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New river trail receives £10m funding

Getty Images The river Tweed on a bend with the Union bridge, a narrow suspension bridge, in the foreground. On one side is a wooded forest, on the other fieldsGetty Images
It is hoped the Tweed route could help the area become a major visitor destination

Plans to create a 113-mile (181km) riverside walking and cycling route have been awarded £10m from the Scottish Government.

The funding will support the River Tweed trail project, which will run from Moffat, close to the river's source, to Berwick-upon-Tweed in Northumberland.

Work has already begun on the trial, with bridge replacements, repairs and upgrades to paths. It is estimated it will be completed in 2028.

Deputy First Minister of Scotland Kate Forbes said: "The trail will help further grow, develop and showcase what the region has to offer."

Jim Page The river Tweed on a big bend in the foreground with hills in the distance. The banks are heavily wooded but there are also many fields visible Jim Page
The project has a proposed completion date of 2028

Other funding for the project has come from walking and cycling charity Sustrans, South of Scotland Enterprise and Northumberland County Council.

Councillor Euan Jardine, leader of Scottish Borders Council and Borderlands Partnership co-chair, said: "The River Tweed trail is the keystone project within the £25m Destination Tweed programme and will be one of the great long-distance routes in the UK".

Alan Reid A viaduct crosses the river Tweed with one side a gently shelving field with the other a steep wooded bankAlan Reid
It is hoped the trail will create new jobs and business opportunities

Backers claim the project will bring an extra 267,000 visitors to the area after 10 years, with associated spending of £27.9 million.

Luke Fisher, Destination Tweed project director, said: "The River Tweed is famed across the world for its salmon fishing, great houses and castles, literary connections and wonderful natural environment.

"We want to use these rich assets to harness the area's tourism potential, connect communities along the length of the river and support the environment and economy across the south of Scotland and north Northumberland."

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