Photos
WALKS IN SCOTLAND - TUNNEL WALK
Peebles
The following Peebles Tunnel walk guide is based on my own experience and therefore description given in the guide necessarily contains an element of subjective opinion which may not reflect your own experience on another occasion.
Walk in short - Key Attractions
- Walk along an abandoned rail line
- Disused railway tunnels
- View from the bridge over the Tweed Valley
About the walk
Just over a kilometre (3/4 of a mile) West of Peebles there is an intriguing disused railway tunnel. Ordnance survey 1:50,000 sheet 73 is a good basis for the walk, and would allow exploration of other track beds in the area, some of which are converted in to cycle paths.
There is good public transport links to Peebles, though if you have car transport, you might want to leave Peebles, going West on the A72. Take the first left minor road about 2 km (1 mile) after leaving the town. There is a road bridge, crossing the River Tweed, and parking spaces used by anglers, which should allow easy parking.
From the river road bridge, make your way to the North East, climbing the embankment at the side of the road, which leads on to the old track bed. If you walk North East on the old track bed for about a kilometre, it brings you to the West End of the tunnel. Just before the tunnel, there is an attractive bridge, which offers a good vantage point over this narrow section of the Tweed Valley.
The tunnel is a single track tunnel, and has a sharp twist, which can add to the claustrophobia! The railway closed on the 7th June 1954, and it is reported that during World War Two, it is was used to stable the Royal train! In the middle of the tunnel, there is a interesting sizeable recess, which is often full of rubbish. We can only speculate on its original purpose! At the East end of the tunnel, a short walk leads on to the site of one of the stations in Peebles, on the South side of the River Tweed. The line of track bed is clear, as it continues on. Crossing the river, leads into the main part of the town.
Peebles is good for refreshments, with a good choice of establishments. The line of the old railways, and site of the former station on the north side of the town can be explored with a good map! For railway history, Railscot website is a great source of information. The route back can be a simple retrace, however, with a map, there are plenty of possibilities to explore.
Published on 27th February 2010
By Michael Barr
Photographs by Michael Barr
Few points worth considering
Boots are best used for this walk, as whilst the tunnel is mostly dry, either end can be damp.
I always look at the brick work on the West end of the tunnel mouth, and you might want to make your own assessment if a hard hat might be sensible!
Like all unlit abandoned tunnel walks, make sure you can be confident about you torches!
