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World-famous fishing beat on the market for £2.8m

David Ferguson
BBC Scotland Selkirk
Katka Švagrová A woman with long brown hair and a blue cap and reflective sunglasses reels her line in while up to her waist in a river.Katka Švagrová
Katka Švagrová from the Czech Republic has a big social media following tracking her catches in some of the world's most famous rivers and seas.

One of the most famous fishing beats in the world has been put on the market for the first time in 50 years, with a price tag of £2.8m.

The Junction Pool near Kelso in the Scottish Borders is a bucket list destination where anglers can pay thousands of pounds a day to fish the waters where the Tweed and the Teviot meet.

The sale comes as a new event in the region hopes to persuade more children, women and families of the benefits of fishing.

They hope the Tweed Salmon Festival can lure the next generation of anglers with a guest list that includes world champions and global fishing influencers.

As well as the Junction beat, the nearby Sprouston beat on the River Tweed is also on the market.

For £5.5m, one wealthy investor could purchase both of the angling hotspots.

The current owner bought both beats from the Duke of Roxburghe in the mid 1970s.

The Junction beat has famously attracted actors, musicians and well-known sportsmen and women from around the world.

It is renowned for its spring salmon and its sea trout, with the record catch for a single day standing at 52 fish on 27 October 2003.

Tweed Salmon Festival A shaven-headed man in grey T-shirt (right) and young boy (left) and girl (centre) pose with a fishing rod and large salmon beside the River Tweed.Tweed Salmon Festival
The first Tweed Salmon Festival is seeking to persuade families that fishing is the perfect route to the outdoors.

Among the global talents attending the Tweed festival this weekend are Katka Švagrová, a world champion fly fisher from the Czech Republic with a large social media following.

The free event at the Schloss Roxburghe Hotel near Kelso has been organised by local river ghillies and boatmen as a way of showcasing the river and introducing people to fishing.

Eoin Fairgrieve, one of the co-organisers, is a former Tweed ghillie who has gone on to become one of the world's leading speycasting teachers.

As well as Švagrová, he is bringing Tommy Aarkvisla from Norway and the world champions will be teaching people the art of catching salmon and trout on the fly.

"We're really excited about the festival and the potential we think it has to attract people to the world of fishing," said Mr Fairgrieve, himself a former world champion.

"What we're trying to do as a collective of people involved in the river is not only celebrate the history of the Tweed, but also look to the future."

Eoin Fairgrieve A close-up of a man in a navy baseball cap with 'Loop' written on front, and bright blue jacket, casts his line into the river.Eoin Fairgrieve
Eoin Fairgrieve, a former world speycasting champion, believes the festival will open people's eyes opened to a new way of life through fishing.

The numbers of Atlantic Salmon in the River Tweed last year rose by more than 3,000 to in excess of 10,000 being caught and returned.

"We have witnessed an encouraging rise in the number of salmon returning this year, but we need to have more people fishing and protecting those salmon," Mr Fairgrieve added.

"So a big part of this event is introducing people to fishing and educating children and young people about the importance of the sustainability of the river and salmon stocks, and also discover how this sport can enhance your life."

Tweed Salmon Festival Close-up of angler with greying beard and black-rimmed glasses, navy hoody over navy cap, concentrating on fishing with river in background.Tweed Salmon Festival
Current world champion and YouTube star, Norwegian angler Tommy Aarkvisla, is among the teachers pitching up at the festival in Kelso this weekend.

This weekend's festival will run from 10:00 to 17:00 each day with exhibitions, podcasts, fly-dressing lessons, fishing classes and demonstrations, a shopping area and live music on the Saturday evening at the Spey Loch behind the hotel.

Mr Fairgrieve added: "Fishing can take you into a whole other world and with the live music, food and other entertainment, we hope the festival will show the social side of the sport.

"There is going to be a lot going on for all ages throughout the weekend. We're delighted to have such wonderful anglers from around the world, but their focus is also on just encouraging people to have fun."