Growing up along the banks of the River Tweed, the river has been the backdrop to my fondest memories. To live alongside this river is to watch the world shift through every season, each one bringing its own kind of magic. I’ve watched salmon leap clear of the rush, herons stand perfectly still like statues, otters build along the banks, and mother ducks nest quietly in the reeds.
Some of my happiest days have been simple ones, walking along the water’s edge with a family dog, all the way to Melrose. For me, there is no finer view in the world than looking down the river over the Chain Bridge, where the water catches the light just right and the hills provide the perfect backdrop and reflect on the water.
I’ve experienced the Tweed in every way you possibly can, dipping bare feet in on warm afternoons, diving in for an impromptu swim in my underwear, and paddling downstream in a canoe. Its stoney shores have been the setting for endless stone-skimming competitions, sticks thrown into the deep parts for dogs to chase, family picnics, and evening fires with the scouts with toasted marshmallows under the open sky.
The river tweed will always be a sign that I’m close to home.
Picture caption: My daughter who also loves the Tweed!
