Innerleithen History Trail

An easy explore of the built heritage of Innerleithen with an option to visit the Iron Age Fort on Pirn Hill, set by local historians to a good flavour of the history of the town and the variety of interesting buildings.

There are two museums on the route – St Ronan’s Wells and Robert Smail’s Printing Works.

1. Start with your back to Leithen Road car park, turn left on to the foot pavement along Leithen Road; when you reach the High Street turn left to cross Leithen Bridge and on to Horsburgh Terrace on the left. At the top of Horsbrugh Terrace, where the tarmac ends, head to the right and follow this path to the Pirn Hill Cairns (an easy climb but steep near the top). Pirn Hill is the south-western spur of Pirn Craig, locally known as ‘Rocky’. This shoulder is crowned by the remains of an iron age hill fort which comprises two rampart lines and several circular houses within the enclosure. The top is now adorned with an interesting set of seven stone cairns, topped with carved slabs depicting the history of the area.

2. Head back down following the track to the right that turns left to descend to Cuddy Brig. Cuddy Brig is a stone-arch bridge built in 1701 to enable parishioners on the east of the Leithen Water to attend the former church at Kirklands, 0.5km up the road. The bridge is also described as a stipend bridge because it was funded from monies that became available when there was a vacant ministry in the area. Continue to Leithen Road turning left then right along Strand to Wells Brae. Proceed up to St Ronan’s Wells calling in to take the water, view the scenery, the gardens and visitor centre.

3. St Ronan’s Wells - After the publication of St. Ronan’s Well by Sir Walter Scott, Innerleithen became associated with the fictitious “St. Ronan’s” in the novel and visitor numbers greatly increased. The Earl of Traquair commissioned an elegant pavilion in 1826 to create more comfortable accommodation for visitors to the spa.

4. On leaving the Wells notice the house below road level, formerly called St Ronan’s Lodge. Carry on down St Ronan’s Terrace to Hall Street. At the main road, cross straight over and head down Traquair Road to the former station, noting the more or less intact station buildings and platform.

5. Continue down Traquair Road then turn left into Tweedbank Ley. At the third cul-de-sac on the left look for the lane at the rear and continue on the lane to Morningside and Waverley Road. Turn right along the High Street to Robert Smails Printing Works. Robert Smail’s Printing Works is owned and managed by the National Trust for Scotland. Part of our industrial heritage the property was unchanged for almost 100 years.

6. Cross the main road again to the War Memorial and gardens on Leithen Road. The Memorial Hall, built in 1922 to celebrate the survivors from World War I looks over the gardens and war memorial in front.

7. Bear left to Chapel Street and on to Caerlee Mill. Caerlee Mill was erected and equipped between 1788 and 1790 and was believed to be the oldest continually operating custom-built woollen textile processing mill in Scotland up until its recent closure in 2013.

8. Proceed along Bond Street, opposite mill gates, to finish back at Leithen Road car park.