Leithen Water

Leithen Water ( gd, Leitheann / Abhainn Leitheinn) is a tributary of the

River Tweed The River Tweed, or Tweed Water ( gd, Abhainn Thuaidh, sco, Watter o Tweid, cy, Tuedd), is a river long that flows east across the Border region in Scotland and northern England. Tweed cloth derives its name from its association with the R ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

. It rises in the

Moorfoot Hills The Moorfoot Hills are a range of hills south of Edinburgh in east central Scotland, one of the ranges which collectively form the Southern Uplands. Etymology The name ''Moorfoot'' was recorded as ''Morthwait'' in 1142. The second element is O ...

and joins the Tweed near the town of

Innerleithen Innerleithen ( gd, Inbhir Leitheann) is a civil parish and a small town in the committee area of Tweeddale, in the Scottish Borders. It was formerly in the historic county of Peeblesshire or Tweeddale. Etymology The name "Innerleithen" comes ...

, whose name comes from the

Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well as ...

''inbhir'', meaning a

confluence In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main stem); o ...

, and anglicised as "inner" or "inver". The Brythonic equivalent is "Aber". "Leithen" is a Celtic name meaning grey in colour (c.f. Welsh ''llwydion''). In Innerleithen the river is about 6–7 metres across and is not deep enough to swim. Leithen Water is a local favourite for the children who wade, 'guddle' fish (catch fish with hands) and play about in it. In the summer months, local children build small dams to deepen it, especially at the Cauld (a fish ladder near Innerleithen Golf Course) and at Leithen Bridge. The latter is an old stone bridge, erected in 1799 using funds from a stipend, to enable easy access for townsfolk to attend church on the west side of the Leithen Water. Leithen Water is usually cool and clear, however post heavy rain it can become quite murky. The river lends its name to the character Sir

Edward Leithen Sir Edward Leithen is a fictional character in several of John Buchan's novels: ''The Power-House'', ''John Macnab'', '' The Dancing Floor'', '' The Gap in the Curtain'' and ''Sick Heart River''. These were published over a number of years, the fir ...

in a number of novels by

John Buchan John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir (; 26 August 1875 – 11 February 1940) was a Scottish novelist, historian, and Unionist politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the 15th since Canadian Confederation. After a brief legal career ...

. Tributaries of the River Tweed Rivers of the Scottish Borders 1Leithen {{Scotland-river-stub