Tweed Valley Blogger

30/08/2024

With August drawing towards a close thoughts begin to turn to the end of summer and the colourful glory that is Autumn in Scotland. I am not quite ready to say farewell to summer yet (and I suspect I am not alone!), so here are some of the highlights of the past few months for Tweed Valley Blogger Tours, in the words of my fantastic guests...

Get in touch today for your adventure and lets keep summer going just a wee bit longer.

Discover South Scotland - Scotland Starts Here
GO Tweed Valley
VisitScotland

27/08/2024

On this day...

27 August 2013. The Tweed Valley Railway Path is officially and formally opened. It's been a game changing bit of infrastructure in the area, learn more by reading this blog...

The game changing path in The Tweed Valley

26/08/2024

On this day…

26 August 1875. The author and diplomat John Buchan is born in Perth. He is closely associated with his beloved Borders, where summers yomping the hills and fishing the rivers helped sow the spirit of adventure so evident in his life and work.

If you must read only one Buchan story (and you must), make it ‘The Thirty-Nine Steps’ and then follow it up with my personal favourite ‘Witch Wood’. Nobody has ever described the hills, glens and waters of Tweeddale in such beautifully descriptive prose as Buchan does in these two books.

His museum in Peebles is open Monday to Saturday 10am - 1pm up until the end of October. It’s free and guaranteed to surprise you.

www.johnbuchanstory.co.uk
GO Tweed Valley

25/08/2024

Delighted that my tours have cracked the top 50 ranked ‘things to do in The Scottish Borders’, according to the users of TripAdvisor. There are more than 375 things on the list, so it’s great to have made this progress in just over a year.

Onwards and upwards! 🙂

24/08/2024

The end is nigh for the Visit Scotland iCentres, with The Borders only one at Jedburgh closing at the end of next month.

I’ve written this wee blog to mark my own sadness at this end of an era, and to pay tribute to the GO Tweed Valley Visitor Information centre which has done much over the past two years to grow tourism in the area.

With the sad closure of Visit Scotland’s icentres beginning next month, I bang the drum for the importance of locally led, face to face visitor information centres, such as Go Tweed Valley…

23/08/2024

That’s the summer tours of complete ✅

Four sold out events, with visitors from across the globe - and loads of intrigued locals too, which was great to see.

Stories of Sir Simon Fraser 🍓, The Hays of Yester 🐐, the powerful Douglas Dukes of Queensberry ❤️, and 200 years of Earls of Wemyss & March 🦢among others paint a vivid (and sometimes lurid!) picture of 700 years of Scotland’s story. It’s a privilege to have been trusted to run these tours by Lulu, and everyone at the castle. Thank you to them for letting me be a temporary steward of the castle, and it’s secrets.

We may do more in the darker months, watch this space... 🏰 ❄️ 🕯️

21/08/2024

Back to Nature starts this weekend at Peebles Eastgate Theatre and beyond! Click on my latest blog to learn more about this exciting event for the whole family...

Peebles first 'Back to Nature Festival' launches this August, here is my wee preview :)

21/08/2024

A couple of local tours in recent days. Firstly, a walking tour of Innerleithen! Perfect way for my guests to orientate themselves ahead of a weeks holiday in the town. They now know the best places to get coffee, the history & culture of the town and all the wee shortcuts…

On Sunday an afternoon tour to Rosslyn Chapel - endlessly fascinating and mysterious, there really is nowhere else like it. Only a short drive from The Borders made for a good fun tour for my guests - with wee extras thrown in for good measure!

Two short tours which were truly bespoke and offered excellent value for money to my guests - get in touch to see if I can plan a day out to remember for you. 🙂

19/08/2024

Join me on Sunday 6 October for a storytelling walk, taking in the natural beauty and history of The River Tweed. Starting from Peebles Old Parish Church steps, we will follow the river upstream, before entering the thrilling Neidpath Railway Tunnel and returning via a stunning riverside path. For loads more details, including how to book (£12 for adults, Free for Under 16s), please click on the Eventbrite link.

This event is inspired by Destination Tweed UK and the Source to Sea 'River Tweed Trail', due to open in 2027.

GO Tweed Valley
Discover South Scotland - Scotland Starts Here
Tweed Forum

Join local guide Stewart Wilson (Tweed Valley Blogger) for a storytelling walk, taking in the natural beauty and history of The River Tweed.

18/08/2024

Sometimes when you live in a place for long enough even interesting features just fade into the commonplace. That’s a fate which has long befallen Innerleithen’s Cameron Memorial. So here’s why I think it’s worth knowing a bit more about…

The granite obelisk is decorated with Celtic cross and bronze relief portrait of John Cameron, a local doctor who served the Burgh for 25 years. It was paid for by public subscription so our forefathers must have had such respect for the man. A quirk of this is that it makes the memorial a common good asset, sitting on a register with the towns Memorial Hall, War Memorial and Provosts Chain. This idea of public subscription has led to a few locals down the year keeping it tidy, sweeping leaves out and removing the depressing litter which can congregate in it. Well done to these volunteers, who know who they are.

It was erected in 1906 as you can see, with the portrait of Cameron following the next year. What makes this portrait a wee bit special is that it was created by Thomas J. Clapperton, a notable sculptor from Galashiels. Clapperton’s public works include the Border Reiver memorial in his home town, Flodden Memorial in Selkirk, Peter Pan statues in Glasgow and New Zealand, the figure of Learning on Glasgow’s Mitchell Library and, most famously of all, King Robert I (The Bruce) at Edinburgh Castle - photographed by millions every year.

I hope this helps locals and visitors admire this wee gem just a little bit more the next time they whizz by the bottom of Leithen Road…

17/08/2024

The blog is two today! I could never have guessed where setting this up would take me, so if you have something that makes you happy then my advice is ignore the doubts and give it a go.

The photo choice is apt, as it was a heavenly August 2022 early morning hike around White Coomb, Loch Skeen and the surrounding cleuchs that filled me with the inspiration that maybe I could share my love for this area. Within a couple of days the blog was born.

Have a good Saturday...

16/08/2024

Delighted to feature in the local paper today, and even more so to be on the front cover!

Thanks to the Peeblesshire News for running this story, great wee feel good story for the local 🙂

16/08/2024

Escape The Fringe this August for a day in The Borders! Read more below...

August is festival month in Edinburgh, here are my recommendations for escapes in The Borders for when the Capital Culture just gets bit too much!

15/08/2024

On this day...

15 August 1771. Sir Walter Scott is born in Edinburgh. His influence on Scotland was profound, and lasting. One of his many legacies is Abbotsford, celebrating it's 200th anniversary this year.

Read about his many Borders connections here (and let me know which ones I missed!)

Abbotsford The Home of Sir Walter Scott
Discover South Scotland - Scotland Starts Here

Tracing Sir Walter Scott’s influence on The Borders…

14/08/2024

Eileen from Nova Scotia wanted a heather clad hillside on her tour this week, so I was delighted to oblige! Seeing her delight at enjoying the Scottish summer landscape she remembered from her own upbringing here many decades ago made this a very special tour day.

Thanks Eileen, Shirley and Michael for a great couple of days

11/08/2024

Bespoke Half Day Melrose tour, a favourite for me and my guests. Just hit 'send message' for more details...

10/08/2024

Our next Pies, Pints & Patter is on 21 August at Durty Brewing. We will be joined by a very special guest, Alex Feechan, local businesswoman and CEO of FINDRA. Alex and I will do a Q&A on the night, with lots of laughs we hope!! Your ticket is just £12 and includes a gourmet Pie from Pie Innerleithen and craft beer from Durty Brewing.

Find out more, including how to get your tickets, by clicking the link below. Over 18's only.

Pies, Pints and Patter at Durty Brewing with special guest Alex Feechan, CEO of FINDRA (£12 pp - Over 18’s only)

09/08/2024

What a pleasure to guide Mary Butlin and her pals (and mine) Dorothy and Ted earlier this week! Mary was brought up in Innerleithen and moved to South Africa in 1973. She had not seen much of the Borders as, like most people, her family didn’t have a car in the 60’s and 70’s. I was happy therefore to devise a route taking in some of The Borders best views and stories.

Enjoy the rest of your trip!

07/08/2024

Summer season has been great fun, lots of tours in between keeping the kids happy. I’ve had a few 5 star reviews for my work over the last month which is gratifying and motivating in equal measure. It helps to keep me on track, as I continue to develop my new career after last years leap of faith. Here is a selection…

⭐️ Stewart is so easy to be with, friendly, knowledgeable and enthusiastic. He researches the more unlikely and lesser known details…

⭐️ Stewart’s enthusiasm and knowledge of history was infectious.

⭐️ He held everyone’s attention despite a broad age range.

⭐️ Stewart is a guide who is easy to relate to and who seemed to gauge our interests in a way that some guides we’ve had in the past don’t.

⭐️ Your tour and kindness really made the trip to Scotland and the UK memorable and unforgettable.

⭐️ It was immediately clear I was working with an impeccable human being who was deeply connected to the area, aligned to his work and genuinely excited to help me.

⭐️ Stewart was just an excellent human being to spend time with

⭐️ Now knowing the value of an excellent guide, I am surprised by how economical his services are.

⭐️ What a lovely treat for this summer

⭐️ I would highly recommend taking this tour

07/08/2024

Want to find out more? Click here...

https://tweedvalleyblogger.com/river-tweed-trail

05/08/2024

It’s Edinburgh’s festival month! Scotlands greatest cultural event, attracting millions of visitors. New on the blog this week, I’m banging the drum for visitors to consider a day out in The Borders, if and when the packed streets of Edinburgh just get a wee bit too much in August. Included in the blog are lots of ideas involving public transport. So why not head South to quiet towns, rolling countryside and fresh air, before returning to the cultural capital of the world! Enjoy…

Discover South Scotland - Scotland Starts Here
Borders Buses
The Chaotic Scot - Scottish Travel Blog
ScotRail
The Trimontium Trust & Museum

August is festival month in Edinburgh, here are my recommendations for escapes in The Borders for when the Capital Culture just gets bit too much!

04/08/2024

Happy 400th Anniversary this weekend to Berwick Old Bridge! The last bridge to cross the River Tweed before it reaches the sea, and one of the best.

03/08/2024

On this day...

3 August 1460. The Scottish King, James II, is killed during a siege of Roxburgh Castle, near Kelso. One of James' beloved big cannons exploded, killing him in what you imagine was a painful and very annoying death. Undaunted, the Scottish siege continued until the English invaders were driven out - whereupon James' widow and (very) newly appointed Regent of Scotland ordered it demolished. It was never rebuilt and Roxburgh began it's slide into Scottish history's obscurer corners...

02/08/2024

Another week, another appearance on Border Life! We filmed this on the same day as our Tweeddale episode, this time heading into Galashiels. I talked about the potential I feel the town has for visitors, murals in Bank Street and how Cornmill Square is rich pickings for a storyteller. Enjoy, I’m on about half way through the show…

Galashiels Heartland of the Borders
Discover South Scotland - Scotland Starts Here

Watch the latest from ITV News - We are back with our Borders guide where we have swapped the rolling hills for a historic town

02/08/2024

A pair of sparkling reviews on TripAdvisor this week. Feedback is so important, and helps make future tours even better! Thank you 🙏

01/08/2024

The unlikely family reunion we had last week, now preserved on the blog 🙂

The amazing story of how a tour enquiry on Facebook led to me meeting long lost family members.

29/07/2024

📍Norham Castle.

Northern Strength of the Bishops of Durham, and once victim to the muckle Mons Meg 💥

Peaceful stop today on a lovely journey through Berwickshire and North Northumberland. Lunch at the always impressive and a stop at where we discovered not only the awesome Tweed mural, but also the story of legendary Innerleithen bee keeper Willie Smith! 🐝 A walk round the well tended Berwick Walls to end the day before home…

Thanks for the booking and - a great way to spend a Monday 😎

29/07/2024

I had a wee busman’s holiday to Moffat last night, for an excellent walking tour by Mostly Ghostly Tours. Dark and often gruesome tails of Moffat’s past but delivered in a warm, friendly atmosphere - a real holiday feel in the couthy town. It was a pleasure to spend the evening on this entertaining and informative tour, and I would thoroughly recommend Mostly Ghostly as a great fun night out.

Marvellous night in Moffat for our 'Dark Tales' tour; a wonderfully warm and appreciative group on a perfect summer's evening. We truly love what we do and extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported the event.

Hope to welcome you to future tours. :)

28/07/2024

On this day...

28 July 1891. Robert Mathison Esq. is killed by a train at Walkerburn Railway Station. A great hero of mine, Mathison was the inaugural President of Innerleithen Alpine Club, as well as being a superlative builder, who could claim with some justification to be 'the man who built Innerleithen'. Read more about him in this blog...

The story of a Victorian antiquarian club and it’s remarkable President.

27/07/2024

As Clare Balding effortlessly anchors coverage of the Olympic Games in Paris, a wee reminder of the time she came to Innerleithen and was very complimentary about Innerleithen, Traquair & Walkerburn Parish Church, among other things. 🙂

Here’s the story of Clare’s ‘Ramblings’ with me in the town…

https://tweedvalleyblogger.com/blog/ramblings