It's pishing down outside and blowing a hooley and having posted about a possible whiskey trail in the Borders and Galloway, I thought I'd do something useful and produce some suggestions for places to visit. I've attached a couple of GPX maps which folk can down load. One is for the eastern and central borders and I'll follow that up with one for Galloway later on. I haven't connected the waypoints in any way: folk can do that for themselves and decide where they might base themselves also. There plenty of campsites, air bnbs, hotels etc.
Here's a note of the waypoints and why folk might find them interesting to include in their routes. I'll do them broadly east to west.
1. Jim Clark Museum, Duns. A must for any petrol head or fan of GP racing. Britain's finest racing champion, in the estimation of many.
2. The Richard Hillary Memorial at the former Charterhall RAF airfield. RH was a Battle of Britain pilot with 603 Squadron (City of Edinburgh) and wrote the classic account of air fighting in WW2, "The Last Enemy". Charterhall, incidentally was one of the places where tyro driver Jim Clark learned his trade.
3. Smailholm Tower. The classic Border fortification and subject of many a calendar picture. The nearby farm was once owned by relatives of Sir Walter Scott.
4. Scott's View. As with Smailholm, many a photo has been taken here and for good reason. One of the finest views in the British isles.
5. Dryburgh Abbey. One of the Border abbeys that Henry VIII knocked about a bit! Also the burial place of Sir Walter Scott and of FM Sir Douglas Haig. The nearby hotel is a possible base for your forays
6. Abbotsford. If you want to have a Scott themed day, then a visit here is a must.
7. Melrose. A good base from which to to explore the area. There's also the excellent Trimontium museum. The major Roman fort at Newstead nearby was so named. (The hotels in the town do decent off season deals.)
8. and 9. Denholm and Wilton Park, Hawick. Denholm would also be a good base. There's a couple of small but comfortable hotels in the village. The village hall often hosts music events. These two places are also linked with TT racer Steve Hyslop. He worked in the garage there (petrol available) and the Hawick Museum in Wilton Park has a whole display dedicated to him and Jimmy Guthrie, the 1930s Norton ace. The display includes their bikes and the Swastika decorated prize Guthrie won for his success in the European GP in 1937.
There's an annual commemoration ride for Hyslop which begins in Denholm. A big event which might be worth including in a trip to these parts.
10. We're now moving on to the central and western Borders. Lets' start at Selkirk and head up the Yarrow valley to the Gordon Arms hotel. Make a right there and head for ...
11. Traquair House. The longest continuously inhabited house in Scotland. (That's not personal knowledge by the way!) There's also a brewery there, with a shop! Then head over to Cardrona. The old station there is now a cafe which is popular with bikers riding in the area. After that, you might want to head over to ...
12. Peebles. I can recommend the cafe / chocolatier CocoaBlack at the west end of the town. There's also an interesting wee museum in the Town House dedicated to local boy, novelist John Buchan. Have a look at the war memorial round the back also.
If you've based yourself somewhere in the eastern borders, then ride back along Tweed via Walkerburn and Clovenfords. A fine road, full of sweeping corners!
13. Moffat. An alternative base for this neck of the woods. The Buccleugh Arms is a well known biker (and biker owned) hotel. Camping is also available at the Green Frog campsite The town also has a full sized Spitfire replica which this waypoint marks. Chuck a couple of quid in to the collection box. It all goes to RAF charities.
From Moffat, an excellent ride is up the A701 to Tweedsmuir. Stop off to admire the view at the Devil's Beeftub, just north of the town. From Tweedsmuir, turn right and head over the hill via ...
14. the Talla and Megget road to St Mary's Loch. Coffee and bladder relief is available at the ...
15. Glen cafe - a biker haunt or the neaby Tibbieshiels Inn. Wild camping is popular on the shore of the loch.
16. Head west along the Moffat Water valley and you'll come to ...
17. The Grey Mare's Tail waterfall. If you have your walking boots, you can climb up past the falls and circumnavigate loch Skeen at its head. It's a nature reserve, so take your binoc's!
Keep on heading west and you'll end up back in Moffat!
Here's a note of the waypoints and why folk might find them interesting to include in their routes. I'll do them broadly east to west.
1. Jim Clark Museum, Duns. A must for any petrol head or fan of GP racing. Britain's finest racing champion, in the estimation of many.
2. The Richard Hillary Memorial at the former Charterhall RAF airfield. RH was a Battle of Britain pilot with 603 Squadron (City of Edinburgh) and wrote the classic account of air fighting in WW2, "The Last Enemy". Charterhall, incidentally was one of the places where tyro driver Jim Clark learned his trade.
3. Smailholm Tower. The classic Border fortification and subject of many a calendar picture. The nearby farm was once owned by relatives of Sir Walter Scott.
4. Scott's View. As with Smailholm, many a photo has been taken here and for good reason. One of the finest views in the British isles.
5. Dryburgh Abbey. One of the Border abbeys that Henry VIII knocked about a bit! Also the burial place of Sir Walter Scott and of FM Sir Douglas Haig. The nearby hotel is a possible base for your forays
6. Abbotsford. If you want to have a Scott themed day, then a visit here is a must.
7. Melrose. A good base from which to to explore the area. There's also the excellent Trimontium museum. The major Roman fort at Newstead nearby was so named. (The hotels in the town do decent off season deals.)
8. and 9. Denholm and Wilton Park, Hawick. Denholm would also be a good base. There's a couple of small but comfortable hotels in the village. The village hall often hosts music events. These two places are also linked with TT racer Steve Hyslop. He worked in the garage there (petrol available) and the Hawick Museum in Wilton Park has a whole display dedicated to him and Jimmy Guthrie, the 1930s Norton ace. The display includes their bikes and the Swastika decorated prize Guthrie won for his success in the European GP in 1937.
There's an annual commemoration ride for Hyslop which begins in Denholm. A big event which might be worth including in a trip to these parts.
10. We're now moving on to the central and western Borders. Lets' start at Selkirk and head up the Yarrow valley to the Gordon Arms hotel. Make a right there and head for ...
11. Traquair House. The longest continuously inhabited house in Scotland. (That's not personal knowledge by the way!) There's also a brewery there, with a shop! Then head over to Cardrona. The old station there is now a cafe which is popular with bikers riding in the area. After that, you might want to head over to ...
12. Peebles. I can recommend the cafe / chocolatier CocoaBlack at the west end of the town. There's also an interesting wee museum in the Town House dedicated to local boy, novelist John Buchan. Have a look at the war memorial round the back also.
If you've based yourself somewhere in the eastern borders, then ride back along Tweed via Walkerburn and Clovenfords. A fine road, full of sweeping corners!
13. Moffat. An alternative base for this neck of the woods. The Buccleugh Arms is a well known biker (and biker owned) hotel. Camping is also available at the Green Frog campsite The town also has a full sized Spitfire replica which this waypoint marks. Chuck a couple of quid in to the collection box. It all goes to RAF charities.
From Moffat, an excellent ride is up the A701 to Tweedsmuir. Stop off to admire the view at the Devil's Beeftub, just north of the town. From Tweedsmuir, turn right and head over the hill via ...
14. the Talla and Megget road to St Mary's Loch. Coffee and bladder relief is available at the ...
15. Glen cafe - a biker haunt or the neaby Tibbieshiels Inn. Wild camping is popular on the shore of the loch.
16. Head west along the Moffat Water valley and you'll come to ...
17. The Grey Mare's Tail waterfall. If you have your walking boots, you can climb up past the falls and circumnavigate loch Skeen at its head. It's a nature reserve, so take your binoc's!
Keep on heading west and you'll end up back in Moffat!