WHAT a weekend to bring down the curtain on the most successful TweedLove to date.

If the British Enduro Championships wasn't enough with all of its excitement and close finishes, thousands turned up to take part in the supporting events through Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Organisers have confirmed 3000 people actively took part in the Big Weekend’s events, with a further estimated 4800 visitors and spectators thronging to the event village in Tweed Green over its three days of opening.

TweedLove director Neil Dalgleish told us: "I’d rate it as our best weekend ever, in terms of the number of people taking part and visiting, as well as having probably the best racecourse we’ve ever put together.

"I’m so proud of our team, and of all the amazing volunteers who help make TweedLove the friendliest festival in the UK.

"We’re already looking forward to next year… but first we’ll finish the clearing up and enjoy a well earned break."

The highlight of the closing weekend was undoubtedly the Whyte British Enduro Championships, with a field of 600 athletes competing on a tough course of world class trails.

But there was also around 550 riders who enjoyed the Skinny Tweed road ride and Gritopia gravel events.

Cycle Law Scotland Skinny Tweed had a new route on the tarmac for this year, and headed up ‘the Granites’ road from Innerleithen towards Temple and Gladhouse befor returning to the valley via the Meldons.

On a day as nice as Saturday, this was a classic route and drew great admiration from the 330 participants. With a distance of around 85km and some big, if gradual climbs included, the riders knew they’d been on a day out by the end.

Also feeling it in their legs were the 200 Gritopia riders who took on a 60km course with 1600m of climbing, which headed out over Glentress towards Bowbeat and Leithen Water valley, before heading through Innerleithen to Cardrona and back up the hills again.

Saturday evening saw nearly 1000 people take part in the Family Ride which changed its route to encompass the lovely countryside of Haystoun.

Then, for many, it was back to a packed Tweed Green where families of all ages enjoyed a free outdoor screening of Paddington 2.

Over 75 stalls made up the event village, with bikes and all things bike-related for sale, as well as the ever popular beer tent and a street food village.

A key part of the weekend was the chance to try the best and most up to date bikes available on the market as part of the TweedLove demo experience.

More than 600 people took advantage of this, and were able to ride bikes worth up to £9000.

Competitors came from as far afield as the USA and New Zealand to take part as well as from all over Europe and the furthest reaches of the UK.

Based on previous events, it is estimated that the economic benefit to the Tweed Valley is in the region of £800,000, with accommodation providers full, cafes and bars heaving and even the supermarkets seeing increased footfall.