List of places in the Scottish Borders facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The Scottish Borders is a beautiful area in Scotland, full of history, nature, and interesting places to explore! This guide will tell you about some of the cool towns, villages, castles, rivers, and other spots you can find here. It's a place where you can discover ancient abbeys, mighty rivers, and stunning landscapes.

Exploring the Scottish Borders
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Exploring the Scottish Borders

The Scottish Borders region is known for its rolling hills, peaceful rivers, and rich history. It's located right next to the border with England, which means it has seen many exciting events over hundreds of years!

Historic Castles and Towers

The Scottish Borders is home to many old castles and towers that tell stories of knights, battles, and powerful families.

Aikwood Tower is a historic tower house that has been carefully restored. It's a great example of how people lived in the past.
Ayton Castle is a grand castle with a long history, looking like something out of a fairytale.
Blanerne Castle and Branxholme Castle are other impressive strongholds that once protected the land.
Cessford Castle was a very strong fortress, built to defend against attacks.
Duns Castle is a beautiful historic home with a large estate, including a nature reserve.
Dryhope Tower and Fast Castle are dramatic ruins that stand in wild, scenic spots, giving you a real sense of adventure.
Fatlips Castle is a unique tower with a strange name, perched on a hill.
Ferniehirst Castle has been home to the Kerr family for centuries.
Greenknowe Tower is another well-preserved tower house, showing how people lived and defended themselves long ago.
Hermitage Castle is one of the most famous and spooky castles in Scotland, with a dark history.
Horsburgh Castle and Hume Castle are also important historical sites. Hume Castle sits on a hill, offering amazing views.
Lanton Tower and Littledean Tower are examples of smaller, defensive towers.
Mervinslaw Pele and Newark Castle are more historic strongholds.
Neidpath Castle is a medieval tower house overlooking the River Tweed.
Nisbet Castle and Oliver Castle add to the region's rich castle heritage.
Press Castle and Roxburgh Castle were once very important, with Roxburgh being one of Scotland's largest and most powerful castles.
Smailholm Tower is a tall, narrow tower house that inspired famous writer Sir Walter Scott.
Stobo Castle is now a health spa, but it was once a grand country house.
Thirlestane Castle is a magnificent castle with beautiful grounds.
Timpendean Tower and Whitslaid Tower are more examples of the many defensive towers found here.
Wrae Tower also stands as a reminder of the past.

Duns Castle

Dawyck House

Aikwood Tower

Hermitage Castle

Smailholm Tower

Neidpath Castle

Thirlestane Castle

Hume Castle

Amazing Abbeys and Churches

The Scottish Borders is famous for its four great abbeys, which were important religious centers in medieval times.

Jedburgh Abbey is a stunning ruin of an Augustinian abbey, founded in the 12th century. It's a powerful reminder of Scotland's religious past.
Melrose Abbey is another beautiful ruin, said to be the burial place of Robert the Bruce's heart.
Dryburgh Abbey is set in a lovely spot by the River Tweed and is the burial place of Sir Walter Scott.
Kelso Abbey was once one of the largest and wealthiest abbeys in Scotland.
Other important churches include Ancrum Old Parish Church, Ayton Parish Church, Bonkyl Kirk, Broughton Kirk, Chirnside Parish Church, Ednam Church, Ettrick Kirk, Kirkbride Parish Church, Ladykirk (a unique church), Legerwood Kirk, Lyne Kirk, Old Parish Church of Peebles, Polwarth Parish Church, and Stichill Kirk. These churches often have long histories and interesting architecture.

Jedburgh Abbey

The Kirk at Lyne

Broughton Kirk

Abbey St. Bathans

Beautiful Nature and Outdoors

If you love nature, the Scottish Borders has plenty to offer, from rolling hills to peaceful rivers and stunning coastlines.

The River Tweed is one of Scotland's most famous rivers, known for salmon fishing. Many towns and villages are built along its banks.
Other important rivers include Ale Water, Blackadder Water, Borthwick Water, Bowmont Water, Caddon Water, Cor Water, Dewar Burn, Dye Water, Eddleston Water, Eden Water, Ettrick Water, Eye Water, Fruid Water, Gala Water, Heriot Water, Hermitage Water, Holms Water, Jed Water, Kale Water, Leader Water, Leithen Water, Liddel Water, Luggate Water, Lyne Water, Manor Water, Megget Water, Oxnam Water, Quair Water, River Rede, River Teviot, River Till, Rule Water, Talla Water, Watch Water, Whiteadder Water, and Yarrow Water.
The Cheviot Hills, Eildon Hill, Lammermuir Hills, and Moffat Hills offer great opportunities for hiking and enjoying amazing views.
Dawyck Botanic Garden is a beautiful garden with a wide variety of plants from all over the world.
Pease Bay and Coldingham Bay are lovely coastal spots, perfect for a day out by the sea.
St Abb's Head is a dramatic cliff-top nature reserve, home to thousands of seabirds. It's also part of the St. Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve, a special area for marine life.
Forests like Cardrona Forest, Craik Forest, Ettrick Forest, Glentress Forest, Harecleugh Forest, Traquair Forest, and Wauchope Forest are great for walking, cycling, and enjoying the outdoors.
Lochs and reservoirs like Alemoor Loch, Baddinsgill Reservoir, Coldingham Loch, Hoselaw Loch and Din Moss, Lake of the Hirsel, Lindean Loch, Megget Reservoir, Mire Loch, Portmore Loch, St. Mary's Loch, Talla Reservoir, Watch Water Reservoir, Westwater Reservoir, and Yetholm Loch provide peaceful places for nature lovers.
Nature reserves like Duns Castle nature reserve and Pease Dean protect important wildlife habitats.

River Blackadder

Pease Wood Nature Reserve

The River Tweed at Coldstream

Dawyck Botanic Garden

Leithen Water

Lammermuir sheep

Pease Bay

Beach huts at Coldingham

Towns and Villages to Discover

The Scottish Borders has many charming towns and villages, each with its own character and history.

Ancrum is a historic village near the site of the Battle of Ancrum Moor.
Ayton is a village with a castle and a railway station.
Bonchester Bridge is a small village in a scenic area.
Bowden is a pretty village with a historic church.
Broughton is a village known for its connection to writer John Buchan.
Burnmouth is a small fishing village on the coast.
Caddonfoot is a village near the Caddon Water.
Chirnside is a village with a strong community feel.
Clovenfords is a village on the Gala Water.
Cockburnspath is a coastal village with a viaduct nearby.
Coldingham is a lovely village near the coast, with a priory and a beautiful bay.
Coldstream is a historic town on the River Tweed, home to the Coldstream Guards Museum.
Denholm is a pretty village with a village green.
Duns is a market town with a castle and a nature reserve.
Earlston is a town with a history linked to Thomas the Rhymer.
Eccles is a village with a historic priory.
Eddleston is a village in the Eddleston Water valley.
Ednam is a village known as the birthplace of poet James Thomson.
Ettrickbridge is a small village in the Ettrick Water valley.
Eyemouth is a busy fishing town and port with a museum.
Galashiels is one of the largest towns in the Borders, known for its textile history.
Gordon is a village with a historic moss.
Greenlaw is a small town that was once the county town of Berwickshire.
Hawick is a large town famous for its knitwear and common riding traditions.
Innerleithen is a town known for its cycling trails and historic textile mills.
Jedburgh is a historic market town with an abbey and a castle.
Kelso is a beautiful market town with an abbey and a racecourse.
Kirk Yetholm and Town Yetholm are twin villages, with Kirk Yetholm being the end point of the Pennine Way long-distance path.
Lauder is a royal burgh with a castle.
Leitholm is a small village.
Lilliesleaf is a village in the heart of the Borders.
Longformacus is a village in the Lammermuir Hills.
Maxton is a village near the River Tweed.
Melrose is a charming town famous for its abbey and the Eildon Hills.
Midlem is a small village.
Morebattle is a village in the Kale Water valley.
Newcastleton is a village in Liddesdale.
Newstead is a village near the site of the Roman fort of Trimontium.
Newtown St Boswells is a village that serves as the administrative centre for the Scottish Borders.
Oxton is a village in the Lauderdale area.
Paxton is a village with a grand house.
Peebles is a royal burgh on the River Tweed, known for its hydro hotel.
Polwarth is a small village with a historic church.
Preston is a village with a historic bridge.
Reston is a village with a railway station.
Roberton is a village in the Borthwick Water valley.
Romannobridge is a small village.
Roxburgh (village) is a village near the site of the historic Roxburgh Castle.
Selkirk is a royal burgh with a strong history, including connections to William Wallace.
Skirling is a small village.
Smailholm is a village known for its tower.
Sprouston is a village near the River Tweed.
St. Abbs is a picturesque fishing village on the coast.
St. Boswells is a village near the River Tweed.
Stobo is a village with a castle and a historic kirk.
Stow of Wedale is a village in the Gala Water valley.
Swinton is a village with a historic church.
Teviothead is a small village in the Teviot valley.
Traquair is a village with Scotland's oldest inhabited house.
Tweedbank is a modern village on the River Tweed.
Tweedsmuir is a village in the upper Tweed valley.
Walkerburn is a village known for its textile history.
West Linton is a village in the north of the Borders.
Westruther is a village in the Lauderdale area.
Whitsome is a small village.
Wilton is a village near Hawick.
Yarrowford is a village in the Yarrow Water valley.

Boats in Eyemouth Harbour

Primary school, Caddonfoot

Community Centre, Coldstream

Eyemouth

Shop at Innerleithen

Famous People and Stories

The Scottish Borders has been home to, or inspired, many famous people and historical events.

The Border Reivers were families who raided across the Anglo-Scottish border for centuries.
John Duns Scotus was an important philosopher from the Middle Ages, and there's a sculpture and cairn in his honour near Duns.
James Thomson was a famous poet, and there's a memorial to him.
George Meikle Kemp was an architect who designed the Scott Monument in Edinburgh.
Jim Clark was a world-famous Formula One racing driver, and there's a room dedicated to him.
John Buchan was a writer and politician, and there's a centre and a walking trail named after him.
Sir Walter Scott was one of Scotland's most famous writers, and his home, Abbotsford House, is a popular visitor attraction. There's also Scott's View, a famous viewpoint he loved.
The William Wallace Statue at Bemersyde commemorates the Scottish hero.
The Waterloo Monument near Peniel Heugh celebrates the Battle of Waterloo.
The James Hutton Trail explores the work of the "Father of Modern Geology."

Image of Border Reivers

Sculpture of John Duns Scotus

Cairn in honour of Duns Scotus

Other Interesting Places

There are many other unique and historical places to discover in the Scottish Borders.

Abbotsford House was the home of the famous writer Sir Walter Scott.
Bowhill House is a grand country house with beautiful grounds.
Chambers Institution in Peebles is a historic building.
Crosshall Cross is an ancient stone cross.
Dunglass Viaduct and Leaderfoot Viaduct are impressive railway bridges.
Gunsgreen House is a historic house in Eyemouth.
Halliwell House Museum in Selkirk tells local stories.
Harmony Garden is a lovely walled garden.
The Hirsel is a historic estate with a museum.
Housesteads Roman Fort is a famous Roman fort on Hadrian's Wall, though mostly in England, it's part of the wider Roman heritage of the area.
Kailzie Gardens are beautiful gardens to explore.
Kimmerghame House and Manderston House are grand country estates.
Marchmont Estate and Marchmont House are also significant historic properties.
Mellerstain House is a stunning Adam-designed mansion.
Monteviot House is another beautiful historic home.
Old Gala House is a historic house in Galashiels.
Paxton House is a grand Palladian house.
Priorwood Garden is a National Trust for Scotland garden.
Robert Smail's Printing Works in Innerleithen is a preserved Victorian printing shop.
Royal Border Bridge and Royal Tweed Bridge are impressive bridges over the River Tweed.
Siccar Point is a famous geological site.
Traquair House is Scotland's oldest inhabited house.
Trimontium was a large Roman fort near Newstead.
Union Bridge is an early suspension bridge.
Wedderburn Castle is a historic castle.
William Chambers Birthplace is the birthplace of the famous publisher.