scottish borders travel guide

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• Scottish Borders

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Table of contents:

• Introduction
• What's it Known For
• History of the area

Inspiration

ancient abbeys, impassioned literature and slow-moving historical towns

Spread like a rumpled green blanket over a vast swathe of southeast Scotland, this is a land of widescreen hillscapes, clear-running rivers and lively festivals

As though living up to its name, the Scottish Borders region has a habit of being sidelined by visitors. Some see it as a kind of unremarkable hinterland – or, even worse, as a transit zone to be sped through between England and metropolitan Scotland – but to think like this is to miss out spectacularly. For those in the know, the nearly 2,000 square miles of rolling, regal countryside that make up the Borders are packed with excuses to linger. People choose to live here for good reason.

Spread like a rumpled green blanket over a vast swathe of southeast Scotland, this is a land of widescreen hillscapes, clear-running rivers and lively festivals, a place where arable traditions prevail, where history resounds over every valley, and where the handsome towns and villages bubble with cultural activity. To the east, meanwhile, the sweeping cliffs of the Berwickshire coastline only add to the overall appeal.

The likes of Peebles, Melrose and Kelso are all well accustomed to winning over first-time visitors, twinning age-old architecture with modern, independent local businesses. The Borders doesn’t go in for large settlements – the biggest town is Galashiels, with a population that barely noses 15,000 – and this is a major part of the charm. The atmosphere-laden abbeys, towering castles and boundless open views that define the region were a rich source of inspiration for the likes of Sir Walter Scott and John Buchan.

Don’t be tempted, however, into thinking the pace of life never rises above a saunter. The mountain-biking and hiking options are not only exciting but genuinely extensive, while archery, diving and even surfing all get a look-in too. Bored in the Borders? Chance would be a fine thing.

Discover The Borders

Where would you like to visit?

What's The Borders Known For

The Borders means different things to different people. To some – and more fool them – it’s a region that barely warrants a look-in. To others, it’s entwined with romantic notions of ancient abbeys, impassioned literature and slow-moving historical towns. But while traditions are held dear here, and the rural scenery soothes the soul, the region’s younger, more modern creative spirit is ever more in evidence.

Where to visit

Abbotsford the home of sir walter scott, jedburgh castle jail & museum, hume castle, kelso abbey, dryburgh abbey, greenknowe tower, great polish map of scotland, leaderfoot viaduct, neidpath train tunnel & castle, number four gallery, kailzie gardens, borders distillery, melrose abbey, borders textile towerhouse, scott’s view, coldingham bay, paxton house, fatlips castle, gunsgreen house, the history of the borders.

The Borders region has seen more than its share of bloodshed over the centuries. Indeed, its proximity to the neighbours down south means there’s arguably nowhere in Scotland that has witnessed more battles and upheavals. But its tale begins way back in prehistoric times, with roundhouses and stone circles testament to a population that dates to at least the Iron Age.

Later came the Romans, who spent time in the area before building Hadrian’s Wall, leaving a string of camps behind (most obviously Trimontium, a fort complex near Melrose). During the Dark Ages, meanwhile, the region spent a while temporarily incorporated into the kingdom of Northumbria, before settling into a period where Christianity held sway – the Borders Abbeys still act as a reminder of this time.

Things took a more macabre turn when the armies of King Edward I of England arrived in 1296, massacring almost half the Borders’ population in a bid to subjugate Scotland. There followed three centuries of turbulent fighting – sometimes occasional, sometimes unremitting – between the two nations, finding a culmination of sorts when, in 1603, King James VI of Scotland also became King James I of England.

Despite this, tensions and divisions rumbled on, although by the 19th century a form of peace and prosperity had arrived, thanks to the region’s fast-growing textile industry. Many mills from the period still stand today.

Our Suggestions

Abbotsford house.

Harmony Garden

Jedburgh Abbey

Mary Queen of Scots Visitor Centre

Neidpath Castle

St Mary's Loch

Things to know

Getting around

The Scottish Borders are easily explored using the Borders Explore Pass, which gives you access to train travel into the region from Edinburgh and access to bus routes. The Borders Historic Route is popular with drivers, covering 89 miles of the region, as well as dedicated paths for mountain biking and cycling.

Getting to  The Borders

The region is reached within two hours drive from Edinburgh and Newcastle, both of which have the closest major airports. If you’re travelling by train, the East Coast main line operates from London up to Edinburgh with stops in the region between, as well as services on the Borders Railway from Edinburgh to ten Borders towns. If you’re driving from England, follow the M6 motorway north before changing to the M74 at the Scottish Borders for the direct route to Glasgow. From Southern Scotland, use the same M74 motorway and from Northern Scotland, use the M9 and M80 roads.

Thanks to its closeness to the capital, the Borders specialises in small towns and villages with plenty of charm and character. With a variety of accommodation options available from countryside to coastline, the region has a lot of significant history to explore in places like Selkirk, Peebles, Melrose and Eyemouth.

• Where to stay

The Borders offer a variety of homegrown delicacies to cutting-edge contemporary cuisine from coast to rural countryside. Alongside hometown glories like Selkirk Bannock and Hawick Balls is a great tradition for high-quality seafood, meat and poultry, as well as more than 100 artisanal producers of everything from ice cream to wine to cheese.

Eating & drinking

Have you tried our planning tools?

Our top recommendations, hidden spots, waterloo monument, smailholm tower, st abb’s head national nature reserve, buccleuch arms, schloss roxburghe, giacopazzi’s, the hoebridge restaurant, greenhouse cafe, the abbey view cafe & bookshop, the spotty dog deli, the flat cat gallery and café, the three hills coffee co café, main street trading company café, the mainstreet trading company, history & folklore, william wallace and the siege of dunnottar castle, why is edinburgh called ‘the athens of the north’, walking the banffshire coast, urquhart castle – the guardian of the great glen, thomas randolph and the capture of edinburgh castle, the world’s one and only knighted penguin lives at edinburgh zoo., the wolf’s lair – loch an eilein, the wolf of badenoch and the burning of elgin cathedral, the winter goddess of ben nevis, the wicked earls of castle sinclair girnigoe, people of scotland, win a romantic 3-night escape to the isle of skye, welcome to cladach beach house: scotland’s most scenic cocktail bar, tracing inspirations: a jeweller’s journey from the isle of skye to callander with heather mcdermott, the drystone company: meet the drystone wallers from perthshire who are transforming outdoor spaces with traditional expertise and contemporary design, schloss roxburghe – accommodation spotlight, meet visual artist jane hunter, meet tori gray illustrator and owner of harbour lane, meet the maker behind helen ruth scarves, meet the maker behind fernweh uk – laura sherriffs, touring the southern coast of scotland, the redcap of hermitage castle, melrose abbey and robert the bruce’s heart, hills, forests and valleys of southern scotland, 5 best beaches in the scottish borders, join free today.

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Scotland Info Guide

A Guide to the Scottish Highlands Islands and Mainland

The Scottish Borders Guide

The landscape of the Scottish Borders varies from west to east. The western part has rolling hills and beautiful lochs such as St Marys Loch, one of the most beautiful lochs in Scotland according to the author. The central part of the Borders has a more rural character while the eastern part, bordering the North Sea, has some hidden gems such as the seaside village of St Abbs and the former fishing village of Cove. The river Tweed crosses the entire area of the Borders starting at the south-east at Tweed’s Well and flowing gradually to the east where the river flows into the North Sea at Berwick upon Tweed. On the banks of this beautiful river you can find lovely and romantic villages such as Peebles, Innerleithen and Melrose.

The Scottish Borders are steeped in history as it was once the home of Christian monks who lived in the magnificent Border Abbeys of Dryburgh, Melrose, Kelso and Jedburgh in the 13th and 14th centuries. Later the Borders were the scene of a devastating battle at Flodden Field but it was also the home of one of the most famous Scottish writer, Sir Walter Scott. It’s a fascinating area for those who love history but also for people who like to walk, cycle and discover the many different faces of this pretty part of Scotland.

Scottish Borders on the Map

Village and Towns in the Scottish Borders

The nearest town to Abbotsford is Galashiels; the largest settlement in the area. In the area to the west of ‘Gala’, as it’s known locally, are the remnants of Iron-Age earthworks and forts, especially at Torwoodlee; and it’s a reminder of the links the whole area has to the time period. More recently, Galashiels was home to a thriving textile industry, which like most of the order border towns has gone by the wayside (although Herriot Watt University’s School of Textiles is based here). The border hills have long been famed for their sheep, and the fast flowing Gala Water gave the mills the power they needed. You can still see the old factories here and there is a small museum charting the town’s history at Old Gala house.

Across the river from Newstead is the hidden village of Dryburgh, and ruins of Dryburgh Abbey, where Scott was finally buried – his tomb is next to that of Field Marshall the Earl Haig; who was born in Edinburgh and led the British forces in the First World War. Like Melrose, Dryburgh is also ruined having fallen into disuse following the Reformation in 1560. Today it’s in the care of Historic Scotland, and pretty easy to visit as long as you have a car.

Selkirk was once a town famous for its woollen industry, but these mills are now just another building within Selkirk. Selkirk was once the site of the first Border Abbey, where William Wallace was declared guardian of Scotland, another well known name Sir Walter Scott was also named sheriff for over 30 years. Selkirk is well known for its yearly festival named the Common Riding where up to 500 riders on horseback ride into town, the casting of the colours then take place in the town square. The common riding dates from the battle of Flodden in 1513, where 80 men from Selkirk went to the battlefield for the king, but only one returned bearing a blood stained English flag. If you ever visit Selkirk you must try the Selkirk Bannock, a delicious fruit cake.

Great Houses, Abbeys and Castles in the Borders

The four border abbeys
.

The Scottish Borders have some of the most beautiful ruined abbeys in the UK, you can find them in Melrose, Jedburgh, Dryburgh and in the town of Kelso. On our  Border Abbeys Page  you can read all about their fascinating past and present.

Bowhill House and Country Estate

The home of the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch and Queensberry, set within the stunning Yarrow and Ettrik Valleys, is a wonderful estate to visit, from fine furnishings and paintings from the most famous painters in history, and lovely forest and rivers, Bowhill house have lots to offer for the whole family for a great day out.

Floors Castle

Thirlestane Castle

Thirlestane Castle is the family home of the Duke of Lauderdale and is one of the finest castles in Scotland, the castle is today inhabited by the Maitland family, and is very popular for weddings and events. Located in Lauder the castle provides lovely walks within the grounds and guided tours, also in the castle is a lovely tearoom for guests to enjoy.

Traquair House

Abbotsford House and Sir Walter Scott

Abbotsford house.

Sir Walter Scott

Sir Walter Scott was born in Edinburgh in 1771, the son of a solicitor, Scott survived a childhood bout of polio in 1773 that left him lame. To cure his lameness he was sent in 1773 to live in the rural Borders region at his grandparents’ farm at Sandyknowe, adjacent to the ruin of Smailholm Tower, the earlier family home. Here he was taught to read by his aunt Jenny, and learned from her the speech patterns and many of the tales and legends that characterized much of his work. Scott began studying classics at the University of Edinburgh in November 1783, at the age of only 12, a year or so younger than most of his fellow students. At the age of 25 he began dabbling in writing, translating works from German, his first publication being rhymed versions of ballads by Bürger in 1796. He then published a three-volume set of collected Scottish ballads, The Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. This was the first sign of his interest in Scottish history from a literary standpoint. After Scott had founded a printing press, his poetry, beginning with The Lay of the Last Minstrel in 1805, brought him fame. He published other poems over the next ten years, including the popular The Lady of the Lake. Walter Scott died in 1832, aged 61, in Melrose.

Other places of interest in the Borders

The eildon hills.

The ‘Hills of the Elves’ have since time-immemorial been sacred hills – fawned over by our Neolithic ancestors, and worshiped by our Celtic forefathers. A set of prominent volcanic peaks long since extinct, they have a peculiar conical shape which probably explains the fascination since the Stone Age. Local legend tells that they are the final resting place of Thomas the Rhymer, a 13th century poet turned prophet; who received his gift of second sight from the fairy people residing in the hills. In the Bronze Age there was a sizeable settlement on the top of the peaks, perhaps the largest hill-settlement in Scotland at the time; but, by the time the Romans arrived in the 1st century AD it was pretty much abandoned. The Romans built a signalling station on one of the peaks guarding Dere Street – their long road north from Eboracum (York).

In AD80 the Romans entered what is now southern Scotland, and set up their principal base at the foot of the Eildons on a small rise above the Tweed. The fort was called Trimontium (and may mean ‘three hills’). The local population belonged to the Votadini (Gododdin) people, a Celtic tribe that had their ‘capital’ at Traprain near Haddington; and once the Romans had consolidated their British conquests with the building of Hadrian’s Wall in the 2nd century the Votadini served as a friendly buffer state, and it is likely that Trimontium was used as a sort of embassy and trading post. The remains of the fort are to the east of Melrose at Newstead, and there is an interpretation centre that is open to the public.

Battle of Flodden Field

The region also witnessed one of the most devastating of medieval battles when the Scots under James IV, were decimated at Flodden Field in 1513. The heavily armoured Scottish noblemen got stuck in the mud at the bottom of a hill near Branxton, south of the border near Coldstream, and their over long pikes and lances were simply no match for the shorter and sturdier English halberds.

Smailholm Tower

Scotts View

If you are planning a trip down to the area (about a 40 minute journey from Edinburgh), we would advise taking the back road from Earlston to Dryburgh and stopping at the beautiful ‘Scott’s View’; and its spectacular panorama over the Tweed and Eildons. It was said that Sir Walter Scott often stopped here while riding, and when his funeral cortege was heading to Dryburgh his faithful horse stopped one last time.

Views of the Scottish Borders including Scotts View and St Mary’s Loch

• Accommodation – Hotels in Scottish Borders
• Official website – Tourist Information for the Borders
• Maps – Tourist Attractions on Google Maps
• www.traquair.co.uk – Traquair House website
• www.roxburghe.net/castle – Floors Castle
• www.scottsabbotsford.com – Abbotsford House
• thirlestanecastle.co.uk – Thirlestane Castle
• www.bowhillhouse.co.uk – Bowhill House and Estate

note on image copyright: smailholm tower Walter Baxter – licensed for reuse under this creative commons licence

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Scottish Borders

• 2.1 Visitor information
• 3.1 By plane
• 3.2 By train
• 3.4 By road
• 4 Get around
• 9 Stay safe

The Scottish Borders (Scots: The Mairches ) is a region in south-east Scotland adjoining the border with England. That made medieval Scottish kings keen to embellish it, and they created four magnificent abbeys here. Wars between the two kingdoms were fought here, but even more there was banditry, so the area became studded with turrets and small forts. The Borders' natural attractions are the rugged coastline, the salmon rivers which once powered mills for knitware, and the quiet hills and forests. Take time to see them and don't just hurry through on the way to Edinburgh.

Towns [ edit ]

Most towns and points of interest are along one of the main roads between England and Edinburgh.

A1 is the usual approach.

• 55.769167 -2.0025 1 Berwick-upon-Tweed is in England, but gives its name to Berwickshire and is the hub for nearby villages.
• 55.869444 -2.090556 2 Eyemouth , Burnmouth and St Abbs are small fishing villages along the rugged coast.

A697 runs inland via Morpeth and Wooler to enter Scotland by the bridge over the River Tweed.

• 55.5985 -2.4336 4 Kelso at the confluence of the Tweed and the Teviot has an abbey and Floors Castle.
• 55.55 -2.26667 5 Kirk Yetholm is the northern end of the Pennine Way , descending the louring Cheviot on the last stage of its 267 miles from Edale in Derbyshire.

A68 follows a rollercoaster route across Northumberland and crests the Cheviots into Scotland at Carter Bar.

• 55.477 -2.546 6 Jedburgh has a fine ruined abbey and one of the many residences of Mary Queen of Scots.
• 55.5684 -2.649 7 St Boswells is the turn-off for Dryburgh Abbey, burial place of Sir Walter Scott.
• 55.583333 -2.716667 8 Melrose three miles west also has a ruined abbey.

A7 is the old Carlisle-Edinburgh road.

• 55.424722 -2.784444 9 Hawick is a former textile town in the Teviot valley.
• 55.533333 -2.833333 10 Selkirk is where Sir Walter Scott dispensed justice between writing novels.
• 55.620556 -2.818889 11 Galashiels has the Great Tapestry of Scotland and is near Abbotsford, Scott's mansion.

A72 runs east-west along the Tweed valley, eventually to Lanarkshire and the Clyde.

• 55.651944 -3.188889 12 Peebles is a pleasant market town; near Innerleithen is Traquair House.

Understand [ edit ]

The border region was often the scene of battles between England and Scotland, but 1513 marked the beginning of the end. At Flodden Field in Northumberland the Scots suffered a calamitous defeat, and King James IV was killed - the last British monarch to die in battle. In later years they regrouped and came again, but fell to another crushing defeat at Solway Moss in 1542. Scotland could never again pose a serious military threat to England: the Borders still saw banditry and skirmishes, but were no longer the cockpit of war. A quirk of ancestry brought the Scots King James VI to the throne of England, which he much preferred to his cold northern realm, and power, influence and wealth all drained away to the south. And in so far as Scotland has been defined as much by its legends and stories as its terrain, that too drained away. Look to the Greek and Roman classics for your heroes, and forget our own brutish Dark Ages.

Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832), a lawyer living and working in Edinburgh and Selkirk, led the revival of Scottish lore. He took a great interest in the folk tales of the Borders, began writing them down, and writing his own works. His breakthrough was the 1805 epic poem The Lay of the Last Minstrel . He went on to write The Lady of the Lake , Waverley , Old Mortality , Ivanhoe which relaunched the legend of Robin Hood , and many more. In 1812 he bought a farm cottage near Melrose which he named "Abbotsford" — and it grew, and grew and grew, into an ornate Baronial mansion. In 1822 he scored a PR triumph in stage-managing the visit of King George IV to Scotland, having monarch and bowing subjects all dressed in tartan kilts — "clan tartans" which he'd just invented, but that would adorn Scottish regalia, wedding suits and biscuit tins for ever after.

He earned a real fortune but spent an even bigger one, running up great debts over Abbotsford — the financial crash of 1825 bankrupted his publisher and almost himself. He resolved to write his way out of trouble, and continued to publish prolifically. His health was failing by the 1830s, yet he embarked on a grand celebrity tour of Europe. He died at Abbotsford in September 1832 and was buried at Dryburgh Abbey.

Visitor information [ edit ]

• Scottish Borders visitor information website

Get in [ edit ]

By plane [ edit ]

Edinburgh Airport is the closest, about an hour's drive, and with good connections across Europe and within UK.

Newcastle has fewer flights and is a little further, but a good choice if you're combining this area with a tour of Northumberland. The airport is on A696 northwest of the city, handy for the A68, A697 or A1 approaches to Scotland.

By train [ edit ]

The main railway lines swerve past this region. On the east coast, trains from London and the Midlands run via Newcastle and Berwick-upon-Tweed to the border, rushing along the cliff tops to Dunbar and Edinburgh. The west coast line runs to Carlisle, Motherwell and Glasgow.

The Borders Railway, opened in 2015, runs from Edinburgh hourly via Eskbank (for Dalkeith), Gorebridge, Stow and Galashiels to Tweedbank near Melrose. This is the reconstructed northern section of a line that was axed in 1969 as part of the Beeching cuts. It's transformed the nearby towns into a commuter belt for Edinburgh.

By bus [ edit ]

Borders Buses serve the main towns and villages. Bus X95 runs every two hours M-Sa from Carlisle along A7 via Langholm, Hawick, Selkirk, Galashiels, Stow, Newtongrange and Eskbank to Edinburgh. The section between Hawick, Selkirk and Galashiels is every 30 min and connects with the trains. The Sunday service is sparse.

Bus 51/52 runs every two hours daily from Edinburgh along A68 via the Royal Infirmary, Dalkeith, Lauder and Earlston to St Boswells, where you change for Jedburgh, Kelso or Melrose.

Bus 253 runs every two hours M-Sa from Edinburgh along A1 via Haddington, Dunbar and Eyemouth to Berwick-upon-Tweed; only two buses on Sunday.

Bus 67 runs every two hours daily from Berwick-upon-Tweed via Coldstream, Kelso, St Boswells and Melrose to Galashiels.

Bus X62 runs every 30 min M-Sa (Su hourly) from Edinburgh via Penicuik to Peebles then down the Tweed valley via Innerleithen and Galashiels to Melrose.

A solitary Bus 131 runs M-Sa from Jedburgh along A68/A696 to Otterburn, Newcastle Airport and Newcastle. It runs south to Newcastle in the morning and returns north to Jedburgh early afternoon.

National Express and Megabus coaches between Edinburgh and England cross this region but don't stop anywhere.

By road [ edit ]

There are three main routes through the Borders, plus several minor routes.

A1 enters Scotland just north of Berwick, a fast route up the east coast into East Lothian. However the Berwickshire section is mostly single carriageway.

A68 enters Scotland from the south at the top of the Carter Bar, the most scenic of the border crossings. The road wends its way through Jedburgh, St Boswells, Earlston and Lauder and exits to Midlothian north of Soutra Hill.

A7 is the old route from Carlisle to Edinburgh, passing through Hawick, Selkirk, Galashiels and Stow before entering Midlothian at Falahill. The A72 for Innerleithen, Peebles and Glasgow branches off in Galashiels.

Scenic slow routes are A708 from Moffat, past the spectacular Grey Mares Tail waterfall, St Marys Loch and Yarrow Water into Selkirk; and B6355 from Gifford to Duns over the Lammermuir Hills.

Get around [ edit ]

You'll do best by car. A bike is great in summer, as the hills between the Cheviots south and the Lammermuirs north aren't too severe.

You can just about get around by bus along radial routes from Edinburgh, Melrose/Galashiels and Berwick-upon-Tweed. As well as those listed in "Get in", you might use:

See [ edit ]

• Abbeys: these sprang up in Norman times and flourished in the Middle Ages, but were left to ruin after the Reformation - the 16th-century break with Roman Catholicism. Find them at Jedburgh , Melrose , Kelso and Dryburgh near St Boswells.
• Stately Homes: built for lordly living, not for defence. Those which can be visited include Floors in Kelso, Mellerstain and Thirlestane near Melrose, and Paxton near Berwick.
• Castles in the Borders are mostly Peel Towers and turrets. They were residences and farms fortified against bandits, rather than military garrisons. Most are scrappy ruins, some have been incorporated into later buildings. One you can visit is Smailholm Tower between Kelso and Melrose.
• St Abb's Head is the most scenic section of the Berwickshire cliffs, with sea birds whirling over a tumult of waters. Take the minor road east from Coldingham, park at the head of St Abb's village (don't take a car down the steep narrow lane to the harbour) and walk across the fields to the Head.
• See Berwick-upon-Tweed for places right on the border: Norham Castle just south of it in Northumberland, and Paxton House just west in Berwickshire.
• Scotland's Gardens opens up private gardens once a year in summer, with all proceeds going to charity. There are about 25 participating gardens in this region, dates staggered so there's one open most weekends.

Do [ edit ]

• Several long-distance hiking trails cross the area.
• Boat trips from Eyemouth and St Abbs explore the rugged coastline.
• Watch Rugby Union, or play if you're tough enough. Notable local rugby clubs are Hawick, Melrose and Jed-Forest (Jedburgh). You may well see international players turning out in local club fixtures. The Borders only plays soccer at junior / amateur level.
• St Cuthbert's Way Ultra Marathon is over two distances from Melrose into Northumberland: a 45 mile race to Wooler, and a 100 km race to Lindisfarne. The next is on 9 July 2022.

Eat [ edit ]

• Two Jedburgh restaurants earn rave reviews: Capon Tree in town and Caddy Mann at Mounthooley.
• Elsewhere, the hotel restaurants usually have the best dining; otherwise it's pub grub.

Drink [ edit ]

The larger towns have pubs, but the hotel bars may be more comfortable.

Stay safe [ edit ]

The crime rate is very low in the Borders and the chances of you encountering a crime during the daytime are next to none. Of course this does not mean there is no crime. It is advisable to be sensible when out at night: avoid large groups of youngsters hanging about street corners; they are very unlikely to approach you or communicate, but it is best to be safe by walking on the other side of the road.

As with much of Scotland, some roads may be rather narrow, twisty and unpredictable. Take this into consideration while driving.

Go next [ edit ]

• West head through Moffat and Dumfries or down the Clyde valley from Biggar to New Lanark and Glasgow .
• North is the attractive East Lothian coast and unmissable Edinburgh .
• South is Northumberland , with Lindisfarne island, teetering castles and the best sections of Hadrian's Wall .

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• Scottish Border Guide

Scottish Borders

The  Scottish Borders covers a huge swathe of southern Scotland to the east of the M74. It's an unspoilt wilderness of green hills, rushing rivers and bleak, barren moors, and it has an austere beauty which would surprise those who think that the real Scotland starts somewhere north of Perth.

The Borders' proximity to England also gives it a romantic edge and makes it even more essentially Scottish. Our visitor guide will give you brief but detailed information on the Borders. You'll also find various towns in the Borders.

This is a region which is drenched in the blood of countless battles with the English, and its many ruined castles and abbeys bear witness to  Scotland's long, turbulent relationship with its belligerent southern neighbour. It should come as no surprise, then, that this southern corner of Scotland has so inspired the country's greatest poets and writers.

Robert Burns and John Buchan often spoke of its rare charms, but it is Sir Walter Scott, inspired not only by the stark beauty of the countryside but also by its lore and legends, who is most closely associated with the region.

The wildest and most spectacular scenery is to be found in the southern part of the region, along the Yarrow Water, between Selkirk and Moffat, the upper reaches of the Tweed valley, south of Peebles, and in Liddesdale, southwest of Jedburgh. But it is along the central valley of the River Tweed, between Peebles in the west and Kelso in the east, where you'll find most of the historic attractions, including the fascinating Traquair House, Sir Walter Scott's mansion at Abbotsford. Together with Selkirk, and the textile-producing towns of Galashiels and  Hawick , these towns form the heart of the Borders.

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Travel Information in the Scottish Borders

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Burnmouth to St Abbs coastal walk

Waters Of Leith

A beautiful 12 3/4 mile walk through the heart of Edinburgh.

Linn Dean Soutra Hill Reserve

Popular visitor attractions.

Vennel Gallery

Hirsel Country Park

The Jim Clark Room in Duns

Drumlanrig’s tower visitor centre.

The Byres Cottage, Scottish Borders - Sleeps 14

The Byres is a stylishly converted 19th century farmhouse steading next to the River Ettrick and surrounded by the scenic Scottish Borders countryside. Six large bedrooms.

St.Margaret's Cottage, Coldingham sleeps 4

St Margaret's cottage is located in a secluded setting on the edge of Coldingham Conservation Village. It has a walled south-facing garden, and is in a peaceful country lane. The cottage nestles in a slight hillside, and the sea can be seen from the driveway, which is lined with shrubs and flowers.

Roulotte Retreats

Very amazing and very chic French Roma Roulotte that are somewhat similar but larger than old shepherds drays. Sleep 2 in very romantic splendour in quiet meadow in Scottish Borders near Melrose

Tweedsmuir Cottage sleeps 6

Located on the A701 to the South of Biggar in an isolated spot beside the Tweed. Sleeps 4 in 2 bedroom (with pullout bed to make 6). This ex-telephone exchange was renovated in 2006 and offers modern accommodation for the visitor wanting to be in the central dramatic Borders hills.

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Scottish Borders

The Scottish Borders, a charming and scenic region of Scotland, is located in the southeastern part of the country, bordering England to the south, the North Sea to the east, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian to the west, and Midlothian, East Lothian, and Edinburgh to the north.

Geographically, the Scottish Borders is a truly spectacular region that’s characterised by a mix of rolling hills, moorland, valleys, and farmland, with the Cheviot Hills defining the southern border with England, and the River Tweed – one of Scotland’s most significant rivers – crisscrossing it along with the Teviot, the Ettrick, and the Yarrow. The coastline, meanwhile, is a beautiful stretch of rugged cliffs and secluded bays that are home to a variety of wildlife reserves, especially around the area of St. Abbs Head near Eyemouth.

When it comes to landscapes, the Scottish Borders are in stark contrast to the bustling cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow. The region is home to an array of flora and fauna, from large forests like Tweed Valley Forest Park to hill ranges like the Lammermuir and Cheviot hills.

Tourist attractions in the Scottish Borders are as diverse as the landscape itself. History lovers will find an array of ancient abbeys such as Melrose Abbey , Dryburgh Abbey, and Jedburgh Abbey , while nature lovers will enjoy the Sir Walter Scott’s Way, a 92-mile walking route that takes visitors on a journey across the landscapes that inspired Scott’s writing.

The region is also full of attractions that celebrate the heritage of the Borders, like the Borders Textile Towerhouse in Hawick which tells the story of the region’s textile industry, and the Jim Clark Motorsport Museum in Duns which pays tribute to the legendary Formula One driver.

For those interested in outdoor activities, the region offers nearly limitless opportunities for walking, cycling, and horseback riding on routes like the 212-mile-long Southern Upland Way and the 7stanes mountain biking centres at Glentress and Innerleithen forests. The region is also known for its salmon and trout fishing on the River Tweed.

14 Free Things to Do in the Scottish Borders

Visiting Scotland’s tourist attractions can be an expensive business, especially for those visitors travelling with a family. In this article you will discover a list of completely free-to-visit attractions in the Scottish Borders that are suitable for all ages, including historic buildings, walking routes, museums, and public parks.

Cove Harbour Visitor Guide

The Southern Upland Way runs for 212 miles between the west and east coasts of southern Scotland. This section on the east coast is located a short distance from the coastal town of Dunbar. The route starts at Cove harbour and continues along gorse-covered cliffs before finishing at Pease Bay which is best known for…

Glentress Forest Visitor Guide

Glentress Forest is situated near the town of Peebles in the Scottish Borders. The forest is best known for its world-class 7Stanes mountain biking trails that offer exciting routes for all skill levels, but there’s plenty to see and do for everyone. Whether it’s enjoying woodland walks, wildlife watching, or getting active on treetop adventure…

Jedburgh Abbey Visitor Guide

Jedburgh Abbey – situated in the Scottish Borders town of Jedburgh – is a striking example of Gothic and Romanesque architecture that was built nearly 1,000 years ago. The abbey is managed by Historic Environment Scotland and is open to the public for self-guided tours.

Melrose Abbey Visitor Guide

Melrose Abbey is located near the village of Melrose on the River Tweed. It was founded in 1136 as Scotland’s first Cistercian monastery and is famous for being the burial site of Robert the Bruce’s heart. The abbey is managed by Historic Environment Scotland. Paid entry is available for all visitors but HES members can…

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Craig Neil is the author, photographer, admin, and pretty much everything else behind Out About Scotland. He lives near Edinburgh and spends his free time exploring Scotland and writing about his experiences. Follow him on Pinterest , Facebook , and YouTube .

Scottish Borders Travel Guide

The lovely rolling hills and valleys just north of the English border feature some of the most beautiful countryside in Britain. The River Tweed is at the heart of the county. Famous as an angling river, the Tweed passes historic abbeys and stately homes as it wends its way to the sea. Here you will find the abbeys of Melrose , Kelso , and Dryburgh , where the tomb of novelist Sir Walter Scott lies in the shadow of the medieval walls.

Visit Scott's View, high on the hill above the abbey ruins; here Scott would look out over the countryside that he loved so well. On the banks of the Tweed is Floors Castle , built for the first Duke of Roxburghe by William Adam. In the grounds of the castle a holly tree marks the spot where King James II died in 1460 when a cannon exploded during his siege of the old castle.

The Borders is close to Edinburgh if you have a mind to visit the delights of the city, but the real attraction here is the gentle landscape, and the profusion of historic sites to visit within a relatively small area. There are castles galore, such as Neidpath Castle , perched above the River Tweed just west of Peebles. Or follow in the footsteps (or in this case the hoofbeats) of Mary Queen of Scots and make the trip to remote Hermitage Castle , where Mary made an ill-advised visit to her lover, Boswell, a move that helped turn the tide of public opinion against her.

There are stately homes, such as Scott's beloved home of Abbotsford House , where his library is just as he left it. Or visit Manderston , the gorgeous Edwardian home of Lord and Lady Palmerston. Then there's Mellerstain , set in wonderful parkland, and Traquair , possibly the oldest continuously inhabited house in all of Scotland.

Wow! This is a hard choice! But out of all the places we've visited in the Borders region, these are our own personal top 5 - in no particular order:

• Melrose Abbey
• Mellerstain
• Hermitage Castle
• Floors Castle

Top Heritage Rated attractions in Borders:

ABBEYS Jedburgh Abbey

HISTORIC HOUSES Bowhill Paxton House Thirlestane Castle

PREHISTORIC Glebe Stone Yarrow Stone

Neighbouring regions:

• Dumfries and Galloway

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Top Historic Attractions in Borders

Towns / villages.

15 Bogan Coldingham Sleeps 4, from £425.00 2 Abbey Row Kelso Sleeps 6, from £423.00 3 Queen Marys Buildings Jedburgh Sleeps 2, from £277.00 40 Bowmont Court Kelso Sleeps 8, from £537.00 5 Swinton Mill Farm Cottage Coldstream Sleeps 4, from £460.00 More self catering in Borders

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Scottish Borders

The Borders — as it’s called in short — is known for the rolling hills and sweeping views that inspired the poetry of Sir Walter Scott. Spend some time admiring the romantic scenery here, including medieval abbey ruins and stately manors, and you’ll understand what the fuss is all about.

Scottish Borders area

Attractions around the Scottish Borders

Traquair House

This is the oldest inhabited house in Scotland, spanning nearly a thousand years of...

Melrose Abbey

St Mary's Abbey in Melrose (also just called Melrose Abbey) is a partly ruined monastery...

Abbotsford House

In the region of the Scottish Borders, near Galashiels, you’ll find the striking and...

Scott’s View

Scott's View is a scenic viewpoint overlooking the Tweed Valley in the Scottish Borders...

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Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle has played a pivotal role in Scottish history, both as a royal residence – King Malcolm Canmore (r 1058–93) and Queen Margaret first made…

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Glasgow Cathedral

Glasgow Cathedral has a rare timelessness. The dark, imposing interior conjures up medieval might and can send a shiver down the spine. It's a shining…

Rosslyn Chapel

Many years may have passed since Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code and the subsequent film came out, but floods of visitors still descend on Scotland's…

Stirling Castle

Hold Stirling and you control Scotland. This maxim has ensured that a fortress of some kind has existed here since prehistoric times. You cannot help…

Constructed about 5000 years ago, Maeshowe is an extraordinary place, a Stone Age tomb built from enormous sandstone blocks, some of which weighed many…

Culzean Castle & Country Park

Southern Scotland

The Scottish National Trust's flagship property, magnificent Culzean (kull-ane) is one of the most impressive of Scotland's stately homes. On approach the…

Scone Palace

'So thanks to all at once and to each one, whom we invite to see us crowned at Scone.' This line from Macbeth indicates the importance of Scone …

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Three Chimneys

Halfway between Dunvegan and Waterstein, the Three Chimneys is a superb romantic retreat combining a gourmet restaurant in a candlelit crofter’s cottage…

Discovery Point

The three masts of Captain Robert Falcon Scott's famous polar expedition vessel the RRS Discovery provide a historic counterpoint to the modern…

Scottish Parliament Building

Holyrood & Arthur’s Seat

The Scottish Parliament Building, on the site of a former brewery and designed by Catalan architect Enric Miralles (1955–2000), was opened by the Queen in…

Speyside Cooperage

Here you can watch the fascinating art of barrel-making during a 45-minute guided tour. It’s a mile south of Craigellachie on the Dufftown road.

National Museum of Scotland

Elegant Chambers St is dominated by the long facade of the National Museum of Scotland. Its extensive collections are spread between two buildings: one…

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V&A Dundee

The centrepiece of Dundee's revitalised waterfront is this stunning building designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. Opened in late 2018, it houses an…

Oban, Mull & Tiree

Iona's ancient but heavily reconstructed abbey is the spiritual heart of the island. The spectacular nave, dominated by Romanesque and early Gothic vaults…

Verdant Works

One of the fi­nest industrial museums in Europe, the Verdant Works explores the history of Dundee's jute industry. Housed in a restored jute mill,…

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Welcome to the official website of St Cuthbert’s Way , one of the most beautiful, varied and enjoyable long distance walking routes in Britain, and one of Scotland’s Great Trails .

Bridging the national border between Scotland and England, this inspiring 100km (62.5 miles) cross-border route  links Melrose in the Scottish Borders, where St. Cuthbert started his religious life in 650AD, with Holy Island off the Northumberland Coast, his eventual resting place and his original pilgrimage shrine. Although inspired by St. Cuthbert, this is far more than a pilgrimage route.

St. Cuthbert’s Way offers:

• an ever changing variety of scenery and spectacular views;
• a unique and truly memorable finish along a causeway exposed only at low tide;
• something of interest for everyone, including a wealth of historical and cultural interest;
• a route which can easily be completed in 4-6 days without requiring a lot of training or high fitness levels;
• a range of baggage transfer services;
• accommodation along the route to suit individual budget and taste;
• ready-made packages which can be booked with one button or phone call, where somebody else makes all the arrangements for you.

St Cuthbert's Way Shop

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You wouldn’t read a book from the middle, and the first page of Scotland’s great story starts in the South. Discover the places that have shaped Scotland: walk where fierce battles once raged, where legendary kings and queens struck deals that forged a nation, and where great poets drew inspiration for the ballads we still sing. Our southern lands have always been central to Scotland’s narrative, and you can follow the thread that connects us to a tapestry that has been woven over centuries. But our story is still unfolding, and you can be part of that story too. Absorb the spirit of Scotland in our heather-clad moors, our enchanted forests, and our star-strewn skies. Explore our rising hillsides and narrow glens, and find peace along the banks of our mirrored lochs. Begin your next adventure right where Scotland starts. We are waiting for you. History starts here, culture starts here, creativity starts here: welcome to the South.

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Travel | Travel: How to spend 6 perfect days in the…

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Travel | travel: how to spend 6 perfect days in the scottish lowlands.

When one dreams of vacationing in Scotland, it’s the Highlands and not the Lowlands that comes to mind. Don’t take our word for it; even the national tourism board touts the Scottish Highlands as “the Scotland of your imagination and the perfect backdrop for your next adventure” on its website. And on National Geographic’s list of “Best of the World” destinations, only the Highlands gets love.

OK, so the Scottish Lowlands isn’t home to the monstrously legendary Loch Ness, majestic Cairngorms National Park, a historically rich clan culture or the setting of Mel Gibson’s bloody good film, “Braveheart.”

But while that and more causes Scotland’s southern side to bow to its northern neighbor in terms of tourism, the Scottish Lowlands is no plaid-clad red-headed stepchild in a nation that — fun fact — has the world’s highest percentage of redheads with about 13% of the populace. Speaking of numbers, nearly one out of every four overseas visitors to the northernmost country of the United Kingdom arrives from the U.S., according to VisitScotland ( visitscotland.com ).

So, with that in mind and knowing how much we Yankees love an underdog story, let’s ponder highlights of a perfect six days exploring the Lowlands through an American’s eye — taking roads less traveled while taking in rolling hills, gentle valleys, rugged coastline and quaint towns each more gorgeous than the next.

Breezing through Edinburgh Airport, you shuttle to the city’s newest major hotel. The 244 rooms of the W Edinburgh, the first in Scotland for the upscale brand, are spread across three buildings, and yours is in the 12-story tower that sticks out from the traditional architecture around it. Mixed as the opinions are over the building’s “walnut whip” roof, staying at a hotel topped with a giant chocolate swirl comes in handy when finding your way back after a day of sightseeing by foot. Nestled in the heart of the newly trendy St. James Quarter, the W ( marriott.com ) is within walking distance of every must-see in the city center. Refreshed from down time in your gadget-happy suite, you’re ready to see just how perfectly located your hotel is. (Rates for a standard room start at $371 a night.)

Hoofing it to Edinburgh Castle, the city’s most iconic landmark, offers a lesson in 3,000 years of history at the site of ghastly battles dating back to the Iron Age. You could spend an entire day here, but an afternoon date with some bottles of booze have you leaving the castle for a quick visit to the nearby National Museum of Scotland and its countless artifacts.

A time check of 3:30 p.m. has you scurrying to the Scotch Whisky Experience ( scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk ) for a pre-purchased tour that explains how single-malt Scotch whisky is made, but, oddly, not in the setting of a working distillery. It’s a trade-off because what you do get being in a purpose-built facility is the world’s largest collection of Scotch whisky, a breathtaking visual for the core audience, and a store with a whopping 450 types of the signature stuff. Nearly as impressive is that the prices are actually fair, but you know when to say when with your purchase of potent potables. Plus, there’s more walking to do and those bottles are heavy.

Window shopping along famous Princes Street leads to a short hike up Calton Hill for stunning sunset views. Being a Harry Potter fan, you check off Victoria Street, J.K. Rowling’s inspiration for Diagon Alley, and other sights around town believed to be connected to the global sensation.

Meandering in the direction of the W, you pop into one of many intriguing restaurants for dinner. It’s a quick one as the jet lag you’ve been fighting since seeing the “Welcome to Scotland” sign at baggage claim is finally winning.

Of course, you order the “Scottish Breakfast” at the W’s Sushisamba restaurant, which by night serves up a fusion of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian flavors. Your cardiac-challenging platter comes with haggis, Lorne sausage, grilled back bacon, fried eggs and black pudding, which you know as blood pudding. You also are aware that haggis is banned in the States as the USDA frowns upon ingesting stomach fluids from slaughtered livestock. Despite sheep lungs being a key ingredient in haggis, you give it a nibble and realize that this Scottish staple isn’t half baaaad.

After check-out, you walk with your luggage to busy Edinburgh Waverley Train Station. A comfortable, hour-long ride on the Borders Railway terminates at Tweedbank, and you take the public bus to Abbotsford ( scottsabbotsford.com ), former home of 19th century novelist and poet Sir Walter Scott. The estate is so extraordinary, you add “Ivanhoe” and “Rob Roy” to your reading list.

Relying on mostly taxis and hired drivers for the rest of the trip — the countless roundabouts, alone, make driving on the left side not worth the risk — you transfer to Schloss Roxburghe ( schlosshotel-roxburghe.com ) for two fairy-tale-like nights at this luxury countryside escape in the heart of scenic Scottish Borders. A tasty welcome with champagne and canapes is followed by a stroll around the historic property. On the sprawling resort surrounded by rolling hills and flowing rivers are 130 units (52 of them cottages), a championship golf course and other sporty activities, a Finnish-inspired spa, and nooks aplenty to enjoy libations made with the handmade gin created from botanicals sourced on the estate.

Wisely deciding to spend the day here, just as the Duke of Roxburghe often did in a past life of the picture-perfect property once owned by him, you book fishing, archery, croquet and clay shooting with the resort’s country sports manager. A few minutes later you pinch yourself in disbelief you’re staying where someone actually has the title of country sports manager.

A full day of activities and therapeutic R&R has you hungry for a night topped with “Scottish bistronomy” at the new, on-site Charlie’s. From the venison and pigeon to the scallops and ham hocks, the restaurant’s estate-to-plate approach pleases the senses.

A yummy buffet breakfast at Charlie’s coupled with an early checkout and on-time hired driver, found on VisitScotland’s website, make for a great start to what promises to be a long, but great day. Appropriately, the first stop is The Great Tapestry of Scotland ( greattapestryofscotland.com ) in the Borders town of Galashiels. On permanent display here since 2021 is the story of Scotland’s history, heritage and culture as told through 160 linen panels hand-stitched by over 1,000 nimble-fingered volunteers.

Leaving the 155 miles of driving to someone else today allows you to make a pitstop at the Moffat Distillery ( moffatdistillery.com ), where an American-born proprietor and her English husband are making a go making wood-fired whisky and gin. Tours and tastings — their blended-malt scotch is a winner — are conducted daily.

After traveling along what motor enthusiasts deem as the most drivable roads in the U.K., passing adorable villages and where ferries to Northern Ireland run back and forth day and night, you come up to the electronically gated entrance of your five-star home for the next two nights. One mile beyond — and one mile off Scotland’s western coast — is Glenapp Castle ( glenappcastle.com ) in the bonny Ayrshire countryside. Built in 1870, this prime example of Scots baronial, an architectural style of 19th-century Gothic Revival, has 17 luxury units (as low as $419 a night) and a 4,500-square-foot, four-bedroom penthouse that sleeps eight and starts at $4,000 a night. The 36 acres of perfectly manicured gardens, lush woodland and stately structures have hosted dignitaries from Churchill to Eisenhower, and since you’re sleeping like a VIP and got a classy bagpiper welcome, you might as well eat like one, too; dining at Glenapp is an experience fit for royalty.

Leaving the castle for a day of sightseeing had better be worth it, and it is at the very start thanks to the adorable namesake animals at Kitchen Coos & Ewes ( www.kitchencoosandewes.com ). Getting up-close and personal with the iconic Highland coos and their sheepish pals is a treat, as are the traditional homemade breakfast and lunch that come with the more in-depth tours of this working farm. Next on the schedule is a much different tour up the coast in Alloway; Robert Burns Birthplace Museum pays tribute to Scotland’s favorite son, whose poetry and songs are beloved worldwide. That includes one sung every New Year’s Eve, at least in days of auld lang syne. Despite the museum’s name, Burns’ actual birthplace is a tiny room in a cottage located at another site a 10-minute walk away.

Dinner is in nearby Troon, specifically at The Rabbit restaurant inside the new, 89-room Marine Troon ( marineandlawn.com/marinetroon ), a destination hotel that prides itself as “representing the nexus between land and sea, sport and soil, and man and nature.” Burns might have done better, but one thing that can’t be improved is the Old Course of the adjacent Royal Troon Golf Club. Perhaps one day you’ll return to play 18 here, but for now you behold what you can of links that will host the 152nd Open Championship in July, the 10th time the hallowed course will have this honor.

You’ve had fun storming the castle for two exquisite days, and now it’s time to return to reality — but not through Edinburgh this time. On the way to Glasgow Airport, a more hectic, but closer option from the west, the art lover in you prompts a visit to The Burrell Collection ( burrellcollection.com ). This Glascow gem houses more than 9,000 pieces spanning 6,000 years of history, and if it weren’t for a plane to catch, you could see yourself spending more than the two hours already given.

But the Burrell Collection isn’t the only place you didn’t get your fill over these six amazing days in the Scottish Lowlands. With luck and a replenished travel budget, you hope to return, and soon. Or as the old Scottish saying goes, “haste ye back!”

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Review: The Gordon Arms restaurant with rooms, Yarrow, Scottish Borders - Scotland on Sunday Travel

Enjoy the road less travelled with good food in this cosy former coaching inn.

If you think of the rolling hills of Scotland, you may imagine the mountains and crags of the Highlands or the immersive landscape of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. But it’s rolling hills as far as the eye can see from our room at the Gordon Arms, an 18th-century former coaching inn located on the A708 road near Selkirk, and not too far from Peebles. The Borders seems like a bit of an undiscovered gem, yet with this scenery it’s hard to understand why.

The Gordon Arms is by no means a new kid on the block, but new owners - Bryn and Oxana Jones - have only been running the business for almost two years. They moved from Oxfordshire, having given up their business - The Oxford Arms, a multi-award-winning dining pub in Kirtlington village. Wanting to own their own property, the couple initially thought that The Gordon Arms was too far away, but on seeing it, fell in love and made an offer. Fast forward 18 months and the awards and accolades have been coming thick and fast. They’ve made some changes to the rooms, including removing older clunky furniture, and are focusing on a seasonal menu of local produce which has gained them a mention in the Good Food Guide as well as an AA Rosette.

Budget or boutique

At around £120-£150 per night The Gordon Arms is a boutique offering with only five rooms, but the price won’t break the bank and there are often seasonal deals to be had.

Room service

Our superior double was a spacious room with a four-poster king sized bed, desk area and sofa with lovely views of the hills and countryside from both windows. It was light and comfortable. We were also able to bring Archie, the well travelled cockapoo, as the room (and bar) was dog friendly. The luggage rack style storage and shelves have been handmade by staff on site and the bathroom, with its blue and white colour scheme, has a jacuzzi bath and rainfall shower.

Wining and dining

The dining room, with its roaring fire (ideal for cosy winter nights) serves up lunch, dinner and a very reasonably-priced tasting menu. We visited not long after Burns night, so the a la carte menu featured some Burns-themed items, but it was the seasonal tasting menu that caught our eye. This changes monthly but we thoroughly enjoyed dishes such as seared Shetland scallops, Yarrow Valley venison wellington and ‘Drunken Cherry’ torte, made by Oxana. Look out for the creme brulee and whisky treacle tart if you have a sweet tooth.

Breakfast is also served here, and includes a full Scottish fry up as well as dishes such as smoked salmon and scrambled eggs. Toast, tea and coffee is available - with preserves made by Oxana (the damson jam was delicious).

Little extras

The tea and coffee station had Borders biscuits and our room had the addition of fresh daffodils in small vases dotted around the windowsills, giving a springtime vibe even in the depths of winter.

Worth getting out of bed for

Peebles is only a 20-minute drive away and home to some independent shops and lovely walks. If you have a sweet tooth be sure to visit Cocoa Black for one of their hot chocolates and a decadent slice of cake. The Borders distillery is a 40-minute drive away and well worth a visit for whisky fans and anyone wanting to try their spirits, which include gin and vodka too. For keen outdoor enthusiasts and walkers, St Mary’s Loch is close by and Grey Mare’s Trail Nature Reserve with walking routes for various abilities.

Guestbook comments

The Gordon Arms Restaurant with Rooms is a historic award-winning coaching inn nestling in the beautiful Yarrow Valley near St Mary’s Loch in the Scottish Borders. It was a favourite haunt of James Hogg, Sir Walter Scott and even Robert Burns was said to have stopped here. The team offer five cosy and comfortable, environmentally friendly, en-suite AA four-star rated rooms and good, honest and sustainable food with a minimum of fuss and maximum flavours from Bryn Jones, award-winning chef-owner, in the AA Culinary Excellence Rosette and Taste Our Best awarded restaurant. They have a short but serious wine list. The menu changes seasonably with daily specials to use even more local produce.

The Gordon Arms Restaurant with Rooms, Yarrow Valley, Selkirk TD7 5LE, 01750 82261, gordonarmsyarrow.co.uk.

Prices start from around £120-£150 per night.

Review: Town Hall Hotel, London – Scotland on Sunday Travel – A former town hall is now a high-end hipster destination in Bethnal Green

Borders Book Festival 2024 lineup announced as tickets go on sale

• Scottish Borders
• Borders Book Festival
• Wednesday 24 April 2024 at 2:27pm

The Borders Book Festival 2024 programme has been announced as tickets go on sale.

T he star-studded lineup includes ITV's Robert Peston , Scottish comedian, Janey Godley and author of best seller One Day, David Nicholls, whose book was recently turned into a hit Netflix series.

There will also be other well-known names from the worlds of sport, politics and fiction, as well as new, up-and-coming authors.

The four-day event will be held at the Harmony Gardens, in Melrose from 13 July 2024.

Festival Director, Alistair Moffat, said: “It’s time to start making plans for those long, light, balmy days at the height of the Scottish summer, and what better event to pop in the diary than our annual celebration in our very own Borders slice of heaven.

“This year sees our programme again offer something for every taste: whether that’s literary fiction, comedy, sport, politics, health, current affairs, history or travel – all of life is here.

“We sincerely hope that you will all be here, too, as we revel in the joy of gathering in high summer to talk about the things we love with the people we love, before whiling away a gentle afternoon or evening surrounded by delicious food and drink, enjoying the gorgeous scenery, and absorbing the chitter-chatter of friends and other festival goers alike.

“So do come and join us for the biggest party in the Borders!”

The festival will also play host to live music, the Orchard tented food village, and free, fun activities for all to enjoy.

Councillor Scott Hamilton, Scottish Borders Council's Executive Member for Community and Business Enhancement, said: “I’m delighted Scottish Borders Council is again supporting the Borders Book Festival, in its 21st year.  

“The Scottish Borders has a great portfolio of successful home-grown strategic events, with the Borders Book Festival being one of the biggest. 

"Its continued success has a positive economic impact in our region, as well as bringing people to the Borders helping to showcase what this area has to offer.

“It’s important to note that the support we provide to the Borders Book Festival and other event organisers goes beyond grants and includes a wide variety of in-kind support, as well as advice and signposting to other potential funding opportunities.

“I’m very much looking forward to another successful and packed Borders Book Festival in the beautiful Harmony Garden.”

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Episode 95: Scots Travel Guide to Euro 2024 and Lethal Steins?‪!‬ Sofamanager Scottish Football Podcast

We're back after a near 3 year hiatus! Not without purpose, John is off to the Euros! On this weeks show Paul gives some suggestions as to what to do including some train spotting and bobsledding. We also hear about Germany's beer culture and what Scotland fans shouldn't do if they get a little too carried away ... 0:00 Intro 1:55 Off To Germany! 10:00 Travel Tips 14:00 What To Do? 24:50 Civil Service Strollers 27:35 Beer History 36:15 Food For all the latest footballing news and in depth articles: http://www.sofamanager.co.uk/​ https://www.facebook.com/sofamanger/​ https://www.instagram.com/sofamanager/​ https://twitter.com/SofaManagerFC

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Scottish Greens to oppose Yousaf in no confidence vote

Alex Salmond’s Alba Party will now decide whether Humza Yousaf is forced to resign as First Minister as the Scottish Greens said they would vote against him in a confidence vote at Holyrood.

Mr Yousaf, the leader of the SNP, terminated the coalition deal between his party and the Scottish Greens with “immediate effect” at a dramatic press conference on Thursday morning.

This led his now-former coalition partners to join Labour and the Liberal Democrats in confirming they will support a motion tabled by Douglas Ross, the Scottish Tory leader, stating that “the Parliament has no confidence in the First Minister, in light of his failures in government”.

Mr Yousaf now needs the backing of Ash Regan, the only Alba Party MSP and a former SNP politician who challenged him for leadership of the party last summer prior to her defection in October.

The First Minister said at the time her decision to walk away from the party was “no great loss”.

Ms Regan voting with the SNP would tie the vote at 64 each, giving Holyrood’s presiding officer Alison Johnstone the casting vote. Ms Johnstone is duty bound to vote for the status quo, meaning Mr Yousaf would survive.

Alex Salmond, a former SNP First Minister who broke away to set up the Alba Party, told Times Radio: “Inadvertently, Humza Yousaf has managed to make Ash Regan, an Alba MSP, the most powerful MSP in the Scottish Parliament because she now has the swing vote in the parliament.”

Patrick Harvie, the co-leader of the Scottish Greens, initially suggested the SNP may not be able to rely on his party’s support at Holyrood after the coalition deal was torn up by the Scottish First Minister.

And in a press conference with his counterpart Lorna Slater, they confirmed they would vote against Mr Yousaf and argued he had to face the “consequences” of his actions.

Earlier in the day, Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, demanded an early Holyrood election in response to the Bute House coalition agreement being broken off. 

Speaking at First Minister’s Questions, Mr Sarwar told Humza Yousaf: “The people of Scotland didn’t vote of this, First Minister. The people of Scotland didn’t vote for this mess and this chaos. So isn’t it time to end the circus and call an election?” 

You can recap a dramatic day in Holyrood below. Join the conversation in the comments section here . 

Live Reporting

Related stories, that’s all for this evening....

Thank you for joining us on a remarkable day in Westminster and Holyrood as Humza Yousaf’s political future was left in the hands of one of his former leadership rivals.

The Scottish First Minister broke off a coalition agreement between the SNP and the Scottish Greens with “immediate effect” in a dramatic press conference on Thursday morning.

Douglas Ross, the leader of the Scottish Tories, proceeded to table a no confidence motion in Mr Yousaf, which has the backing of Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Scottish Greens.

Ash Regan, the only MSP who represents Alex Salmond’s Alba Party, is now effectively set to have a casting vote on Mr Yousaf’s survival as First Minister.

My colleague Jack Maidment will be back early tomorrow to guide you through another day.

Scottish Greens: Yousaf couldn’t explain himself

Asked if it was the Scottish Greens’ “1979 moment”, co-leader Lorna Slater said Humza Yousaf chose to end that “and we have seen a surge in membership for our party already today”.

Patrick Harvie declined to comment on the “specific details” of his “robust” and “frank” conversation with Mr Yousaf.

“I think from not only what we’ve heard in person but what everybody heard in the chamber today, I think it’s clear that Humza Yousaf wasn’t really able to explain how within the space of 48 hours he could go from saying the Bute House agreement was worth its weight in gold to now saying it’s run its course.

“Honestly, what else can anyone think Humza Yousaf thought was going to happen as a result of this?”

Ms Slater added: “We are clear that we are the continuation voice of progressive politics in Scotland. We wanted to deliver what was in the Bute House. It is the First Minister who has backed away from that programme.”

Mr Harvie went on to describe the collapse of the agreement as “a difficult situation” for him. “We don’t relish drama for drama’s sake here.”

Patrick Harvie: Scottish Greens unanimous in wanting Humza Yousaf gone

Patrick Harvie, the co-leader of the Scottish Greens, said “no one was arguing for a different position from the one we set out this evening” among his parliamentarians at Holyrood.

Asked again if it felt like “revenge”, Mr Harvie said: “We shouldn’t lead into these pretty divisive, toxic thoughts. This situation is not of our making, we deeply regret that Humza Yousaf has brought this situation about by tearing up an agreement that was working well to achieve political cooperation, locking in a progressive, pro-independence majority government. I think that had great value to him, to his party, to the Scottish Government and to Scotland. I think it’s a matter of deep regret he has decided to abandon that.”

Lorna Slater, Mr Harvie’s co-leader, blamed “pressure from the conservative wing of his own party” and “vested interests” for Mr Yousaf’s decision to collapse.

“This is a real threat for progressive politics in Scotland and indeed across the UK... We’ve also seen interference from Westminster as well. So the Scottish Greens are the progressive voice of the independence movement in Scotland and we will continue to be.”

Yousaf’s decision ‘can’t come without consequences’

Patrick Harvie, the co-leader of the Scottish Greens, told a press conference his party had signed a deal with the SNP “in good faith” but Humza Yousaf had chosen to terminate it.

“That’s his decision, and it can’t come without consequences,” Mr Harvie said.

Asked if it was “revenge”, he replied: “That would be an unworthy thought. This is about how we achieve the greatest political change for Scotland. Humza Yousaf has decided to abandon the vehicle that was delivering that progressive change for Scotland. I think that is a profound mistake on his part.”

Pressed on why they would side with the Tories, co-leader Lorna Slater said: “The Bute House agreement was at its heart a confidence and supply agreement... [Those objectives] are now unlikely to be delivered in full, and the agreement is therefore finished.”

Mr Harvie added: “We’ve spent the last two-and-a-half years, nearly three years now, working constructively between two political parties. I think politics is at its best when political parties do seek the common ground and work hard to make cooperation possible. It is Humza Yousaf who has decided to tear up the basis on which that cooperation was taking place and being successful.”

Ms Slater said: “How could he work with us having treated us this way?”

Who is Ash Regan?

A former SNP leadership candidate, Ash Regan quit the organisation to join Alex Salmond’s Alba Party in October – becoming its first ever MSP.

Ms Regan secured just over 11 per cent of the votes when she stood in the race to succeed Nicola Sturgeon in 2023, standing on a more radical policy platform than Humza Yosuaf or Kate Forbes.

She said on her defection that she was abandoning SNP because it had “lost its focus on independence”, adding: “I could not, in good conscience, continue to be part of a party that has drifted from its path and its commitment to achieving independence as a matter of urgency.”

Ms Regan had previously served as community safety minister but had quit that position last year so she could vote against Ms Sturgeon’s controversial gender recognition reforms, which would ultimately spell the end of the former First Minister’s time in charge, as they went through Holyrood.

Now, she could strike the final blow to Mr Yousaf’s premiership in what is set to be a dramatic day at Holyrood next week.

Alex Salmond’s only MSP now has the casting vote

Alex Salmond’s Alba Party will now decide whether Humza Yousaf is forced to resign as First Minister as the Scottish Greens said they would vote against the First Minister in a confidence vote at Holyrood.

They joined Labour and the Liberal Democrats in confirming they will support a motion tabled by Douglas Ross, the Scottish Tory leader, stating that “the Parliament has no confidence in the First Minister, in light of his failures in government”.

This means Mr Yousaf now needs the backing of Alba Party MSP Ash Regan. Ms Regan voting with the SNP would tie the vote at 64 each, giving Holyrood’s presiding officer Alison Johnstone the casting vote. Ms Johnstone is duty bound to vote for the status quo, meaning Mr Yousaf would survive.

It would be an extraordinary turn of events, as Ms Regan lost out to Mr Yousaf in the SNP leadership contest last year then defected to Alba. The First Minister said at the time her defection was “no great loss”.

Mr Salmond told Times Radio: “Inadvertently, Humza Yousaf has managed to make Ash Regan, an Alba MSP, the most powerful MSP in the Scottish Parliament because she now has the swing vote in the parliament.”

Breaking: Scottish Greens to vote against Humza Yousaf

Climate change, tax and trans rights: why yousaf tore up the deal.

Nicola Sturgeon claimed in August 2021 that her party’s “groundbreaking” deal with the Scottish Greens would usher in a new era of cooperation in Scottish politics, writes Daniel Sanderson , our Scottish Correspondent .

However, the coalition agreement has proven highly controversial and unravelled spectacularly on Thursday morning, when it was terminated by Humza Yousaf. When he stood to succeed Ms Sturgeon as SNP leader and First Minister, Mr Yousaf vowed to protect the deal and insisted it was “worth its weight in gold”. In recent days he has spoken out in defence of it, even as Green members prepared to vote on ending the agreement in the coming weeks. But in a dramatic about-turn, he insisted today the pact had “run its natural course”, and tore it up.

The Telegraph takes a look at the reasons why

Scottish Greens to hold press conference at 17:30

The Scottish Greens are expected to hold a press conference at around 17:30 to set out their position on next week’s no confidence vote in Humza Yousaf.

Labour and the Liberal Democrats confirmed they would support a motion tabled by Douglas Ross, the Scottish Tory leader, stating that “the Parliament has no confidence in the First Minister, in light of his failures in government”.

This means Mr Yousaf needs the backing of the Scottish Greens - who are furious with him for throwing them out of his government - or Alba Party MSP Ash Regan.

If the Greens choose to back the vote of no confidence, there would be 64 votes in favour and 63 SNP MSPs against.

Susan Hall closes gap in London mayoral race

Susan Hall has closed the gap on Sadiq Khan in the London mayoral race as a new poll showed the smallest gap between the candidates since the campaign began.

A survey by polling firm Savanta put Mr Khan on 46 per cent while Ms Hall, his Tory challenger, was on 33 per cent. Earlier polls had the incumbent Mayor ahead by as many as 25 percentage points.

Dr Elizabeth Simon, postdoctoral researcher in British politics at Queen Mary University of London, said: “Looking at the geography of London mayoral vote intention paints an interesting picture.

“In our poll, we find that Mr Khan leads Ms Hall by a commanding margin in the boroughs in the North and East of the capital.

“His lead is 19 percentage points among those living in North London, and 17 percentage points among those living in East London... The race appears to be much tighter in boroughs to the South and West of the capital, with Mr Khan leading by just eight percentage points among those living in South and West London.”

Labour refuses to guarantee lower train fares under potential government

The shadow transport secretary has refused to guarantee lower train fares under a future Labour government as the party plans to renationalise the railways.

Louise Haigh said she could not “definitely” promise cheaper tickets for passengers despite aiming for the biggest reform of the British rail system for a generation.

Labour plans to bring trains into state ownership in the next five years if it wins the general election and to automate the existing delay repay scheme using mobile phone apps.

It would also offer travellers a “best-price ticket guarantee” if they bought tickets through a government-approved app in an effort to stop them from paying too much via external websites.

But asked whether trains would be better value for money and prices would fall, Ms Haigh said: “So today I can’t guarantee that we’ll lower fares, but what we are saying is that we’ll simplify them.”

Read the full story here

Why did the SNP go into coalition with the Greens?

The SNP fell one seat short of winning a majority at Holyrood at the 2021 election, writes Daniel Sanderson , our Scottish Correspondent .

In the previous parliament, when Nicola Sturgeon ran a minority administration, the SNP were forced into making a series of concessions to the Greens to win crucial confidence votes in ministers and pass budgets. Ms Sturgeon felt that a more formal deal with Holyrood’s other pro-independence party would allow the SNP to govern with more stability. Allowing the Greens into government in August 2021 also allowed Ms Sturgeon to bolster her environmental credentials ahead of the Cop26 Climate Summit, which took place in Glasgow in November. It was also claimed a majority pro-independence government at Holyrood would make it harder for the UK Government to deny a new referendum on leaving the UK, though demands to enter talks were still swiftly rejected.

Good afternoon

Dominic Penna here, The Telegraph’s Political Correspondent, guiding you through the rest of a dramatic day in Holyrood.

Rishi Sunak goes for a run in Westminster with the ‘Hardest Geezer’

Rishi Sunak has gone for a run with Russ Cook, the “Hardest Geezer” , who recently completed running the length of Africa. 

The Prime Minister said the runner’s story was “very inspiring” as the pair jogged around Westminster:

Only a few thousand miles to go... My morning run with @HardestGeezer , congrats on Project Africa hitting £1 million. pic.twitter.com/RyIZaDm3R7 — Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) April 25, 2024

Pictured: London mayoral candidate Count Binface poses outside Parliament today

Alba Party MSP holds ‘swing vote’ on Yousaf’s future, says Salmond

Alex Salmond said Ash Regan, the Alba Party’s sole MSP, now holds the “swing vote” on Humza Yousaf’s future. 

The SNP currently has 63 MSPs while there are 65 opposition politicians. Should Ms Regan vote with the SNP to save Mr Yousaf at next week’s vote of no confidence, and if the Greens voted against him, there would be a 64-64 tie.

Mr Salmond, the leader of the Alba Party, said Mr Yousaf had made Ms Regan the “most powerful MSP in the Scottish Parliament”. 

He told Times Radio: “Inadvertently… Humza Yousaf has managed to make Ash Regan, the Alba MSP, the most powerful MSP in the Scottish Parliament because she now has the swing vote in the parliament. 

“And I’m sure that Ash Regan who I spoke to just five minutes ago, will use that power very wisely indeed to progress the cause of independence and to protect the rights of women, and to try and find a way to restore competence within the Scottish Government, which has been so badly lacking recently.” 

Ms Regan has not said how she will vote. Mr Salmond said the MSP was writing to Mr Yousaf to express concerns about the state of the government and to ask the First Minister how he intended to improve things.

Alba Party MSP could play big role in Yousaf vote outcome

A former SNP MSP who now represents the Alba Party at Holyrood could play a big role in the outcome of next week’s vote of no confidence in Humza Yousaf. 

Ash Regan is a former SNP minister who resigned over Nicola Sturgeon’s gender reforms. She has since quit Mr Yousaf’s party and joined Alex Salmond’s Alba Party.

Ms Regan is yet to confirm how she plans to vote. 

The SNP currently has 63 MSPs while there are 65 opposition politicians.

Should Ms Regan vote with the SNP to save Mr Yousaf, and if the Greens voted against him, there would be a 64-64 tie.

In the event of a tie, the Presiding Officer would have the deciding vote and the convention is they would vote to preserve the status quo. 

Labour more popular than Tories with GB News viewers

Labour is more popular with viewers of GB News than the Tories, a new poll has revealed.

A survey of the TV news channel’s audience shows Rishi Sunak is battling on two fronts as the Tories lose support to Labour and Reform.

It also reveals a deep dissatisfaction with the Government’s record on key policy areas including immigration, the NHS and crime.

You can read the full story here . 

Ross confirms he has lodged motion of no confidence in Yousaf

This afternoon I've lodged a Motion of No Confidence in Humza Yousaf. It's time to remove this lame duck First Minister. pic.twitter.com/XYtaWdXl82 — Douglas Ross MP MSP (@Douglas4Moray) April 25, 2024

Analysis: Yousaf’s future rests in hands of Greens he booted out of power

Humza Yousaf’s future as Scottish First Minister rests on a knife-edge after the Tories announced they will table a vote of no confidence. 

The Tories, Labour and Lib Dems are all expected to vote in favour of ousting Mr Yousaf. 

That means his fate is likely to rest in the hands of the Scottish Greens, the party he has so enraged by kicking them out of government. 

That is because the magic number for a majority at Holyrood is 65 and the SNP currently only have 63 MSPs. 

The combined number of MSPs for the Tories, Labour, Lib Dems and Alba Party is 58. 

That puts almost all of the power with the Greens and their 7 MSPs. If they vote with the SNP they could save Mr Yousaf but if they opt to exact revenge for tearing up the Bute House Agreement they could well force him out of office. It is not yet clear how the Alba Party’s one MSP will vote. 

If a majority of MSPs vote to express no confidence in a first minister the expectation would be that they would resign. 

No 10: Holyrood drama must not ‘distract’ from business of government

The Scottish Government should not allow the end of its power-sharing agreement to “further distract” from the challenges households in Scotland face, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said.

He told reporters the events at Bute House were “firstly a matter for the Greens and the SNP”.

But Mr Sunak’s official spokesman added: “For our part, the Prime Minister has previously been clear from the off with the new Scottish Government that we will continue to obviously promote a constructive approach with them, with the single aim of jointly delivering for people across the UK and in Scotland.

“As we urged the First Minister when he came into office, there was and is a chance for the Scottish Government to turn their full focus to tackling the real issues that matter to people and their families.

“It is the Prime Minister’s view that people expect both the Scottish Government and the UK Government to have a relentless focus on growing the economy, delivering more jobs and opportunity, as well as enhancing our energy security, and not be distracted by constitutional issues.

“We hope today’s developments do not further distract the Scottish Government and that they take this further opportunity to go back to focusing on the challenges that families and households in Scotland face.”

Telegraph readers weigh in on Holyrood drama

Humza Yousaf stunned Holyrood - and Westminster - this morning when he announced he was tearing up the SNP’s coalition deal with the Scottish Greens. 

Mr Yousaf has insisted the SNP will now operate as a minority administration. 

But he is facing a vote of no confidence brought forward by the Tories while the Labour Party is demanding an early Holyrood election. 

The dramatic events have prompted much debate in the comments section of today’s politics live blog: 

Scottish Greens suggest SNP may not be able to rely on their support

Patrick Harvie, the co-leader of the Scottish Greens, suggested the SNP may not be able to rely on his party’s support at Holyrood after the coalition deal was torn up by the Scottish First Minister. 

Mr Harvie asked Humza Yousaf during First Minister’s questions: “Who does the First Minister think he has pleased most today? Is it Douglas Ross, Fergus Ewing or Alex Salmond? 

“And more to the point, which of them does he think he can rely on for a majority in parliament now?” 

All three of the people referenced by Mr Harvie have been critics of the Bute House Agreement.

Mr Yousaf thanked Mr Harvie and his co-leader Lorna Slater for their time as ministers. 

He added: “I think both parties can take great pride in what the Bute House Agreement has achieved in almost three years.”

Labour demand early Holyrood election

Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, demanded an early Holyrood election. 

Speaking at First Minister’s Questions, Mr Sarwar told Humza Yousaf: “The people of Scotland didn’t vote of this, First Minister. The people of Scotland didn’t vote for this mess and this chaos. 

“ So isn’t it time to end the circus and call an election?” 

The SNP leader replied: “Of course the country will be going to the polls, I hope sooner rather than later, in a general election.”

The next Holyrood election is not due to take place until May 2026. 

Scottish Labour accuses Humza Yousaf of showing ‘weak leadership’

Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, accused Humza Yousaf of showing “weak leadership”. 

Referring to the exit of two Green MSPs from the cabinet today, Mr Sarwar asked at First Minister’s Questions: “With this government’s record of failure and incompetence, people across Scotland will be asking why have only two ministers lost their jobs today?”

The SNP leader responded by talking about climate change. 

He suggested Labour lacked credibility on the issue and accused the opposition of “political cowardice” and “hypocrisy”. 

Tories tabling vote of no confidence in Humza Yousaf

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross has announced he is tabling a vote of no confidence in Humza Yousaf following the collapse of the SNP’s coalition deal with the Greens.

Mr Ross told First Minister’s Questions that Mr Yousaf, who now leads a minority government, was a “lame duck leader”. 

Mr Ross said: “I can confirm today that on behalf of the Scottish Conservatives I am lodging a vote of no confidence in Humza Yousaf. He is a failed first minister. He has focused on the wrong priorities for Scotland.

“He has governed in the SNP’s interest and not in Scotland’s interest. He is unfit for office. Shouldn’t this be the end of the road for this weak first minister?”

Mr Yousaf replied: “The Conservatives are nothing if they are not predictable. Here is an opportunity for oppositions to show what they are really made of. Do they want to come together with ideas... or are they going to play, as Douglas Ross has demonstrated, political games and they will be judged very poorly on that.” 

Douglas Ross labels Humza Yousaf a ‘lame duck first minister’

Douglas Ross said: “There is no defence at all. We said from the very beginning this was a coalition of chaos and it has ended in absolute chaos. 

“Humza Yousaf’s government is in crisis, it has unravelled. He has abandoned the platform he stood on. He claims it is now a new beginning but really it is the beginning of the end. 

“Isn’t Humza Yousaf a lame duck First minister?” 

Mr Yousaf replied: “What an astonishing set of accusations to come from a Conservative. For a Conservative to even utter the words chaos.”

Douglas Ross labels Scottish Greens ‘extreme’

Humza Yousaf told Douglas Ross that the Tories were “on the brink of an absolute and almighty thumping from the electorate and they deserve nothing less”. 

The Scottish Tory leader then told Mr Yousaf that the Scottish Greens had “never belonged anywhere near the Scottish government”. 

“Humza Yousaf should have ditched this extreme party on day one of his leadership ,” he said. 

Mr Ross asked: “At what point in the last 48 hours did it come to its natural conclusion or did Humza Yousaf panic because the extreme Greens were about to jump before he could dump them?” 

Mr Yousaf replied by pointing to the measures rolled out by the SNP in recent months, including a council tax freeze and the removal of peak fares on the Scottish railways.

SNP-Green coalition deal has ‘turned to dust’, says Douglas Ross

Douglas Ross, the leader of the Scottish Tories, told Humza Yousaf that the SNP leader had previously described the coalition deal with the Scottish Greens as being “worth its weight in gold”. 

Mr Ross said: “Today it has turned to dust.” 

He suggested that the Greens had been correct in describing Mr Yousaf as “weak”. 

The SNP leader repeated that the Bute House Agreement had “served its purpose” and it had lasted “19 Liz Truss’s”.

He said: “Let’s remind Douglas Ross that our record is one that we can stand on and one that we can be proud of.”

Up next: Humza Yousaf faces FMQs at noon

Humza Yousaf will face his weekly grilling at First Minister’s Questions at Holyrood shortly. 

Douglas Ross, the leader of the Scottish Tories, and Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, will both be hoping to capitalise on the collapse of the SNP’s coalition deal with the Scottish Greens. 

Border control ‘has never come for free’, says Cleverly as Rwanda Bill becomes law

The Home Secretary has insisted spending money on the Rwanda scheme was “absolutely worth it” and the Government would “keep those flights going until we stop the boats”.

During a visit to the Italian island of Lampedusa, James Cleverly said managing borders “has never come for free” and told those wanting to delay the plan that there is “nothing moral about allowing people to drown in the sea at the hands of criminals”.

His comments came as the Rwanda Bill finally became law after receiving royal assent, paving the way for deportation flights to get off the ground.

Stephen Flynn: Yousaf has ‘shown leadership in the national interest’

Stephen Flynn, the SNP’s leader in Westminster, praised Humza Yousaf after the Scottish First Minister terminated the party’s coalition deal with the Scottish Greens. 

He tweeted: “The First Minister has shown leadership in the national interest. 

“As the party for all of Scotland we work to deliver jobs and economic growth, protect the future of our NHS and provide support in a cost of living crisis.”

Rwanda Bill officially becomes law

Rishi Sunak’s flagship Rwanda Bill has officially become law. 

Royal assent has now been granted to the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act, the Lord Speaker has just told the House of Lords.

Bute House Agreement had become ‘political distraction’, says SNP MP

Stewart McDonald, an SNP MP, said the Bute House Agreement had “become a political distraction” and an “obstacle”. 

Mr McDonald argued the collapse of the deal “represents an opportunity for a reset”. 

Here is his tweet: 

I hoped the BHA could have lasted but it had become a political distraction and, in some ways, an obstacle. That being said, the responsibility now falls on us to build the prosperous and resilient Scotland voters want. This represents an opportunity for a reset across all… — Stewart McDonald MP (@StewartMcDonald) April 25, 2024

Kate Forbes: SNP is ‘most electable as a broad tent’

Kate Forbes, the former SNP leadership candidate, told Humza Yousaf the party is “most electable as a broad tent” as she responded to his decision to terminate the Bute House Agreement. 

Ms Forbes tweeted: 

Amidst all the differing views in @theSNP about this decision on BHA by the FM, some delighted & others gutted, it is worth recalling our core objectives: to serve Scotland's people, end inequality, eradicate poverty, govern well & pursue prosperity, like other indy nations. — Kate Forbes MSP (@_KateForbes) April 25, 2024

SNP leader rejects claim of being ‘lame duck’

Humza Yousaf denied that he was now a “lame duck leader”. 

Asked the question at a press conference at Bute House in Edinburgh, the SNP leader said: “No, not at all. This is leadership.” 

Yousaf rejects calls for early Holyrood election

Humza Yousaf rejected calls for an early Holyrood election after the collapse of the coalition deal between the SNP and the Scottish Greens. 

The SNP leader said that Scottish voters had actually voted for an SNP minority administration in 2021. The next Holyrood election is not due to take place until May 2026. 

It was suggested to Mr Yousaf that it was time for a Holyrood election, but he said: “First and foremost, there is a general election, of course, we know it could be any time over the course of this calendar year so we look forward to putting our record very much in front of the people of Scotland and listening to their verdict. 

“And remember the people of Scotland of course voted for the SNP to be the largest party by quite some considerable distance I would argue in 2021. 

“We are of course continuing as an SNP government. They voted for an SNP minority government in 2021. We continue to be an SNP minority government.” 

Humza Yousaf rejects accusation of ‘weakness’

Humza Yousaf rejected claims from opposition parties that the collapse of the coalition deal showed he was “weak”. 

He told journalists at Bute House: “Quite the opposite. It shows leadership.” 

Emotions are ‘raw’ after collapse of coalition, says SNP leader

Humza Yousaf said emotions are “raw” after the collapse of the coalition deal between the SNP and the Scottish Greens. 

A journalists described the collapse as a “very messy break up” and asked the SNP leader how he could run a minority administration if he was unable to keep one that commanded a majority at Holyrood up and running. 

Mr Yousaf replied: “First and foremost, emotions are raw, clearly, in the event of terminating the Bute House Agreement and I want to thank Patrick and Lorna for the substantial contribution that they have made for their country and compromise involves trade-offs. 

“But you have those trade offs because you believe there is a greater benefit. That greater benefit with the Bute House Agreement... was stability in government. 

“It is clear from events in recent days that there was not that stability.”  

Running minority administration ‘will be tough’, says Yousaf

Humza Yousaf conceded that proceeding as a minority administration at Holyrood “will be tough”. 

But he said he was “well used to working constructively with opposition parties to where necessary secure parliamentary support”.

The Scottish First Minister described today as a “new beginning for the SNP in government”. 

“A parliament of minorities need not be, and I would suggest should not be, a parliament of enemies,” he said. 

Yousaf: Coalition deal terminated with ‘immediate effect’

Humza Yousaf said the coalition deal between the SNP and Scottish Greens had been terminated with “immediate effect”. 

But he said he had made clear to the Greens that he wanted the two parties to continue to “work together where we can in the national interest”. 

Mr Yousaf said that “cooperation in any sphere of life is almost by definition a trade off” and previously the “benefits have outweighed the compromises”. 

But he said: “However, it is now my judgement that the balance has shifted. The Bute House Agreement was intended to provide stability to the Scottish Government and it has made possible a number of achievements. 

“But it has served its purpose. It is no longer guaranteeing a stable arrangement in parliament. The events of recent days have made that clear.

“And therefore after careful consideration I believe that going forward it is in the best interests of the people of Scotland to pursue a different arrangement.”  

Being First Minister an ‘enormous privilege’, says Yousaf

Humza Yousaf said that families and businesses are “looking at life in SNP-run Scotland and they are voting with their feet by moving here”. 

He said that being Scottish First Minister is an “enormous privilege and a great joy”. 

SNP making Scotland a ‘better country’, says Yousaf

Humza Yousaf started his press conference at Bute House in Edinburgh by saying that his predecessors as first minister had done “what they thought was in the best interests of Scotland”. 

The SNP leader then proceeded to set out a long list of the measures he had taken since taking the top job, insisting they were making Scotland a “better country”. 

Yousaf press conference due to start at 10am

Humza Yousaf’s press conference is due to get underway at 10am. 

I will guide you through the key developments. 

Collapse of coalition ‘utter humiliation’ for Yousaf, claim Scottish Tories

The Scottish Conservatives labelled the collapse of the SNP-Scottish Greens coalition deal an “utter humiliation” for Humza Yousaf. 

Craig Hoy, the Scottish Conservative chairman, said: “The collapse of this toxic coalition is an utter humiliation for Humza Yousaf, who hailed it as ‘worth its weight in gold’ and continued to back it to the hilt right until the end.

“The First Minister’s judgement is so poor that he couldn’t see what a malign influence the anti-growth Greens have been in government and his authority so weak that he was bounced into this U-turn by his own MSPs.”

Scottish Tory leader mocks SNP over collapse of coalition deal

Douglas Ross, the leader of the Scottish Tories, has mocked the SNP over the collapse of its coalition deal with the Scottish Greens.

Mr Ross tweeted:  

❌ BREAKING ❌ Humza Yousaf's Nationalist Coalition https://t.co/UvCgClGUJi — Douglas Ross MP MSP (@Douglas4Moray) April 25, 2024

Scottish Labour: Yousaf ‘too weak to hold his own government together’

Scottish Labour claimed Humza Yousaf was “too weak to hold his own government together” following the collapse of the Bute House Agreement. 

Jackie Baillie, the Scottish Labour deputy leader, said: “This chaotic and incompetent government is falling apart before our eyes while Scots pay the price.

“Humza Yousaf is too weak to hold his own government together and he is too weak to deliver for Scotland. Three years into the Bute House Agreement the promises the SNP and Greens made have been torn to shreds.”

Furious Scottish Greens accuse SNP of ‘political cowardice’

The Scottish Greens have confirmed the coalition deal with the SNP has been scrapped, accusing Humza Yousaf of an “act of political cowardice”. 

Scottish Greens co-leader Lorna Slater also claimed the SNP had “betrayed the electorate”. 

Confirming the end of the cooperation agreement, she said: “This is an act of political cowardice by the SNP, who are selling out future generations to appease the most reactionary forces in the country. 

“Voters deserve better, Scotland deserves better. Scottish Green voters certainly deserve better. 

“They have broken the bonds of trust with members of both parties who have twice chosen the co-operation agreement and climate  action over chaos, culture wars and division. They have betrayed the electorate. 

“And by ending the agreement in such a weak and thoroughly hopeless way, Humza Yousaf has signalled that when it comes to political cooperation, he can no longer be trusted.”

Labour vows to end ‘short-termism’ on nation’s railways

A Labour government would end the “short-termism” which has held back the nation’s railways over the last 14 years, the shadow foreign secretary said. 

Delivering a speech this morning, Louise Haigh said: “This is our plan to put our railways back on track, to put passengers at the heart of our railways and to hold the railway to account, to make travelling by train accessible and reliable again.

“And to cut the waste and the short-termism that has characterised the last fourteen years of dysfunction.

“It isn’t going to be easy and it will take hard graft. But it will be my mission to get us to the right destination and to deliver for the Great British passenger.”

🚨JUST ANNOUNCED: Labour will create Great British Railways. Under Labour our railways will be: ✅Publicly owned ✅Passenger focused ✅Fit for the future Only Labour has a plan to get our trains back on track: https://t.co/VOW3LmtGpV pic.twitter.com/WePttcKfJD — Louise Haigh (@LouHaigh) April 25, 2024

Renationalising railways will save taxpayers money, says Louise Haigh

Louise Haigh insisted Labour’s plan to renationalise the railways will save taxpayers money. 

Delivering a speech this morning, the shadow transport secretary said: “To reassure both voters who worry that a railway run in their interests will cost too much, and to reassure beloved colleagues in the shadow Treasury team, these fully costed proposals will save the taxpayer money, through efficiencies delivered by eliminating duplicate costs across the network.

“This is an entirely new approach to our railways – and consciously so. There is no future in simply reinventing the past and there is no hope if we remain wedded to the current mess.”

Pictured: Lord Cameron meets students at Astana IT University in Kazakhstan

Starmer vows to ‘fix our broken railways’

It's time to put an end to Tory rail chaos. My mission-driven government will get Britain moving. We will fix our broken railways and put passengers first. — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) April 25, 2024

SNP MP welcomes ‘excellent news’ of Holyrood coalition collapse

Humza Yousaf had been under pressure from some SNP figures to pull the plug on the coalition deal before the Greens did so. 

Joanna Cherry, an SNP MP who called for the break-up of the coalition, tweeted: “If true this would be excellent news. 

“The Scottish Greens have brought nothing transformative to the table on climate change that was actually viable, their science denying response to the #CassReport was disgraceful & their identity politics are toxic.”

SNP leader to formally announce end of coalition deal at press conference

Simon Johnson, The Telegraph’s Scottish political editor, reports Humza Yousaf will formally announce the end of the SNP’s coalition deal with the Greens at a press conference due to be held in the next couple of hours. He sent across this update:  

The First Minister called an emergency Cabinet meeting at his Bute House official residence in Edinburgh at 8.30am this morning to discuss the coalition deal.  Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater, the two Green ministers in his government, were filmed leaving the meeting. Both refused to comment on whether the coalition had collapsed. However, it is understood Mr Yousaf will formally announce the end of the deal - titled the Bute House Agreement - at a press conference later. The sudden collapse follows an unprecedented rebellion by rank-and-file members over the Scottish Government’s decision last week to ditch its keynote target of cutting climate change emissions by 75 per cent by 2030. Friends of the Earth described it as “the worst environmental decision in the history of the Scottish Parliament”. The Rainbow Greens, who represent the LGBT members in the party, also called for the party to withdraw from the Scottish Government over a decision to suspend the use of puberty blockers for new child patients.

Scottish First Minister to hold press conference at Bute House

Humza Yousaf, the First Minister of Scotland and leader of the SNP, is expected to hold a press conference at Bute House later this morning. 

Analysis: Shift to running minority administration raises questions about SNP’s grip on power

The collapse of the Bute House Agreement leaves the SNP as a minority administration at Holyrood. 

There are 129 members of the Scottish Parliament and the SNP is the largest party with 63 MSPs. 

That leaves them just shy of the magic number of 65 needed for a majority. 

The shift to running a minority administration will inevitably prompt questions about the SNP’s ability to get its policies through Holyrood. 

Humza Yousaf’s SNP coalition with Greens collapses

Humza Yousaf’s coalition with the Scottish Greens has collapsed after he decided to scrap their power-sharing agreement, it is understood. The First Minister is believed to have ended the SNP’s coalition agreement, before Scottish Green members had the chance to vote on it next month. Green members demanded the vote after the Scottish Government scrapped its flagship climate change target last week.

Mr Yousaf will now lead a minority government.

Yousaf calls emergency cabinet meeting amid speculation Scottish coalition deal could collapse

Humza Yousaf, Scotland’s First Minister, has called an emergency meeting of the cabinet amid speculation the SNP could end its power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens.

The Bute House Agreement, which was voted for by members of both parties in August 2021, brought Greens into government for the first time anywhere in the UK, and gave the SNP a majority in the Scottish Parliament. 

But a decision to rip up a flagship target to cut the country’s greenhouse gases by 2030 prompted a backlash among the Greens, placing a strain on the coalition deal. 

Members of the Scottish Greens are due to vote next month on whether to end the coalition deal but it now appears the SNP could terminate the agreement before that.

The SNP would be left as a minority administration if the deal collapses. 

Minister claims Labour railways plan is ‘unfunded’

Labour’s plans to renationalise the railways are unfunded and leave questions open about how much it will cost taxpayers, a minister claimed. 

James Cartlidge, a defence minister, told Sky News: “Privatisation led to a doubling of the number of people using our railways. It has been a significant success story, huge investment from the private sector.

“But as I said, if that investment hadn’t come from the private sector it has to come from somewhere, and it would have to come ultimately from taxpayers.

“I think that is the key question about this policy: How much is it going to cost taxpayers? At the moment it is unfunded.”

Labour will ‘sweep away’ existing railway system, says Louise Haigh

Labour would “sweep away” the current railway model as the current system is broken, Louise Haigh said.

Ahead of Labour’s announcement on rail renationalisation, the shadow transport secretary told Sky News: “We know the current model is broken. Anyone who has had to rely on the railways recently knows that very well.

“We have got record delays, record cancellations and routine overcrowding. That is because the system just isn’t set up in a way that works for the passenger.

“So, for too long we have had this really fragmented model that means dozens of operators and interests work against each other rather than work in the interests of the passenger.”

Ms Haigh pointed to the example of delays, which she claimed led to “armies of lawyers” arguing with each other “about whose fault it is and who has to pay for the mistake rather than work out how to fix it”.

She added: “That is why we want to sweep away that model and bring in a unified, simplified, publicly owned railways that can from top to bottom work in the interest of the passenger.”

Labour to bring railways into state ownership within five years of winning power

Train passengers would be automatically refunded for delayed journeys under Labour plans to nationalise the railways.

Louise Haigh, the shadow transport secretary, is expected to announce today that her party will bring trains into state ownership within five years if it wins the general election.

Labour also plans to use mobile phone apps to automate the existing delay repay scheme, which lets passengers claim refunds for rail journeys delayed by more than 15 minutes.

Travellers will also be given a “best-price ticket guarantee” if they use a government-approved app to buy fares.

Cameron denies suggesting Brexit to blame for no asylum returns deal with France

Lord Cameron has denied suggesting Brexit is to blame for an asylum returns deal with France being off the table.

The Foreign Secretary said the Dublin Regulation “no longer exists whether you’re in the EU or out of the EU”.

The regulation, which allowed member states to send asylum seekers to other EU countries, is being replaced by a different system as countries struggle with the scale of migration and are reluctant to accept transfers.

It comes after Lord Cameron said a cross-Channel returns agreement was “not possible” because of “the situation we’re in, because of the attitudes of others and all the rest of it”.

The remarks were widely seen as an admission that he blamed Brexit for the lack of a deal with France but he told the PA news agency during his tour of Central Asia: “No, it’s not that. The situation we’re in is that the Dublin Convention no longer exists whether you’re in the EU or out of the EU.

“The problem is it’s not possible to have that returns deal with France, that’s why we have looked at innovative solutions.”

Labour has ‘no option’ but to match Sunak’s defence spending pledge

Labour has “no option” but to change its position and match Rishi Sunak’s pledge to spend 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence by 2030, a former head of the British Army has said. 

Lord Dannatt said Sir Keir Starmer and John Healey, the shadow defence secretary, will be “pilloried for cutting defence” if they fail to make the same commitment as the Prime Minister. 

Told that Labour had made “positive noises” on the 2.5 per cent target, Lord Dannatt told GB News: “They have. They have echoed Jeremy Hunt in the spring Budget by saying 2.5 per cent when conditions allow. 

“But I am afraid, realpolitik is as it is, that actually if they walk back now from a firm British Government of today’s position of increasing to 2.5 per cent, £75 billion extra by 2030, they will be pilloried for cutting defence. 

“So I am afraid Keir Starmer and John Healey have got no options. They have got to move up to 2.5 per cent, they have got to match what the present Government is saying.”  

Mr Sunak has promised to achieve the spending target by 2030 while Labour has said it would aim to hit the number when economic circumstances allow. 

• Labour pledges to get rail network 'back on track'
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• Gillian Keegan: I'll stop saying trans women are women
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