The attractive small town of Peebles (approximate population 8,500) stands on the River Tweed and lies just over 20 miles south of Edinburgh, in the Scottish Borders council area. Until the mid-70s it was the county town of Peeblesshire, while in the era of two-tier local government in Scotland (1975-1996), it was the administrative centre of Tweeddale District within Borders Region. Once a thriving market and textiles town, Peebles has become a successful tourist centre and is now also a feasible commuter town for Edinburgh.
One particular focus of interest for the visitor is the Chambers Institution in the High Street. The former burgh offices, named after publisher William Chambers, are now home to a museum, art gallery and library. The courtyard contains one of the most striking war memorials in Scotland, and there is also a captivating little museum dedicated to author John Buchan, best known for The Thirty-Nine Steps. Sadly, all of this was inaccessible during my 2020 visit, due to Covid-19 regulations. As such, and for the sake of completeness, I have included a few photos taken two years previously.
