forests & woodlands
Woodlands and forests are plentiful in the Tweed Valley – each with their own unique character and charm. Discover more about the ancient trees and working plantations that continue to shape the cultural and ecological history of the area.
Picture the landscape in and around the valley and you’d be hard pushed not to see trees. They cover vast swathes of hillside, as well as peppering riverside paths and attracting interest in our most treasured gardens.
But this wasn’t always the case. By the early 1600s, most of the natural woodlands had been exploited for timber or removed in favour of farmland, leaving a landscape far more barren than that seen today. The Forestry Commission (now Forestry and Land Scotland) was established after the First World War to address the nations’s tree-shortage and the replanting of trees in the valley began again in the 1920/30s.
The renewed need for timber brought about significant changes in the natural identity of the area – and the beginnings of what is now a thriving forest network.
The Tweed Valley Forest Park, comprising seven unique and naturally diverse forests, are the centrepiece to this network. Glentress is considered the jewel in their crown – and for good reason. It’s a mountain-biking mecca as well as home to a wildlife watch, vibrant café, bike shop and GoApe’s highest zip-wire in Scotland. Whether you explore it on foot, by bike or swinging from the trees, there’s always adventure to be had amongst the Douglas firs and Scots pines.
For explorers more comfortable on horseback, Cardrona provides miles of peaceful, off-road riding routes through fairy-tale landscapes of pine and larch woodlands. But it’s not just horses that tread the trails around these parts. Roe deer, badger, foxes and red squirrel can be spotted shuffling in the trees at dusk and dawn – and on higher ground, a colony of bats has taken up residence in the atmospheric Cardona Tower.
The promise of wildlife is also a major attraction at the small but mighty Cademuir. Accessed from the south of Peebles, the coniferous trees that drape the sides of this imposing hill are home to an enviable array of birds, including crossbills and warblers, tawny owls, siskins and greater spotted woodpeckers. You can regularly spot buzzards hovering in the valley as you admire the 360-degree views from Cademuir’s summit.
Head eastwards down the valley for two gems that add colour to the history of the region and excitement to the mountain biking world. Caberston boasts one of the Tweed Valley’s most notable Iron Age settlements at Pirn Hill, whilst Innerleithen (Traquair and Elibank) – once the playground of King Alexander I – is also home to the ruins of a 16th century castle with its own stories to tell. This expansive plantation is not only home to precious wildlife including pine marten and red squirrel, but also pockets of ancient woodland not widely seen across the valley.
The forests of Thornielee and Glenkinnon occupy beautiful locations on opposite banks of the Tweed. A protected site of special scientific interest, the latter is home to a Biodiversity Trail with a fascinating collection of broadleaf trees, wildlife and plants. Rowan, ash, elm and birch are just a few of the species to discover here, alongside the grandaddy of them all: the 500-year-old Glenkinnon Oak! And for a glimpse of some of Scotland’s most treasured butterflies, a visit to Thornielee is a must. Look out for Common Blue, Small Copper and Northern Brown Argus (image below) in the summer months – and plenty of bird life across all four seasons.
Between them, these seven magnificent forests are rich in activity, adventure and nature. They draw year-round visitors to the Tweed Valley and their timber is used widely for a range of commercial purposes, including the construction of the impressive Peel Café and bike shop at Glentress (pictured above).
But they’re not the only trees in town.
Smaller, lesser-known woodlands are hidden right across the valley. St Ronan’s Wood, Venlaw Hill and Spoon Wood offer a wealth of hiking, trail running (and den-building!) opportunities, whilst Plora Wood – featuring impressive sessile oaks from the mid 1700s – boasts one of the last remaining native ancient woodlands in the whole of Tweeddale.
And less ancient but just as important to the area’s biodiversity are Eshiels Community Wood and Glenlude. Ongoing rewilding projects at both sites have seen the replacement of original conifer woodland with native tree species including oak, rowan and birch. It’s hoped that the regeneration of these sites will encourage the return of more native plant and wildlife species, helping to restore the natural ecosystem in this corner of Scotland.
Further info:
For more adventures in the forests, check out our trail running, hiking, biking, horse riding and tree-top adventure pages. Discover some of the area’s most valuable trees in our Gorgeous Gardens and learn more about the rewilding work of the John Muir Trust at Glenlude.
And want to know why there’s a sculpture of a rogue meteorite nestled in the trees at Glentress Forest? Download Tweed Valley Tales, our free, digital storytelling tour, for more information on this and other curious sites of interest across the area.