The Peeblean: Saturday 22 August 2026

Welcome to this week’s Peeblean.

⛅ Saturday’s weather forecast is for a dry day with sunny spells. The weekend will see some chilly starts to the morning (°C temperatures down to single figures) and early fog but Sunday will be similarly dry and bright with the potential for a rain shower late afternoon. Monday is forecast to stay dry with sunny intervals.

🌧️ The place I grew up had a water feature called Loch Occasional which, as you might guess, was only visible after heavy rain. Flooding in Peebles is a theme this week - the pooling of water where the Greenside steps meet the river bank could be sorted out if the latest Tweed Trail path plans are approved (see below). The regular flooding south of Fotheringham Bridge in Hay Lodge Park was also part of the conversation this week about whether a mobile sauna could be permitted within the park environs.

💻 We try and report these developments impartially, led by the facts and with links directly to the source materials. If you ever have questions about any process or next steps, please let us know in the comments or using our Get in Touch form and we’ll do our best to get you an answer. Grateful thanks 👏🏻 to our paying subscribers who keep this weekly round-up accessible to all. Shares of our content are also appreciated as we aim to reach 2,000 email recipients during September (just 37 to go!).

🍰 Today’s re-opening of the Macfarlane Hall behind the Old Parish Church is a very welcome development and the celebration afternoon tea sounds like a lovely event. The weather is looking favourable for the Wayside Market at the Barns Walled Garden this afternoon. This event, run by Manor Church, will include tours of Barns Tower, one of the self-catering properties run by the estate. Have a sneak peek here.

• Barns Tower and the Walled Garden are on the River Tweed circular walk (Peebles - Manor Brig - Lyne Station). If driving, head west on the A72 and take the Manor Brig / Kirkton Manor turn off. Follow this road for just over a mile and the estate entrance is marked by stone pillars on the right hand side, just before Manor Kirk. The What3Words link is here.

🏉 It’s a family day at The Gytes today as Peebles 1XV welcomes Jedburgh for a friendly. From 2pm there’s a bouncy castle, BBQ, horsebox bar, tackle practice and assault course. Football fans can see Scottish Cup action in Innerleithen today when Drumchapel United visits Vale of Leithen FC.

TOWN CHAT

🗺️ The full planning application for the Tweed Trail path heading west from the swimming pool is now viewable on the SBC portal. The path route will head to Fotheringham Bridge where it will cross the Tweed and continue west through the railway tunnel. As previously reported, the design for this section includes:

• a new footbridge over the Cuddy (Eddleston Water) and a path height adjustment to remove the steps where Greenside meets the riverbank

• removal of ‘the Hump’ to create an accessible circular path

• a community orchard in the former playground area (behind the hedge near the foot of the steps down from the rugby hut)

• new ramped access north and south of Fotheringham Bridge (pictured).

🚻 A conversation about how to pay for replacement Kingsmeadows Toilets is ongoing between local councillors, SBC officials and an individual who is confident the cash can be fundraised. Beyond this, no specifics were shared with this week’s Common Good meeting which also discussed briefly the Haylodge Depot / Men’s Shed bid. Paying subscribers can access the details below our sauna write-up.

🏢 An update on Innerleithen Memorial Hall will be the main agenda item at Innerleithen Common Good Fund Sub-Committee which meets online on Thursday 27 August at 2pm.

🗣️ There’s an opportunity to speak directly to council officials this week when SBC’s Community Conversation tour comes to the Burgh Hall on Tuesday evening.

🪗 Peebles Callants annual busking competition takes place on Saturday 29 August from 2pm - 4pm.

COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD - Use our Get in Touch form to send us details of your forthcoming events.

Starting back on 26 August, Kirklands Badminton Club (16+) meets on Wednesdays at the Drill Hall (7.30 - 9.30pm). New members welcome. £6 for a 2 hour session.

The Scottish Borders first Pride March takes place in Galashiels next Saturday (29 August). The parade is from 12 noon, stalls and live entertainment in the Volunteer Hall and a Youth Space is happening at the Great Tapestry building.

The Perfect Fit clearance sale is happening on Sunday 6 September 10am - 4pm.

Tour O the Borders are looking for volunteers to work on registration, marshalling, at the event village, feed stations and car parking. £35 in expenses is payable for each 4+ hour shift. Sign up here or email volunteers@tweedlove.com

The Vine Trust / Tanzania group at Peebles High School are holding a duck race down the Cuddy on Sunday 6 September. Ducks are £2 each and the first prize is £200.

A clear out of Walkerburn Rugby clubhouse is happening on Saturday 29 August (10am - 2pm) with lots of items free to giveaway. Memorabilia can also be returned to donors if requested.

On 2 September, there’s a free one-day course in Galashiels on Dementia and Social Connection training with Befriending Networks to learn how to plan and deliver dementia-friendly events, activities and services.

Peebles Youth Theatre quiz night on Friday 11 September at Peebles Rugby Club, 7pm.

The final two days of the Trans-Caledonia Enduro will be held in Tweed Valley on 11-12 September. Gowaan MTB will have their kids skills arena set up at Peebles Hydro on the Sunday.

Penicuik Late Summer Street Fair is on Saturday 19 September from 10am - 2pm.

Tweed Theatre is hosting a coffee morning on Saturday 10 October at Peebles Rugby Club.

EVENTS THIS WEEK

Saturday 22 August

• Wayside Market at Barns Walled Garden, 2pm - 4.30pm

• Deiseil Airson Dannsa (Stepdance) Workshop, Eastgate Theatre, 2pm

• Old Parish Church Afternoon Tea, MacFarlane Hall, 2pm

• Vale of Leithen v Drumchapel United (Scottish Cup 2nd preliminary round) Victoria Park, Innerleithen, 3pm

• Charity Quiz Night, Masonic Hall, Innerleithen, 6.30pm

Sunday 23 August

• Indoor Car Boot Sale, Walkerburn Village Hall, 10am - 1pm

• Tweed Feast and Ceilidh, Traquair Village Hall, 6.30pm

Monday 24 August

• Film: Virginia Woolf’s Night & Day (12a), Eastgate Theatre, 12 noon

Tuesday 25 August

• Openreach full fibre drop-in event in West Linton, 1-4pm in the Village Centre.

• SBC Community Conversation, Burgh Hall, 6-8pm

• Eddleston Community Council, Village Hall, 7.30pm

Wednesday 26 August

• Film: Virginia Woolf’s Night & Day (12a), Eastgate Theatre, 1pm and 7.30pm

• Eddleston Village Hall committee meeting, 7pm

Thursday 27 August

• The Coffee Clubs coffee morning, Walkerburn Village Hall, 10-12 noon

• Innerleithen Common Good Fund Sub-Committee, online, 2pm

• Stobo Arts & Music Festival opens (runs until Sunday)

• Eastgate Theatre season launch, 7.30pm, FREE

Friday 28 August

• SBHA HomeChoice community clean-up at George Terrace, Peebles, 10am-2pm

• Peebles Nursing Home cafe morning, 10.30am - 12 noon

• Scottish Borders Business Excellent Awards, Peebles Hydro

Saturday 29 August

• Inwards, Outwards and Earthwards, 11am

• Beyond Borders International Festival

• Macmillan Coffee Morning, Walkerburn Bowling Club, 10am

• Peebles Callants annual busking competition, 2pm - 4pm.

• Music in Peebles: No Borders Trio, St Peter’s Church, 2.30pm

• Broughton Horti Show, Broughton Village Hall, 2pm

• Botanical Casting workshop, Stay Scotland Studio, Innerleithen, 2-5pm

BOOKING NOW / SAVE THE DATE

Wrestling is coming to the Drill Hall! The megaslam event on 12 September promises a “two hour family entertainment spectacular”. Tickets are £5 on an early bird.

Bang Goes the Borders science and discovery festival at St Mary’s School in Melrose is a free event on Saturday 19 September from 10am - 3pm.

JOB VACANCIES

• Assistant Manager, Chest, Heart & Stroke Shop, Peebles. Closes 2 Sept.

• Eden Support are looking for staff in the local Peebles area for day shift and/or night shift. £13.75 per hour. Flexible Hours and full training if no experience.

• SBC vacancies this week include a Teacher of Chemistry and General Science (Peebles HS) and support worker roles at Green Gardens Day Service and St Ronan’s Care Home.

• Self-Directed Support in the Scottish Borders is hiring a Community Navigator. Position can be home-based or from the office in Selkirk.

• Calum Kerr MSP is hiring a caseworker (f/t) to be based in Galashiels. Salary is £29k-£32k. Closes 28 August.

• Bright Green Nature is advertising a part-time Project Coordinator - Future Voices for Nature (based in Melrose). Closes 23 August.

MORE NEWS

A consultation is running on new play facilities for Walkerburn. An in-person event with Tweeddale East councillors is happening today with an online survey now launched on the SBC website. Relocating the play equipment within Alexandra Park is one of the proposals being explored and the survey allows young people to rank the play equipment they most like to play on.

The Save Kingsmeadows campaign - now established as a charitable organisation (SCIO) - say they’ve had confirmation from NatureScot that the Kingsmeadows Estate should be regarded as ancient woodland in any planning consideration. The longstanding woodland habitat on the site as evidenced from old OS maps was submitted to the Government agency who this week confirmed this in correspondence.

An influential mountain bike summit is coming to Innerleithen in September 2027. The three-day IMBA Europe event brings together trail builders, tourism professionals, land managers, academics, public authorities and health practitioners. The gathering will be one of the first events to be hosted in the Caerlee Mill Bike Campus and Trail Lab which is currently under construction.

Thanks for reading! If there’s anything we’ve missed please pop it into the comments.

The Peeblean