The Great Tapestry of Scotland tells the people’s story of Scotland, but that story stretches far beyond our doors here in the heartland of the Borders.
Discover our home in Galashiels, the once premier textile town, which is steeped in Scottish history and culture, just 55 minutes from Edinburgh by direct train. This 3-day itinerary brings together a selection of local attractions, hidden gems and local recommendations. Everything listed here is either in Galashiels or within easy reach of the town, most within an hour’s drive. Stay a little longer, explore a little further and step inside our story…
Nestled in the heart of the Scottish Borders, Galashiels is the perfect base for a weekend that takes you far beyond our gallery walls, into abbey ruins, Roman forts, medieval battlefields, historic mill sites and some of the most quietly spectacular countryside in Scotland.
Our Tapestry tells Scotland’s story. The Borderlands let you step inside it…
Getting Here: Easier Than You Think
You don’t need a car to experience Galashiels and beyond: direct ScotRail trains run from Edinburgh Waverley to Galashiels in around 55 minutes, with up to 31 services per day. The Borders Railway is one of Scotland’s great scenic rail routes, winding south through Midlothian into the Borders landscape. On arrival, the main bus station is directly across from the railway station, with regular bus connections to Selkirk, Hawick, Peebles, Melrose and other towns across the Borders.
How to get to Galashiels?
- Direct ScotRail train from Edinburgh Waverley
- Journey time: approximately 55 minutes
- Frequency: up to twice hourly
- Book via the ScotRail app or scotrail.co.uk
Day One: Start With the Story
The Great Tapestry of Scotland
Discover the highly acclaimed Great Tapestry of Scotland in our award-winning visitor centre. It is one of the world’s largest community art projects, with 160 hand-stitched panels depicting shared memories of 420 million years of Scottish history. From the Ice Age to Andy Murray’s Wimbledon victory, and the Jacobite Risings (made famous in recent times by the Outlander TV series), to the invention of the telephone, Scotland’s entire story is here, told in extraordinary, meticulous detail by over 1,000 people from across the country.
Planning to stay for the weekend? Our new 2-Day Ticket is made for you.
For just £18, the 2-Day Ticket gives you two visits to our Tapestry visitor centre within seven days, a saving of £8 on two standard day tickets.
This ticket allows you to spend a morning soaking up the compelling stories within our Tapestry, and return the following day to linger over the details that stay with you. From the panels that reveal themselves more fully on a second visit, to those that remind you of a loved one, a place, or a moment from your own past – so often visitors tell us that one visit is not enough and that they find themselves drawn back time and time again to explore more.
Lunch at our Stitchers Café
After your first visit, our Stitchers Café is the natural next stop. Serving fresh, seasonal food prepared with locally sourced Scottish produce, it is far more than a visitor centre café. Well-behaved dogs are welcome in the café too. However, only guide and assistance dogs are permitted in the Tapestry Gallery.
Follow the Thread: Galashiels and Beyond
The Tapestry’s panels make an ideal guide to where to go next. Several of the stories stitched into those 160 panels are rooted in places within a short distance of the gallery, including:
- Old Gala House: Set in beautifully maintained grounds, Old Gala House was once home to the Lairds of Galashiels. With over 400 years of history, the house is now a museum and gallery which tells the story of the town and its people, as echoed in our centre’s Welcome Panels and the town’s Fox and Soor Ploom emblem The Great Tapestry of Scotland. (Panel 19)
- The Mercat Cross: Continuing that local heritage, just a short walk from the centre, you will find The Mercat Cross, a traditional symbol of a Scottish village or town’s trading status and marked their right to hold a regular market or fair. This is the location of the Mixing of the Roses Ceremony, which is part of the town’s famous Braw Lads’ Gathering, which is held every June. This specific ceremony commemorates the 1503 marriage of King James IV to Margaret Tudor. The alliance sought to establish peace, but King James later died fighting Margaret’s brother at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. (Panel 40)
- Hike and Bike CIC: In the spirit of Kirkpatrick Macmillan who invented the early bike, you could hire a bike or follow one of the trails recommended by this brilliant social enterprise. (Panel 90)
- Gala Rugby Club: If our story dedicated to Scottish Rugby leaves you wanting to see some real life touch downs, well you’re in luck as the Borders is Scotland’s rugby heartland. Whether you watch a match or explore the history of Gala RFC connects directly to the sport’s deep roots in this region. Visit their website for the latest match details. (panel 102)
- Gala Fairydean Rovers: With our panel celebrating Scotland’s World Cup, did you know Galashiels is home to national footballing legends John Collins, who scored a goal for Scotland against Brazil in the 1998 World Cup? To this day John is an ambassador for the local footballing club Gala Fairydean Rovers. Head down to Netherdale to watch a match or even just to see the stadium designed by the great Scottish architect, Peter Womersley. Visit their website for the latest match details. (Panel 150)
- MacArts: If you’re feeling envirated after seeing our panels telling the stories of Scotland’s music, comedy and performing arts scene, Galashiels’ own community-led historic arts venue, recently crowned Scotland’s Best Small Live Music Venue at the Scottish Live Music Awards, brings some of the best live performance and creative energy to the town centre. Check out their website or social media channels for their latest programme. (Panels 144 and 147).
Discover more ways to explore Galashiels at Galashiels Heartland of the Borders.
Day Two: Return to the Tapestry, Then Explore Further
A second visit with fresh eyes
Return to the gallery for your second day out . This is where your 2-Day Ticket earns its keep. Maybe you have a specific panel, era or theme you’d like to explore more – maybe the Royal Family in Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots, textiles and the Wool Trade, or Scotland’s story in North America. The Tapestry rewards slow, repeated looking. You might even discover a Scotland In Focus display or a temporary exhibit in Gallery 1420 or simply sit with the panels that moved you most on day one.
Explore the Borderlands
Use your afternoon to follow our threads beyond Galashiels. Everything below is within an hour’s drive and is featured in The Great Tapestry of Scotland:
- Selkirk Cluster: Selkirk, Philiphaugh, Bowhill House, Waterloo Monument
- North: Melrose, St Boswells, Kelso
- East: Duns, Coldstream, Eyemouth, Siccar Point
- South: Jedburgh, Hawick
- West: Innerleithen, Peebles
History & Heritage
- Trimontium Roman Museum, Melrose: This immersive visitor experience brings to life the stories of the Romans who lived in the largest fort north of Hadrian’s Wall.(panel 10)
- The Borders Abbeys: Melrose, Jedburgh, Dryburgh and Kelso, magnificent medieval ruins all within 30 minutes by road or bus from Galashiels. Robert the Bruce’s heart is thought to be buried at Melrose Abbey. (Panel 22)
- Mary Queen of Scots House, Jedburgh: Discover the dramatic life of one of Scotland’s most famous monarchs. (Panel 44)
- Traquair House: One of Scotland’s oldest continuously inhabited houses, near Innerleithan, with deep connections to Mary Queen of Scots and the Jacobites (panels 44, 58 and 60)
- Smailholm Tower: A dramatic peel tower referenced in the Tapestry’s Reivers panel, and an early inspiration for 19th century novelist Sir Walter Scott.(panel 45)
- Philiphaugh, Selkirk: Stand on the quiet riverside site where the 1645 Battle of Philiphaugh changed the course of the Civil Wars (Panel 52)
- The Waterloo Monument: a striking 150-foot tower located at Peniel Heugh near Ancrum in the Scottish Borders to commemorate the Battle of Waterloo, which marked the end of the Napoleonic Wars. The location also marks the spot where The False Alarm featured in our Tapestry started. (Panel 80)
- Abbotsford House, Melrose: The extraordinary home of Sir Walter Scott, a man who is said to have put Scotland – and its iconic kilted identity – on the map. (Panel 82)
- Bowhill House, Ettrick Valley (near Selkirk): The Duke of Buccleuch’s family home. Sir Walter Scott loved this House so much that he named it ‘Sweet Bowhill’ in one of his poems. It still offers a fantastic family day out to this day. (Panel 82)
- Coldstream Museum, Coldstream: Explore the proud military heritage of the Coldstream Guards, who played a pivotal role in both World Wars.
Textiles & Craft
- Borders Textile Towerhouse, Hawick: Learn more about the story of Borders tweed, weaving and mill-working. (Panel 86 and 107)
- Lochcarron Mill, Selkirk: Tour a working Scottish mill and see the wool trade brought to life (Panel 23 – stitched in Kelso).
Walking, cycling, riding & the outdoors
- St Cuthbert’s Way: A long-distance walking route from Melrose to Lindisfarne, following in the footsteps of one of Scotland’s most beloved saints. (Panel 13)
- Siccar Point: The dramatic clifftop site where geologist James Hutton first recognised “deep time” and changed the science of geology forever. (Panel 74)
- The Cross-Borders Drove Road: A historic route used by drovers for centuries, echoed in the Tapestry’s Droving panel. (Panel 51)
We’re incredibly lucky to be surrounded by so much natural beauty and stunning landscapes. The list of walks, cycles and horse rides you could do is almost endless.
Where to Eat & Drink in Galashiels
The Scottish Borders is home to some exceptional food and drink. These are just a few highlights within easy reach:
- Stitchers Café, Galashiels: Fresh, local, award-winning. Start and end your days here.
- Café Auberge, Galashiels: A French restaurant right next door to the Tapestry, with an Auld Alliance feel that would not be out of place in the gallery itself.
- Main Street Trading Company, St Boswells: Books, homewares and an excellent café, a destination in its own right.
- Twelve Triangles, Melrose: Artisan baking and beautifully crafted coffee.
- Cocoa Black, Peebles: Award-winning chocolate and patisserie, well worth the short detour west.
For more ideas.
This blog really is just a snapshot of the wonderful days out you can have in the Scottish Borders. For more ideas of things to see and do in Galashiels and the Scottish Borders, visit Scotland Starts Here or Galashiels Heartland of the Borders.
If you’ve uncovered a fascinating local story or day out that connects to the panels of The Great Tapestry of Scotland and would add to our wider storytelling, we’d love to hear from you at tapestry@liveborders.org.uk.
Everything within reach. Every place part of the story.
The Tapestry tells our story. The Borderlands let you step inside it…