Innerleithen is the eighth largest settlement in the Scottish Borders and is situated near the junction of the Leithen Water and the River Tweed in the eastern part of Tweeddale (formerly Peebleshire). The A72 West to Peebles (6 miles) and East to Galashiels (12miles) provides the link to those towns. The B709 coming from Heriot in the North (14 miles) via Leithen Valley also passes through the town before proceeding South to Yarrow Valley and St. Mary's Loch (15 miles). Innerleithen is bounded on the North by steep-sided hills and in the South by flat land stretching out towards the Tweed.

General Information

• Population: 2581 (1991 Census)
• Early closing day: Tuesday
• Car Parking: Free
• Bank: Bank of Scotland with automatic cash dispenser
• Post Office: Opening Hours - 9am-5.30pm (M,W,Th,F); 9am-1pm (Tu); 9am-12.30pm (Sa)
• Disabled Toilets: Hall Street
• Churches: Church of Scotland, Leithen Road
  St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Church St.
  St. James' Roman Catholic Church, High St.
• Bus Services: To and from other Borders towns and Edinburgh.
• Health Centre: St. Ronan's Health Centre, Buchan Place (Tel: 01896 830203).
• Police Station: Peebles Road (Tel: 01896 830217) or Hawick (01450 375051).
• Tourist Information: Nearest centre - High St. Peebles (Tel: 01721 720138).

Shops and Services

Despite the ease of access to larger towns and supermarkets, Innerleithen remains well served by a variety of shops and agencies. These include bakes, butchers, grocers, an electrical goods shop, a hardware store/garden centre, knitwear shops, stationers, crafts and souvenir outlets, antique shops and a chemist. Conveniently situated on the main throroughfare are a Post Office, a bank, hairdressing salons and a vetinary surgery; while the health centre, a photographer, a design studio and a bookmaker are all to be found nearby.

Carry-out food and refreshments are catered for by a snack bar, a Chinese Takeaway, a Kashmiri Takeaway and a fish and chip shop. Accomodation and enticing bills of fare are also available at four hotels and a guest house. There are three licensed social clubs in the town.

One local delicacy is Caldwell's ice cream, which is made to a unique recipe and sold at a toy/sweet shop in the High Street and enjoys a considerable reputation far and beyond Innerleithen.