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The Scottish Borders
  • Martin and Debbie Kinally
  • Martin and Debbie Kinally

The Scottish Borders

Un’avventura di 9 giorni di Martin and Debbie Leggi altro
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  • Inizio del viaggio
    27 marzo 2026
    Martin and Debbie KinallyThe Scottish BordersViaggiatore
    1

    Moffat

    28 marzo, Scozia ⋅ 🌬 6 °C

    We had a good journey up after eventually getting past the Walsall junction. Sunshine and showers, and beautiful scenery. Some quite heavy, especially as we crossed the boarder, but on the what good journey up.

    A nice site just off the main road in Moffat, a nice sunny pitch with views of rolling hills and sheep grazing in the field,

    We woke Saturday morning to see snow on the hills and we have a mixture of sunshine and showers again. A leisurely morning morning followed by a stroll into Moffat. Some nice independent shops, including the wollen mill complete with it's own working weaving loom, and little streets full of small cottages. In one of the backstreets we came across a sheltered housing homes affiliated to the RAF complete with full size replica Spitfire plane in the garden. There are quite a few antiques shops which we browsed through, one of which included a toy museum which was full of toys from our childhood, it brought back lots of memories.

    A quick drink in The Star Hot which has the clain to fame as being the narrowest hotel according to The Guinness Book Of Records, only 20 feet wide.. Back to the van just before the next shower.    Leggi altro

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  • Martin and Debbie KinallyThe Scottish BordersViaggiatore

    Peebles

    29 marzo, Scozia ⋅ 🌧 8 °C

    Today we're stopping off in Peebles on our way to Innerleithen. We know there may not be much open as it's Sunday but there's nothing else to do.

    We had heavy rain overnight and there's more to come, the sky is very dark which makes the scenery more dramatic. We're following the River Tweed and have been since we passed a sign stating'The Source Of The Rver Tweed' yesterday.

    Peebles is a nice town with independent shops, some of which are open, like the coffee bar where we stop for a cuppa and a toastie while the heavens open and give the town a soaking.

    We head off to our overnight stop at Innerleithen, wild camping, of sorts, in a car park, with spaces for Motorhomes. It's also a meeting place for off road bikers, they are coming back absolutely covered in mud.

    Unfortunately our heater has decided not to work and without electricity we can't use the fan heater so it looks like we're in for a cold night, let's hope it doesn't snow again.    Leggi altro

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  • Martin and Debbie KinallyThe Scottish BordersViaggiatore
    1

    Printing Museum at Innerleithen

    30 marzo, Scozia ⋅ 🌬 7 °C

    This morning we are visiting the Robert Smail's Printing Works which is now owned by the National Trust for Scotland. Between 1866 and 1986 the business printed anything from letterheads, invitations, business cards and newspapers all on lettepress machines, some connected to the in house water wheel and some still operated by hand and foot, using a treddle system. Included in the tour is the chance to have a go at typsetting your name to print onto a book mark and seeing 3 of the printing machines in action. As the old owners were of the opinion if it ain't broke don't fix it some of the equipment was very dated. They also never threw anything away so they have a copy of every printing job they have ever done either in large binders or wrapped in paper and stored on the shelves.
    It was a great tour with very informative guides, we even bought a couple of souvenir posters printed on one machines. The business is still going and this afternoons job is wedding invitations ptinted in gold on the Heidelberg platten.    Leggi altro

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  • Martin and Debbie KinallyThe Scottish BordersViaggiatore
    21

    Galashiels

    30 marzo, Scozia ⋅ 🌬 8 °C

    After the printing works we drive on to Galashiels one of the larger towns in borders, and home to Sir Walter Scott the writer. A nice town with the River Tweed running right through the centre. A nice range of independent shops and we found a lovely bakers shops where we bought some Selkirk Bannock, a heavy fruit tea loaf and some Scotch Black Bun, which is a rich fruit cake sandwiched between 2 layers of shortcrust pastry, very nice.
    We found a lovely little cafe where we had a breakfast bun each. Martin had bacon and Lorne sausage, which is a square sausage., and I had bacon and Haggis.
    We're now set up at our next stop at Melrose with a cuppa and some of our bakery goodies watching the bunnies hopping around the van.
    Martin is investigating the faulty heater, hoping to get it working, fingers crossed 🤞    Leggi altro

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  • Martin and Debbie KinallyThe Scottish BordersViaggiatore
    111

    Abbotsford House and Melrose

    31 marzo, Scozia ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Today we're taking a trip to the home of Sir Walter Scott, Abbotsford House, set in lovely gardens on the banks of the River Tweed, it was built between 1817 - 1825, still owned by the Scott family until the death of Walter Scott's great-great-great-granddaughter in 2004..
    Only the rooms on the ground floor are open to the public and you are guided round them with an audio tour. Eight bedrooms in the Hope-Scott wing can be rented out for stays at the princely sum of £2,800 for 2 nights.

    After touring the house and gardens it's back to the visitor centre for a cuppa and cake and to purchase the obligatory fridge magnet and Christmas decoration.

    After arriving back at the campsite we take a walk around the wee town of Melrose. Complete with its Abbey ruins and independent shops, although not much open as it's getting late, we were surprised to find a butchers, artisan bakery and fishmongers and a fabulous ladies dress shop, rather out of my price range though, £269 for a blouse is a bit steep. We do stop off for a pint of real ale in The Kings Arms on the way home, very nice. Lovely little town.    Leggi altro

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  • Martin and Debbie KinallyThe Scottish BordersViaggiatore

    Kelso

    1 aprile, Scozia ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Today we're moving on to Kelso. We were hoping to visit Floors Castle on the way but its not open and when we do get to see it, its covered with scaffolding so I don't think it would have been very picturesque anyway. The landscape has changed, more open without the hills.

    We are stopping just outside Kelso on a CL so we stop off in the town for a mooch about. It's quite a large town with a cobbled street running through it, and it boasts Scotland's largest market square. It also has some Abbey ruins which you can usually go around but due to falling masonry it is temporary closed. The town is situated on the banks of the River Tweed where it meets the River Teviot, it is also well known for it's racecourse, they have a meeting on tomorrow!

    Again lots of independent shops including 2 butchers where we make purchases of sausage, sausage rolls, haggis and beef pin wheels, at this rate the freezer will be fuller on the way home than it was coming.

    A pint and lunch in The Cobbles, very nice beer and the food was delicious, smoked mackerel pate for Mart and eggs benedict for me, both on soda bread.

    Back to Bertie on on to the CL, it's the first day of the season so it's very neat and tidy, we're the only ones here so it's quiet but again we have a lovely view, and as it's been a good day, warmer and lots of sunshine we are going to enjoy it before the rain comes tonight.    Leggi altro

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  • Martin and Debbie KinallyThe Scottish BordersViaggiatore
    2

    Jedburgh

    2 aprile, Scozia ⋅ ☀️ 7 °C

    This morning after waking to beautiful blue skies we're moving on up th the road to Jedburgh. This town has a ruined Abbey, a Castle and Jail and a house where Mary Queen of Scots' stayed which is now a museum.

    We start our tour of the town walking past the Abbey ruins, we didn't go inside but it's a very impressive place. Next on the list is a visit to the house where Mary Queen of Scots' stayed for a few weeks in 1566. The museum is free of charge and full of information about her stay and her life.

    We walk around the town, not as big as the others we've been around and not as many shops. We walk up the hill to the Castle and Jail, another free entry. Built in 1820's on the site of the original castle it is a museum offering insight into life in Jail during the 19th century. I don't think I would have liked it, small rooms with no sanitation or heating,

    We've noticed a lot of blue plaques around the town and onto checking find there are 32, there is a 1,5 mile trail you can walk taking in all the plaques , but we didn't bother. There are some lovely houses in this town, including 2 very narrow ones.

    We head back down the hill in search of a pub or cafe for a drink, no luck with the pubs, all closed and they only seem to stock Belhaven so that's no good so we decide to head to the campsite instead and save some money and syns.

    The site is on a farm up a hill with beautiful views and we're surrounded by fields full of sheep and baby lambs. On our own to start with but later joined by another camper van, the clouds are coming over so this may be the end of the good weather but it's been a lovely day.    Leggi altro

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  • Martin and Debbie KinallyThe Scottish BordersViaggiatore

    Hawick and home

    3 aprile, Inghilterra ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    This morning we have woken to heavy rain and mist over the hills, what a difference 23hrs makes.

    Today we're moving on to Hawick, we're roughing it off grid on a car park in the middle of the town, proper designated Motorhome parking, a bit like a French Aire. When we get there the final fair is in town, parked on the same car park as we are parking. I don't like that idea, too much noise. Anyway we park up and head into town with the intention of finding somewhere to eat tonight.

    This is not a pretty town infact it's quite depressing, apart from wollen shops which the town is known for and a distillery there's not many other shops except barbers and charity shops. The pubs leave a lot to be desired and as for eating out, neither of us fancy it.

    We've made the decision to head for home, Martin wants to watch the Baggies match this afternoon so we're heading for the motorway and a services where we can stop for an hour to brake up the journey and watch the match.

    It's a good trip back, traffic is not too bad and mostly a dry journey in the light, with some stunning scenery around the Lake District , back around 8. So all in all a good decision.
    A great holiday and some lovely scenery and very nice towns. Hopefully we will be back.    Leggi altro

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    Fine del viaggio
    4 aprile 2026