It may have been a little wet and windy at times, but the recent Tweed Valley Forest Festival still got off to a fantastic start, with ghost walks, a wood market, food stalls, the annual Scottish Conker Championships and a Halloween Fun day all pulling in the crowds on the opening weekend.
Much of the action on the opening weekend of this 10-day festival was centred on Tweed Green in Peebles. This lovely site, set alongside a rather full River Tweed, was a hub of activity with a mini-food festival, a variety of stalls offering hands on displays – from wood whittling to chainsaw carving – and the serious business of the 8th Scottish Conker Championships.
Meanwhile, the nearby Community Centre housed a fabulous wood market, with the chance to buy a variety of wooden products, from toys to timber, driftwood clocks, carvings and high-end furniture. There was also plenty to keep the kids occupied including woodland puppets and wooden animal making.
Saturday evening then saw live music in the marquee on Tweed Green with performances by local bands, The Beggar Girls and The Forgotten Works.
The weather gods weren’t quite so accommodating for the Halloween Fun Day at Traquair House on Sunday, although with most of the activities indoors, spirits were hardly dampened. Children of all ages, many of them dressed up, came to enjoy crafty activities, storytelling, Halloween games, a spooky treasure trail in the maze, plus some brilliant face-painting.
And visitors and locals alike found plenty more to enjoy during the rest of the festival. Highlights included a guided afternoon walk at lovely Dawyck Botanic Garden, historical candlelit tours of Traquair House, plus family ghost walks at Bowhill.
We hope you enjoy our gallery of images from the opening weekend …
Further info
This year’s Tweed Valley Forest Festival ran from 24 October to 2 November, with events up and down the valley.
Photography: Richard Rowe