The Borders and the Southwest: Places to Explore

Castle Douglas is a quaint town that sits besides Carlingwark Loch. The Loch sets off the city perfectly, reflecting its dramatic architecture: sharp spires and soft sandstone arches. It's a popular base... Read more

Three miles west of Coldstream, the England-Scotland border comes down from the hills and runs beside the Tweed for the rest of its journey to the sea. Coldstream itself, like Gretna Green, was once a... Read more

Like the much larger Aberdeen far to the northeast, Dalbeattie contains buildings constructed with local gray granite from the town's quarry. The well-scrubbed gray glitter makes Dalbeattie atypical of... Read more

Author J. M. Barrie (1860-1937) spent his childhood in Dumfries, and the garden of Moat Brae House is said to have inspired his boyish dreams in Peter Pan. The River Nith meanders through Dumfries, and... Read more

A busy gray-stone Borders town, Galashiels is still active with textile mills and knitwear factories (be aware that these mills and factories do not offer tours or have visitor centers or shops). Nearby... Read more

A peaceful, pleasant backwoods sort of place, Gatehouse of Fleet has a castle guarding its southern approach.... Read more

Innerleithen is one of the larger Borders towns; you'll feel like you've entered a hub of activity when you arrive. It's also dramatically beautiful. Surrounded by hills and glens, the town is where the... Read more

The town of Jedburgh (-burgh is always pronounced burra in Scots) was for centuries the first major Scottish target of invading English armies. In more peaceful times it developed textile mills, most of... Read more

One of the most charming Borders burghs, Kelso is often described as having a Continental flavor—some people think its broad, paved square makes it resemble a Belgian market town. The community has... Read more

Kirkcudbright (pronounced kirk-coo-bray) is an 18th-century town of Georgian and Victorian houses, some of them washed in pastel shades and roofed with the blue slates of the district. Since the early... Read more

Though it's small, there is nevertheless a bustle about Melrose, the perfect example of a prosperous Scottish market town and one of the loveliest in the Borders. It's set round a square lined with 18th... Read more

The bustling town of Newton Stewart is a good place to stop in when touring the western region of Galloway.... Read more

Thanks to its excellent though pricey shopping, Peebles gives the impression of catering primarily to leisured country gentlefolk. Architecturally the town is nothing out of the ordinary, just a very pleasant... Read more

The holiday town of Portpatrick lies across the Rhinns of Galloway from Stranraer. Once an Irish ferry port, Portpatrick's harbor eventually proved too small for larger vessels.... Read more

North of the upper Solway Firth the countryside is flat, fertile farmland. Progressing west, however, a pleasant landscape of low, round hills begins to take over. But there are historical features among... Read more

Selkirk is a hilly outpost with a smattering of antiques shops and an assortment of bakers selling Selkirk Bannock (fruited sweet bread) and other cakes. Sir Walter Scott was sheriff (judge) of Selkirkshire... Read more

Stranraer has a lovely garden and is also the main ferry port to Northern Ireland—if you happen to make a purchase in one of its shops, you may wind up with some euro coins from Ireland in your change... Read more

Whithorn is a tremendously historic town. The main street is notably wide, with cute pastel buildings nestled up against each other, their low doorways and small windows create images of years long past... Read more

More than 20 bookshops, mostly antiquarian and secondhand stores, have sprung up on the brightly painted main street of Wigtown, voted Scotland's national book town.... Read more