3 Days Along the Borders Historic Route

Housed in the wonderfully restored Lady Victoria Colliery, National Mining Museum Scotland tells the story of coal for Scotland. Through two floors of exhibitions, interactives and guided tours, retrace the footsteps of thousands of miners and their families who relied on the colliery to make a living.

The village of Stow, sometimes referred to as Stow of Wedale, is located in the Scottish Borders close to the larger town of Galashiels. The name Stow is an Old English word, meaning ‘holy place’ or ‘meeting place’ The village, like many others in the area was also an important area for the textile trade during the 19th centuries.

Religion has always been present in stow with records of a church dating back to the 7th century,. The earliest example still visible today was built in the late 15th century on the site of the Church of St Mary which was consecrated on 3 November 1242. The church used today, St Mary of Wedale.

The Great Tapestry of Scotland is Europe’s largest Tapestry located in Galashiels, the historic textile heartland of the Scottish Borders. This compelling new visitor centre has been purpose built to house The Great Tapestry of Scotland, which was created and hand stitched by 1,000 people from across Scotland and comprises 160 panels. The Tapestry tells a compelling visual account of Scotland’s history, heritage and culture from its formation to present day. It is made up of 300 miles of wool (enough to lay the entire length of Scotland from the border with England to the tip of the Shetland in the North Atlantic).

Scott’s Abbotsford remains one of the most famous homes in the world. Sitting on the banks of the River Tweed between Melrose and Galashiels, Abbotsford is at the heart of a landscape of folklore and legend. It began the craze for Scots Baronial architecture and inspired Scott as he became the biggest selling author of his day. It is the place from where Scott’s writing transformed how the world saw Scotland and Scotland saw itself.

Visit Halliwell’s House Museum for a truly unique and atmospheric experience. Situated in the narrow, cobbled Halliwell’s Close, named after wig-maker Walter Halliwell, you’ll find this unusual 18th century house. Inside you can discover more about the building – part of the oldest surviving row of dwellings in Selkirk – and learn more about the town and its long history.

The Borders Distillery opened in Hawick in 2018 – the first Scotch Whisky distillery in the region since 1837. Situated on the banks of the River Teviot in an award-winning conversion of the former Victorian electrical works, the distillery is open to tour, taste and explore.

Take the fascinating tour and learn how the distillery makes Single Malt Scotch Whisky, William Kerr’s Borders Gin, and Puffing Billy Steam Vodka. You’ll be guided round by the people who make the spirit, finished off with a tasting experience in The Tait Gallery Bar. Photography and video are allowed throughout the tour. There is also an excellent shop with a selected range of spirits, local produce, and gifts.

In the heart of the Scottish Borders, our Hawick mill is steeped in history and surrounded by a beautiful, diverse landscape. Eastfield Mill has been a textile manufacturing centre for more than 140 years, now creating our unique range of knitted garments using innovative technology and traditional, often hand-finished, methods.

Our Hawick Mill invites visitors to look behind the scenes, where our unique Mill Experiences allow the artistry of our working mills to come to life. The venue houses a restaurant that proudly features locally sourced produce, reflecting our ethos of authenticity.

Based in the old Teviothead Smithy in the rural hills of the Scottish Borders, the Moffat family have for over 40 years specialised in the research, design and making of high quality works of art and goldsmithing.

The Borderlands Museum is a World class private collection of original artefacts which represents a frontier, a landscape, and its people, from the Iron Age through to the age of the Border Reivers and beyond.

Langholm boasts countless claims to fame. The pioneering engineer and architect Thomas Telford was born in Westerkirk, just north of the town, in 1757 and went on to construct such marvels as the Menai Suspension Bridge and the Caledonian Canal. Hugh MacDiarmid, the pre-eminent Scottish poet of the 20th century, hails from Langholm and a memorial to the man and his work stands proud on Whita Hill above the town. More recently, in 1972, the first man on the moon, Neil Armstrong – inspired by his family heritage – visited Langholm to be awarded the freedom of the burgh and was proud to call it his true home. And perhaps the event most synonymous with Langholm is its Common Riding, held on the last Friday of July each year. Hundreds of horses and thousands of visitors join the festivities relating to the traditional marking of the town’s boundaries, which have been carried out in their current format for more than 260 years.

Begin your journey into Scotland’s past with a visit to Gilnockie Tower, the historic home of the Armstrong Clan. Here you can immerse yourself in the life and times of the Border Reiver days and gain a deeper understanding of Scotland’s rich historical legacy.

Gilnockie Tower, an impressive 16th-century Scottish pele tower, is a sight to behold. This tower served as the residence of Johnnie Armstrong of Gilnockie, a notorious Border Reiver, around 500 years ago. In 1530, the Scottish king ordered the hanging of this powerful chieftain, and his story was later romanticised by Walter Scott.

Famous for runaway weddings since 1754, Gretna Green is a historic and enchanting destination to get married or to visit. At the heart of the village stands the iconic Blacksmiths Shop, dating back to 1713, where couples have “tied the knot” for centuries.

The award-winning Famous Blacksmiths Shop Museum brings the stories of this legendary site to life. And our Scottish-themed interactive experiences, from traditional handfasting ceremonies to tasting experiences, offer a unique way to immerse yourself in Scotland’s rich heritage.