Berwick-led creative collaboration appointed to deliver River Tweed Trail interpretation
A creative collaboration led by Berwick-based design practice NEON has been appointed to deliver on-the-ground interpretation for the new River Tweed Trail ahead of its opening in 2028.
The River Tweed Trail is a 113-mile source-to-sea walking and cycling route starting in Moffat near the source of the Tweed and finishing in Berwick.
It is part of the £25million Destination Tweed river restoration project that is being delivered by Tweed Forum and supported by more than 30 funders.
NEON – a design practice working between architecture, art and design – will work in partnership with Gateshead-based landscape architects Southern Green and London-based interpretation and wayfinding specialists Fieldwork Facility.
Together, they will design key structures for the route including signage and wayfinding, viewpoints, sculpture and interpretation panels to showcase the stories that will bring the River Tweed Trail to life.
Work will blend sensitively with the landscape and connect users with the river’s natural environment, communities and rich cultural heritage.
The work is part of Destination Tweed’s Tweed Stories initiative, which is currently gathering river-related stories, memories and interesting facts that will be used to inspire the interpretation development for the trail and help visitors to form a deeper connection with the river and its surrounding environment.
Sophie Gartshore, communications and digital content manager, Destination Tweed, said: “The interpretation infrastructure along the River Tweed Trail will play a vital role in helping people understand the river’s significance, its stories and the communities that have been shaped by it.
“We’re looking forward to working with NEON, Southern Green and Fieldwork Facility, and believe that they bring the creativity and sensitivity needed to deliver something truly special for the Tweed.”
The trail will be a major new tourism asset for the south of Scotland and north Northumberland and will encourage slower, more meaningful exploration of the towns, attractions and landscapes surrounding the route.
NEON director Mark Nixon said: “With a studio in Berwick, our lives are deeply entwined with the River Tweed. We’ve created work for places all over the world, so when the opportunity arose to engage meaningfully with a place that matters so much to us, it felt impossible to resist.
“To deliver the most considered outcome, we assembled a team with the creativity, technical understanding and sensitivity the project demands.”