Scottish Borders

Comprising the former counties of Berwickshire, Roxburghshire, Selkirkshire and Peeblesshire and bordered England to the South, the North Sea to the East, Lothian and Fife to the North and Dumfries and Lanarkshire to the West.

The Borders have a population 115,000 with the main town being Galashiels with Hawick, Peebles, Selkirk, Kelso and Jedburgh being market towns on or close to the River Tweed. The area contains 2 of Scotland’s 40 National Scenic Areas, Eildon and Leaderfoot and Upper Tweeddale.

The Scottish Borders has a colourful past which belies its now serene landscape. The many stately homes, haunting castles and four magnificent abbeys are testament to its rich and often turbulent history. There was regular fighting between Scottish and English armies and brigands now romanticised as Border Reivers. The heritage is kept alive at these sites and through time-honoured traditions like the Common Ridings, the oldest horse-riding festival in the world.

The back drop is rolling scenery of this largely unspoilt area of Scotland combined with sandy beaches and stories of smuggling on the coast and inland tracing the River Tweed valley, one of the great salmon fishing rivers of Britain. Eyemouth is a small coastal resort and harbour packed with places to visit. There is a more rugged coastline at Saint Abbs, home to a large seabird colony.

The well preserved Abbey ruins at Jedburgh, Kelso, Melrose, Dryburgh contrast with medieval castles at Duns, Hume, and oddly named, Fatlips. There also remains of Roxburgh castle and the earlier iron age period Edin’s Hall Broch and Cockburn Law’s hillforts.

The peace that followed the Act of Union in 1707 saw the growth of stately homes including Mellerstain House, Floors Castle, Paxton House, Monteviot House, Bowhill and Tarquair House. Some of these properties were designed by father and sons William, John and Robert Adam and at Paxton House there is a major collection of Chippendale furniture still in the rooms it was designed for.

The Borders famous names include Sir Walter Scott and John Buchan, neither born here, racing driver Jim Clark, African explorer Mungo Park and sailor Chay Blyth.

Travel to the Scottish Borders is relatively simple, thanks to a number of A-roads. The A1 provides access from the eastern side, with the A72 at the opposite side. The A68 and A7 run vertically through the centre of the Scottish Borders, giving access to the north and south of the area. Within the Scottish Borders, visitors can make use of the many bus services to get around.