Rob Hardy visits Dryburgh Upper on the River Tweed, a beat with a rich past and a clear vision for the future
AS A LOVER OF HISTORY and tradition, one of the many pleasures beside fishing a new beat is discovering its story. Fought over in battles and feuds and passed between religious and family dynasties, these sections of river have always held economic and strategic importance, resulting in long and often colourful pasts.
Dryburgh Upper certainly ticks that box. Situated on the Middle Tweed, near the village of St Boswells, in Scotland’s once volatile border region, it has witnessed more than its fair share of history in the making. This one-mile, double-bank beat has seven named pools, marching on to Bemersyde at the Monksford pool, its upper limit, and Dryburgh Lower beyond the Hotel pool, at the bottom. This is overlooked from the left bank by probably its most famous local feature, the 12th century Dryburgh Abbey. The Abbey and its grounds are the final resting place of Sir Walter Scott and Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, both famous salmon anglers. It witnessed regular turmoil for nearly 400 years and was twice burned by English troops. Thankfully, visitors from south of the border now pursue more peaceful activity on the beat, which can hold fish from spring to autumn, the prime time from July onwards. As with other Tweed beats, it sees good runs of sea-trout from late May onwards, with the chance of a very big fish. In 2023, after low conditions early in the summer, water finally arrived in late June and the sea-trout with it. In July, more than 40 fish were caught on the beat, most of which topped 3lb and several were nearly double figures.
The beat, which once formed part of the rotation with Dryburgh Lower, was bought by the current owner
