Crook Inn Community Garden

The vegetable and flower beds were looking great at the end of the season, and our wildflower path takes a lovely relaxing route down to the River Tweed.

Perhaps the most exciting news is that the apple trees in the orchard have started to produce fruit – which is delicious.

Over the winter we are still meeting to discuss “all things garden” and have created a programme of events (mostly in the village hall), that everyone is welcome to join.

Following on from last year’s hugely successful Rhubarbfest, held on the Platinum Jubilee weekend, Tweedsmuir is once again celebrating all things rhubarb!

On Saturday 3rd June, the Wee Crook, gardens and grounds will be given over to an afternoon of competitions, refreshments, plant sales and live music from The Mighty Joes.

It’s time to give your rhubarb plants some TLC, to make sure the crop is in peak, competition-winning form when the big day comes!

We would also be delighted to have your help, if you can volunteer for an hour or two, either on the day or in the run-up. Email tweedsmuirsecretary@outlook.com

You can see just how lovely the old steading building is, now that the refurbishment is complete. The inside is just as good as the outside!

There is space for 40 covers, with a light, well-equipped kitchen and manager’s office. Anyone who came to the hugely successful Rhubarbfest held on the Platinum Jubilee weekend will have had a chance to look around and use the facilities.

The whole Crook site has changed quite a bit, with a single clearly-defined access from the main road, leaving areas for parking, picnicking and recreation. The leaky flat roofed extension at the rear of the main building has been demolished, making the old Crook building itself watertight and secure.

We would love to get the Wee Crook open regularly as soon as possible. Anyone interested in finding out more about this exciting opportunity should email for more information enquiries@tweedsmuir.scot

Local residents and passers-by can’t fail to have noticed the work that has been going on at the site of the Crook Inn. Phase 1 of the redevelopment plans is well underway, with the refurbishment of the old steading building to form The Wee Crook cafe and licensed bistro.

The site itself has changed quite a bit, with a single clearly-defined access from the main road, leaving areas for parking, picnicking and recreation. The leaky flat roofed extension at the rear of the main building has been demolished, making The Crook itself watertight and secure.

But the biggest changes are with the Wee Crook itself. The building has been extensively repaired with new roof beams, solid floor and windows. New services have been laid on, including installation of enormous septic tanks for drainage in the grounds to the other side of the main road – the development is as future-proof as we can possibly make it.

Although COVID and supply chain issues are a challenge, we hope that the Wee Crook will open its doors in the spring.

Volunteer power gets a boost –

Through last summer and autumn, Tuesday evenings saw volunteers working to tidy the extensive Community Gardens going from the A701 down to the Tweed.

This massive undertaking has received a great financial boost with a successful application to the Rural Communities Ideas into Action Fund.

Their generous support is enabling us to buy materials for paths to make the Gardens and meadow accessible; essential gardening equipment and secure storage containers; outdoor seating, planters and a hot composter for the whole community to use.

On the 29^th December, in the torrential rain, Tweedsmuir residents gathered to open four new walks at the Logan.

To enjoy this walk you should park at the Logan Layby on the A701, between Stanhope Estate and Kingledores Farm.

We have been working to create a series of walks, of varying difficulty, in the beautiful Mossfennan hills, taking you back through history to understand how Tweedsmuir residents lived centuries ago.

These routes take you to a number of interesting archaeological sites, that have been investigated by Biggar Archaeology Group (external link will open in a new browser tab or window). You can visit an iron age hill fort, discover a number of burnt mounds (bronze age ‘hot tubs’) and explore the ruins of an 18^th century Bastille house. The route is waymarked, and includes a couple of interpretation boards that provide information on the history of the surroundings.

If you are feeling very energetic you might fancy a climb to the top of Worm Hill, for some amazing panoramic views of Tweedsmuir, Broughton and Glenholm.

In Old Scots, Worm (Wyrm) meant a reptilian monster, and Worm Hill may be so named because it resembles a snake-like dragon, coiled round in a circle. There are legends in many places about the name Worm Hill, such as the Lambton Worm in County Durham which was caught in the river and terrorised a village. The worm curled itself around the hill. Could this story have been retold by storytellers about the Worm caught in the Tweed?

These new walks have been created with kind permission of Sandy, Ann and Tom Welsh. We have also received funding from Paths for All, Scottish Borders Council and the Fallago Environment Fund.

Please remember this is a working farm, access the countryside responsibly, close gates and keep all dogs on their leads.