23 River Tweed Facts: The Best Place For Salmon Fishing!

The River Tweed flows east through Northern England and Scotland (border region) and is a beautiful river.

The lower reaches of River Tweed enter the North Sea through a place in England called Northumberland! Fun fact, before it ends up near Berwick-upon-Tweed and enters the North Sea it flows through the iconic Lowther Hills (flowing 100 mi (160 km) over the hills).

It starts as a very tiny stream. The River Tweed is also a part of the Southern Uplands in Scotland which is a mountain range that is very sparsely populated.

The River Tweed has some of the greatest rivers in its tributaries. These great rivers include Blackadder, Ettrick, Eden, Teviot, and Whiteadder and all of these are on the Scotland side; the English side has Breamish, Glen, and Till.

One of the interesting things about the River Tweed is that this river primarily flows through the scenic region (Borders) of Scotland.

The major towns through which the River Tweed flows include towns like Innerleithen, Peebles, Melrose, Kelso, and Berwick-upon-Tweed. Many regions in Scotland form the course of the River Tweed.

Some of the major tourist attractions near the River Tweed which include Scotland and England are - Floors Castle, Paxton House, Moorfoot Hills (in Scotland with exceptional scenery), Norham Castle, and Neidpath Castle.

Read on for some interesting facts about the River Tweed and afterward also check river Wye facts and river Wear facts.

Environmental Interests

The River Tweed is very important for the people living around the region.

In 1978, the River Tweed’s section which lies in Scotland was given the special designation of Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) which was later updated in 2004. This made it mandatory for stakeholders like landowners to work with the assigned organizations in order to preserve the natural site.

Not only was the river given importance, but, the scenic landscapes that surround the river were also taken under the protection of various schemes. In December 2010, new legislation was passed for the National Scenic Areas(NSA) as a means to preserve the regions which are of national importance.

A few agri-environment plans were also made for the same purposes of preservation. The Scottish Rural Development Programme was made for land conservations which included perks like Forestry Grant Schemes. The Countryside Stewardship was another one of these programs which were designed to provide donations for preserving wildlife habitats as well as restoration of these said habitats.

Hydrology: River Tweed

In the lower parts of the Tweed River, you can actually swim due to the fact that the average flow of the river is 2,754 ft3/s (78 m3/s); this value obviously increases during times of floods.

Did you know, the river’s valley floor is actually a drumlin field? Drumlins are considered to be oval-shaped hills, which are formed by glacial involvements.

One of the major species of fish found in the River Tweed is the sea trout. There are actually a lot of videos which teach you how to fish in the river and catch sea trout. The sea trout closely resembles the Atlantic salmon and is very good to consume!

We already saw before that the river generates a huge source of income for the inhabitants nearby due to the fact that it is home to the Atlantic salmon.

This species of salmon is a very priced commodity around the world due to the fact that it is high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids which are essential for the body.

Other rivers like The Annan and Clyde also rise from Lowther Hills draining south and draining northwest respectively. Did you know, the opposing banks of Carham and Birgham comprise the border of England and Scotland. Entering England, the lower reaches of River Tweed enter the North Sea.

Freshwater Usage: River Tweed

We know that this river has been a great source of income for the people due to the fish species living inside of it.

Tweed water most famously comes in handy as the water supply for the major urban area known as Tweed Heads. The water from the Tweed is used for several purposes such as domestic use and mainly irrigation. A lot of crops such as tropical fruits, macadamias, and avocados are grown with the help of this river.

A catchment area of a river is the area from which the water from rainfall flows to the river. The gross catchment area of the River Tweed is about 1,930 sq mi (5,000 sq km).

1,660 sq mi (4,300 sq km) lies in Scotland while the rest approximately lies in England. In fact, the upper parts of the catchment led to the formation of an area called Tweeddale!

The tributaries of this river in Scotland are good sources of fresh water. One of the more famous ones is Lyne Water, which flows regularly through the winter season and is great for fishing too!

Cool Facts About The River Tweed

The River Tweed has been an integral part of history and it has served its purpose not only as a means of livelihood but also as the lifeline and backbone of the people living in the region.

Its conservation is a duty of ours as we have been gifted by such a pure and beautiful natural resource by mother Earth.

One of the most fascinating things about the River Tweed is that it is the only river in England where you do not need an Environment Agency rod license for the activity of angling.

The name 'tweed' is indeed interesting due to the fact that it is a Celtic (Old Brythonic) name for border. Funnily enough, this river travels the border between England and Scotland.

Peebles, a town near the border of Scotland through which this river flow has the motto Contra Nando Incrementum which translates to flourish against the flow.

One of the interesting things about the River Tweed is that there are no bridges across the river. This is not an accident as this is a deliberate choice. In order to keep this river free from invaders, this step has been taken!

The Tweed River Entrance Sand Bypassing Project in Australia happens to be a joint initiative undertaken by Queensland and New South Wales to maintain an entrance to the river that is navigable and maintain the flow of outgoing sand to the beaches on the Gold Coast.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for River Tweed facts then why not take a look at River Tweed facts, or River Clyde facts.