Innerleithen is situated in the heart of the beautiful
Scottish Borders. The peacefulness and the tranquillity of the area seems a long way from the hustle and bustle of city life and it is easy to forget the Borders has had an extremely turbulent and eventful history.
It is approximately 45 minutes drive from the capital city of
Edinburgh and a similar travelling time from
Glasgow while Newcastle and Carlisle are roughly 2 hours' away. Accessibility to the neighbouring towns of
Peebles (10 minutes),
Selkirk (20 minutes),
Melrose (25 minutes),
Jedburgh (45 minutes), and
Hawick (45 minute's).
A monk, St. Ronan arrived around the 9
th century and was to play a significant part in the life of the town. He saved the local community from the "Deil" (devil) by "cleikin" (hooking) him round the leg with a crook thus removing the evil. The event is celebrated, on an annual basis, in July, when 'cleikin' the 'deil' is the central core of St. Ronan's Games, which were started in 1827 by James Hogg, (the Ettrick Shepherd), and Professor John Wilson supported and encouraged by Sir Walter Scott. People born and brought up in Innerleithen are known as Ronanites' thus taking history of the past forward into the future.
The parish was a royal 'domain' for farming and the hunting grounds of the Scottish royal families. Among historic figures who frequented the area were Malcolm Canmore, David I,
William Wallace,
Robert the Bruce, William the Lion, the Marquis of Montrose and
Mary Queen of Scots to mention but a few.
The hamlet of Innerleithen is first mentioned on record when Malcolm Canmore's illegitimate son (called the Maiden) drowned at the point where the Rivers Tweed and Quair meet. His body was retrieved and sheltered by local people and monks and, as a result of the kindness, King Malcolm granted a charter of the local lands to the monks of
Kelso. David II transferred the Charter to the monks of Newbattle and they retained it until the Reformation in 1874.
St. Ronan's Wells Interpretative Centre depicts the era of the last century when Innerleithen was a famous spa town and Robert Smail's printing works, still fully operational, gives a fascinating insight into the printing processes of the past. Both are well worth a visit. Traquair House, ancient seat of the Stuart's and the oldest inhabited house in
Scotland, has played host to 27 monarchs from as early as the 10
th century.
The remains of several forts (of Celtic and Roman origin) are sited on the hillsides surrounding the town. Pirn HiII (Whinny Knowe) has recently been established as a visitor site marking the position of an ancient fort. The short climb to the summit is well worth it for the view alone!
Local activities include a 9–hole golf course with a larger 18–hole championship standard course being developed on the outskirts of the town.
There are many walking routes along the forest paths of Glentress, Innerleithen and Thornylee and the town lies along the route of the
Southern Upland Way.
There are mountain biking facilities in the area and bikes can be hired in the town. A mountain bike ride, reputed to be the best downhill course in Britain, is situated 5 minutes from the centre of Innerleithen.
The world famous Tweed flows on the edge of the town on its way South East to the North Sea and is a popular attraction during the trout season (April-October) and salmon season (October-November) – tickets for trout fishing are available at the St. Ronan's Hotel, High Street, Innerleithen. Innerleithen and the surrounding area have provided inspiration for writers, artists and musicians – past and present. Those known to visit the town have been
Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, James Hogg, and Wordsworth.
