The Borders
The Borders of Scotland are comprised of two areas – the South West, and the Scottish Borders. Historically the area titled the Scottish Borders covered the whole of the Scottish border adjoining England. In recent years however this has been split into two areas, with the eastern side adopting the title, and the South West referring to the western side.
Areas
South West
The South West comprises of 4 regions – Ayrshire, Clydesdale, Dumfries & Galloway, and The Isle of Arran.
Towns/Cities in the South West
Ardrossan, Ayr, Castle Douglas, Dumfries, Irvine, Kilmarnock, Kirkcudbright, Lanark Lockerbie, Saltcoats, Stranrear
Scottish Borders
Towns/Cities in the Scottish Borders:
Coldstream, Dryburgh, Galashiels, Hawick, Jedburgh, Kelso, Melrose, Peebles, Selkirk
Transport
Travel to/from/in/around the South West of Scotland:
By Plane – The only airport in the region is Glasgow Prestwick International Airport (PIK). Prestwick airport can be reached directly from European cities including Brussels, Dublin, Frankfurt, Milan, Oslo, Paris, Rome, Stockholm, and domestically to London. The airport has its own railway station, with direct links to Glasgow Central Station (takes about 45 minutes), and to Ayr (take about 7 minutes). Ryanair passengers can get a discount by showing their flight paperwork to the ticket inspector when you purchase on the train.
By Boat – Situated near Northern Ireland, there are a number of ferry routes to/from the South West of Scotland to Northern Ireland. There are usually at least 2 sailings a day, with a single passenger ticket usually costing about £25 – £40. Taking a car cost from approximately £70. These routes are operated by P&O Irish Sea, and Stena Line.
By Road – There is a comprehensive road network, making journey by car in and around the South West of Scotland very easy.
By Bus – There is an extensive bus timetable operated within the area running to all cities, and towns.
Travel to/from/in/around the Scottish Borders:
By Plane – The closest airports to the Scottish Borders are Edinburgh Airport, and Newcastle Airport.
By Train – The area is serviced well by trains, with most towns having a train station.
By Bus – There is an extensive bus timetable operated within the area running to most towns.
Things To Do/See
Burns National Heritage Park – Robert Burns, the famous poet, was born in and has many links to the South West of Scotland. As a result of this there are a number of attractions which are “Rabbie” Burns related, most of which are in the Burns National Heritage Park, in Alloway, Ayr, and his later home in Dumfries.
Golf – The South West is famed for its many golf courses, with the first Open Championship being held at Old Prestwick in 1860, and Royal Troon hosting the 2004 tournament.
There are also many opportunities to go fishing in the Scottish Borders, as well as walking, cycling, and riding around this beautiful landscape.
Places to Go Out
With the South West being in such close proximity to Glasgow, a night out in Scotland’s largest city is always on offer. Alternatively, the cities of Dumfries, and nearby Carlisle south of the border, offer many pubs and restaurants to choose from.
Again, over in the East, the Scottish Borders are in close proximity to both Edinburgh, and Newcastle in the North of England, which each have a huge amount of pubs, clubs, and restaurants on offer to take your pick from.
Alternatively, you can stop by some of the old traditional pubs which lace the area in many of the towns and villages.
The Borders of Scotland are both stunning, and beautiful. Unfortunately, they are often bypassed by many tourists eager to get to Edinburgh, Glasgow, or the Highlands. If making the trip up to Scotland from England, stop the car, have a picnic, take a walk, and just enjoy the view. There really are some sights to been seen here.
