Peebles

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.

outside the post office is the main bus stop: all buses travel west here before looping through town and going their separate ways.

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

There's a taxi rank by Eastgate bus stop. Taxi firms include M&D (+44 7518 373992) and BARC (+44 1721 721212).

See

 * John Buchan Story is also in the library building, but a separate entrance, open M-Sa 10AM-1PM. John Buchan (1875-1940) 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.
 * 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 Church of Scotland.
 * 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.
 * 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.
 * 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.
 * 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 2024.
 * 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 2024.
 * 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 2024.
 * 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 2024.

Do

 * 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.
 * Hay Lodge Park stretches along the riverbank west side of town. The path is firm and wheelchair-accessible for a mile then turns rough. A footbridge connects to the south bank path, also firm.
 * Peebles Swimming Pool is on Port Brae behind the old Parish Church, open daily.
 * Golf: Peebles GC is west side of town. Other courses are at Cardrona and Innerleithen.
 * Rugby: Peebles RFC were promoted in 2024 and now play in National League Division One, the amateur game's second 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 next held 13-20 July 2024 in Innerleithen, five miles east, along with the Cleikum Ceremonies a civic flummery.
 * Innerleithen Music Festival is next held 16-18 August 2024.
 * Peebleshire Agricultural Show is next held on 17 Aug 2024 at Nether Horsburgh Farm, Cardrona.
 * Innerleithen Music Festival is next held 16-18 August 2024.
 * Peebleshire Agricultural Show is next held on 17 Aug 2024 at Nether Horsburgh Farm, Cardrona.

Buy

 * Supermarkets: Sainsbury's on Northgate is open daily 8AM-10PM, and Tesco a block north is open M-Sa 8AM-10PM, Su 8AM-9PM.
 * High Street / Eastgate has several gift shops, convenience stores and ATMs. "Veitch's" is a landmark shop sign in town centre - the sign has been preserved though this outfitters shop closed in 2008.
 * Farmers Market is held every Saturday.
 * Farmers Market is held every Saturday.

Eat

 * Mandarin Garden is a cheerful Cantonese on School Brae, open daily 5-11PM.
 * Gaucho is an Argentine steak restaurant due to open in summer 2024.
 * Mandarin Garden is a cheerful Cantonese on School Brae, open daily 5-11PM.
 * Gaucho is an Argentine steak restaurant due to open in summer 2024.

Drink

 * Traquair House brews ales using original 18th century techniques and equipment found beneath the chapel. They're cockle-warming stuff on a cold night.
 * Traquair House brews ales using original 18th century techniques and equipment found beneath the chapel. They're cockle-warming stuff on a cold night.
 * Traquair House brews ales using original 18th century techniques and equipment found beneath the chapel. They're cockle-warming stuff on a cold night.
 * Traquair House brews ales using original 18th century techniques and equipment found beneath the chapel. They're cockle-warming stuff on a cold night.
 * 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 include Green Tree Hotel and Kingsmuir House.
 * The Tontine on High St gets good reviews for comfort and dining.
 * Traquair House (see above) has upscale accommodation.
 * Caddon View is a gem of a guest house on Pirn Rd, Innerleithen.
 * Traquair House (see above) has upscale accommodation.
 * Caddon View is a gem of a guest house on Pirn Rd, Innerleithen.
 * Traquair House (see above) has upscale accommodation.
 * Caddon View is a gem of a guest house on Pirn Rd, Innerleithen.
 * Caddon View is a gem of a guest house on Pirn Rd, Innerleithen.

Connect
As of May 2024, Peebles town centre has 4G from all UK carriers, but 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