F Sa M 11:00-17:00, Su 13:00-17:00. Victorian printing press, initially water-driven by lowering a wheel into the stream beneath the workshop, like an aircraft undercarriage. Adult £7, child / conc £5, NTS / NT free 2022-04-03
• St Ronan's Well is a spa source in Innerleithen, which took its name from a novel by Sir Walter Scott. It remains closed in 2022.
• Traquair House, Innerleithen EH44 6PW (7 miles SE of Peebles), 55.6083°, -3.0642°, +44 1896 830323. Daily Apr-Sept 11:00-17:00, Oct 11:00-16:00, Nov Sa Su 11:00-15:00. A fortified mansion from 15th century in what might be called "very very early Baronial" - it may have acted as a prototype for the later fashion. Furnished mostly in 18th century style - it was never Victorianised - and with displays on its history. There are also gardens, a walled orchard, microbrewery, and upscale accommodation. Adult £12, conc £10, child £6 2022-05-16
• Dawyck Botanic Garden, Stobo EH45 9JU (B712 twelve miles southwest of Peebles), 55.603°, -3.323°, +44 1721 760254. Daily Feb & Nov 10:00-16:00, Mar-Oct 10:00-17:00. 25 hectare arboretum in the hills of the upper Tweed valley, run by the Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh. The cool climate suits mountain trees and shrubs from Nepal, China and Chile, and the azaleas are a riot of colour late May / early June. Assistance dogs only. Adult £8, conc £7, child free 2022-05-16

Do

• Eastgate Theatre & Arts Centre, Eastgate EH45 8HD, +44 1721 725777. Regular programme of theatre, stand-up, music and film. 2022-04-03
• Alpine Bikes Glentress, Unit 2, Glentress Peel EH45 8NB (off A72 three miles east of Peebles), 55.6584°, -3.1495°, +44 1721 724522, glentress@alpinebikes.co.uk. Daily 09:00-17:00. Helpful shop does mountain bike hire and repairs. Lots of nearby bike trails, you can hire a bike and helmet for around £30 a day. Check with them for any forest trails that might be closed temporarily for logging. 2022-04-03
• Bands only occasionally perform, but there's several in town so you've a fair chance of catching one of them. Look for Peebles Orchestra, Peebles Burgh Silver Band, and Innerleithen Pipe Band.
• Walk: Lots of nearby trails, including the 13-mile John Buchan Way from Peebles to Broughton. The Southern Upland Way passes through Traquair, heading east to Galashiels and southwest to St Mary's Loch.
• Golf: Peebles GC is west side of town. Other courses are at Cardrona and Innerleithen.
• Rugby: Peebles RFC play in National League Division Two, the amateur game's third tier in Scotland. They play at The Gytes.
• Gytes Leisure Centre has a gym and fitness classes but no pool. It's on Walker's Haugh east side of town.
• Horse riding: Kailzie Equestrian Centre is on B7062 opposite the gardens.
• St Ronan's Border Games are held late July in Innerleithen, five miles east, along with the Cleikum Ceremonies a civic flummery. The next are 9-16 July 2022.
• Innerleithen Music Festival is in mid-August.

Buy

• Supermarkets: Sainsbury's on Northgate is open daily 08:00-22:00, and Tesco a block north is open M-Sa 08:00-22:00, Su 08:00-21:00.
• High Street / Eastgate has several gift shops, convenience stores and ATMs.
• Tweed Art (MacHardy's), 1 Biggiesknowe EH45 8HS (just north of bridge), +44 1721 720246. M-Sa 09:30-17:00. Small art gallery selling the work of local artists. 2022-04-03
• Farmers Market is held every Saturday.

Eat

• Francos, Port Brae EH45 8AW (next to Parish Church), +44 1721 720510. W-Su 12:00-14:00 & 17:00-22:00. Great Italian restaurant, gets booked out at weekends. Splendid pizza and pasta. 2022-04-03
• Prince Of India, 84 High St EH45 8SW, +44 1721 724455. Daily 12:00-14:00 & 17:00-23:00. For an okay-ish Indian meal. 2022-04-03
• Forsyths, 21-25 Eastgate EH45 8AD, +44 1721 720833. M-Sa 07:00-17:00. Butcher and bakery, gets great reviews for its pies. 2022-04-03

Drink

• County Hotel, 35 High St EH45 8AN, +44 1721 720595. M-Sa 11:00-00:00, Su 12:00-23:00. Belhaven pub popular with younger drinkers, with decent food, dog-friendly. 2022-04-03
• Bridge Inn (The Trust), 72 Port Brae EH45 8AW, +44 1721 720589. Daily 11:00-23:00. Friendly trad pub. 2022-04-03
• Neidpath Inn, 25 Old Town EH45 8JF, +44 1721 588109. Daily 11:00-00:00. Trad pub with TV sport and a beer garden, has rooms. B&B double £75 2022-04-03
• The Cross Keys, 24 Northgate EH45 8RS, +44 1721 723467. Daily 07:00-22:30. JD Wetherspoons pub. Nice on a hot day as it has a good beer garden. 2022-04-03
• Traquair House brews ales using original 18th century techniques and equipment found beneath the chapel. They're cockle-warming stuff on a cold night.

Sleep

• B&Bs are dotted all over town but mostly didn't open in 2021.
• The Tontine on High St gets good reviews for comfort and dining.
• The Park, 2 Innerleithen Rd EH45 8BA, +44 1764 651550. Reliable mid-range place in town centre. B&B double £120 2022-04-03
• Peebles Hydro, Innerleithen Rd EH45 8LX (east edge of town), 55.6526°, -3.1771°, +44 1764 651846. Vast edifice now owned by Crieff Hydro, both of which originally offered dubious "water cures". It has been refurbished yet visitors may still encounter tired, worn facilities. But lots of family activities, e.g. kids' club, swimming, horse riding. B&B double from £120 2022-04-03
• Macdonald Cardrona Hotel, Cardrona EH45 8NE (On A72), 55.6413°, -3.1212°, +44 344 879 9024. "4-star" going on 3, with golf course and spa. B&B double £95 2022-04-03
• Cringletie, Edinburgh Rd, Redscarhead EH45 8PL (off A703), 55.6884°, -3.2187°, +44 1721 725750. Baronial castle hotel built 1861, with acclaimed Sutherland Restaurant. Occasional lapses but generally to a high standard. B&B double £280 2022-04-03
• Traquair House (see above) has upscale accommodation, B&B double from £220.
• Stobo Castle, Stobo EH45 8NY (B712 near Dawyck), 55.6162°, -3.3152°, +44 1721 725300. Luxurious spa resort set in beautiful grounds near Dawyck Gardens. Full board double £300 2022-04-03
• Caddon View is a gem of a guest house in Innerleithen.
• Windlestraw, Galashiels Rd, Walkerburn EH43 6AA (On A72 east of Innerleithen), 55.6251°, -3.0098°, +44 1896 870636. Wonderful small hotel, gets rave reviews for comfort, service and food. B&B double £240 2022-04-03

Connect

As of April 2022, Peebles has 4G from EE, O2 and Vodafone and a basic mobile signal from Three. There are lots of dead spots on the nearby highways. 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

• North to unmissable Edinburgh.
• B709 is a scenic lonely road from Innerleithen north towards Dalkeith and Edinburgh. South it runs via Traquair towards St Mary's Loch, the Ettrick Forest and (just what you'd expect) a Buddhist monastery, thence via Longtown to Carlisle.
• East to the great abbeys of Jedburgh, Dryburgh, Melrose and Kelso