Overview of Leaderfoot Viaduct

A spectacular A-listed masonry construction which once conveyed the Berwickshire Railway over the River Tweed 1½ miles (2.5 km) east of Melrose, the Leaderfoot Viaduct was the work of engineers Charles Jopp & Messrs Wylie and Peddie. Opened in 1865 and sometimes referred to as Drygrange Viaduct, this slender 19-arch structure reaches a height of 38.4m (126 feet) above the river. The abutments, piers and walls are of roughly-finished red sandstone, while the brickwork arches are each 13.1m (43 feet) wide.

The viaduct closed in 1948 when the southern section of the railway was damaged by flooding and never re-opened. It is now maintained by Historic Scotland, who undertook a major programme of restoration 1992-95, and is open to walkers.