The principal river of the Scottish Borders and, at 96 miles (155 km), the fourth longest river in Scotland. The river rises at Tweed's Well, some 6 miles (10 km) north of Moffat, close to the boundary of the Scottish Borders with Dumfries and Galloway. It flows north and then east, and for a distance forms the boundary between England and Scotland before draining into the North Sea at Berwick-upon-Tweed. Its catchment is the second largest in Scotland at 1840 sq. miles (4843 sq. km) and its main tributaries are the Lyne, Gala, Ettrick and Leader Waters, together with the River Teviot.
The river is at the very heart of the Borders, having provided power for its textile mills and flowing past many famous localities such as Scott's View and the home of Sir Walter Scott at Abbotsford, together with several other country seats and the ancient abbeys of Dryburgh, Kelso and Melrose.
The Tweed is also internationally renowned for its excellent salmon fishing.