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Did you know that there is a beautiful road trip through the Scottish Borders connecting our fabulous camping and glamping sites Herding Hill Farm and Drummohr? This makes our two campsites the perfect stop overs for a 2-centre luxury camping trip in Scotland. Where else could you combine the might of the Northumberland National Park and Hadrian’s Wall, gorgeous East Lothian beaches and the magnificence of Edinburgh Castle or the shopping delights of Princes Street or George St, Edinburgh?
Whether you journey via the A7 or A68 from Herding Hill Farm you are sure to pass through wonderful Scottish Borders scenery and plenty of excellent Scottish Borders towns so why not take your time as you journey between our two campsites. It’s only around 100 miles or 2.5 hours to make the journey but you would be missing out on so much along the way. The Scottish Borders is perfectly positioned with Edinburgh & The Lothians to the north, Dumfries & Galloway to the West, and Northumberland in northern England to the South. If you choose the A7 for your Scottish road trip to Drummohr you will leave England at Longtown and head North through Dumfries and Galloway via Langholm, Hawick, Selkirk and Galashiels. Of the approximately 100 miles of the A7 between Carlisle and Edinburgh, less than one mile is dual carriageway, and that’s in the centre of Carlisle. This makes for a beautiful scenic drive, best travelled at your own pace.
Sitting on the River Esk, Longtown is situated on the English/Scottish border and therefore has a turbulent history. Longtown is the home to the largest sheep market in England and the first known animal to be infected with foot and mouth in 2001 was traded through the market. It’s close to Gretna Green, home of the famous Blacksmith’s Shop, host to numerous weddings. Gretna Green is most famous for weddings, following the 1754 Marriage Act, which prevented couples under the age of 21 marrying in England or Wales without their parents' consent. As it was still legal in Scotland to marry without such consent, couples began crossing the border into Scotland and Gretna’s reputation as a marriage destination remains to this day. Sadly the Quintinshill rail disaster, the worst rail crash in British history. in which over 220 died, occurred near Gretna Green in 1915. Also sitting on the River Esk, Langholm was known as the “Muckle Toon” as a result of its rich textile heritage. In 1972, the astronaut Neil Armstrong, was made the first freeman and Burgess of the burgh. Thomas Telford was born nearby and worked in Langholm as an apprentice early in his career. The Langholm Common Riding takes place in July and is a popular local festival. Gilnockie Tower is a stunning example of a 16th century Scottish pele tower.
The largest of the Scottish Border towns, on the banks of the River Teviot, Hawick is legendary for its rich textile history and weaving mills especially cashmere, with Johnston’s of Elgin being one of the most famous. There is a fabulous visitor centre where you can learn about the weaving process. The Borders Textile Townhouse is also worth a visit and gives visitors a unique insight into the region’s knitwear and tweed manufacturing history. There is also the Borders Distillery, the first Scotch Whisky Distillery in the Scottish Borders since 1837. Hawick is one of the farthest towns from the sea in Scotland. As well as its reputation for textiles, Hawick is also proud of its rugby connections, with Hawick Rugby club having produced many many international players including the current captain of Scotland Stuart Hogg.
There is much to visit in Selkirk, which also boasts fabulous views. Locharron of Scotland has designed exclusive ranges of fine tartan, tweeds, cashmere and knitwear for plenty of celebrities and its Visitor Centre on the outskirts of Selkirk has fabulous mill tours by private appointment. Lindean Mill Glass is an innovative studio where you can watch the glassblowers at work. When in Selkirk make sure you try the Selkirk Bannock, a delicious fruit cake most famously made by the fifth-generation artisan baker in the town Alex Dalgetty & Sons. It is equally as good toasted. As you head North towards Galashiels, you must stop at Abbotsford, where both house, chapel, estate and gardens are well worth a visit. Abbotsford is the ancestral home of Sir Walter Scott. Abbotsford in celebrating the 250th anniversary of Sir Walter Scott throughout 2021 and 2022. The Visitor Centre has an exhibition space, gift shop and café with a seasonal menu using products from the kitchen garden. As you head closer to Edinburgh the National Mining Museum Scotland where various interactive exhibitions portray what life was like for the coal miners and their families. The colliery ceased production in 1981. There is plenty to keep all the family entertained. A little off route in rural Midlothian is the amazing Rosslyn Chapel, famous for its appearance in Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code.
Dalkeith Country Park is our last recommended stop on your Scottish Border road trip between Herding Hill Farm and Drummohr and is an ideal place to stretch your legs. There are numerous walking and cycling routes as well as the Fort Douglas Adventure Park and Restoration Yard Store, Restaurant & Wellbeing Lab.
