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Visiting Midlothian and the Scottish Borders using the Borders Railway
It's coming up to 2 years - yes I know where has the time gone, since the re-introduction of the Borders Railway making Midlothian and the Scottish Borders even more accessible to visit.
In this time, hundreds of thousands of journeys have been taken, the Queen enjoyed a journey to open the line on a steam locamotive, there has been a number of others Steam Trains trips much to the delight to onlookers and of course, lots of people have used the service to make a visit to places such as National Mining Museum Scotland in Newtongrange and Abbotsford - The Home of Sir Walter Scott, near Melrose.
There are so many great reasons to use the Borders Railway and would be good to hear other peoples experiences and places where they have visited.
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Hi alowlandhighlander,
How lucky we are to have the Borders Railway! My favourite thing is to get the train to Galashiels and go for lunch to the Grapevine which is opposite the station...the food is delicious. Then you can easily get the bus from there to Melrose Abbey or Abbotsford House home of Sir Walter Scott. The Scottish Borders has so much history and the Borders railway has made that so accessible to locals and visitors.
Travelling up to Edinburgh it is worth stopping off at Newtongrange and visiting the Mining Museum. They have a lovely café there and there is so much to see and do for all ages.
Thanks
As a returner to the Scottish Borders after a 10 year absence, I love the convenience the railway offers in both directions :-)
The Border Weaver Bus Service connects the railway station at Tweedbank and Galashiels Monday - Friday to Melrose - a lovely scenic town with Gardens to visit, The Abbey, Roman Connections and fantastic cafes.
https://www.scotborders.gov.uk/downloads/file/218/route_964_border_weaver_newtown_-_bowden_-_melrose_-_gattonside
Even better, at this time of year this service is complemented by the Scottish Borders Hop on - Hop off service, - currently running every day - which covers Abbotsford House, Melrose, Dryburgh Abbey, Scott's View and the Leaderfoot Viaduct - it is possible to walk the viaduct each Sunday with the Trimontium Trust http://www.trimontium.org.uk/wb/ - a real hidden gem and one of my favourite places in the world. Walks are also available (leaving from Melrose) each Tuesday and Thursday, but on a Sunday you get on to the bridge!
http://www.citysightseeingglasgow.co.uk/media/1126/bordersv2.pdf
Into Midlothian the railway allows access both from the Borders and the City to some great family days out.
Get off the train at Eskbank to catch the number 3 bus or a 35 minute walk to Butterfly World at Lasswade; or the newly restored Dalkeith Country Park with Adventure Playground (small admission fee) - 30 minute walk or a number 40 bus.
http://www.dalkeithcountrypark.co.uk/
http://www.edinburghbutterflyworld.com/
#bordersrailway #hiddengems #familyfriendly #publictransport
Based in the Scottish Borders, Aberdeenshire has a special place in my heart.
We'll travel up from southern England to Edinburgh, where we might pop in to Craigmillar Castle (English Heritage members so Historic Scotland properties are free for us), before meeting up with his mother who lives in Morningside. We'll stay with her for a night, then get the Borders Railway to Tweedbank, visit Dryburgh Abbey, Melrose Abbey and Abbotsford before heading back to Edinburgh. After another night with my grannie, it's back down on the train and bus to check out Jedburgh Abbey, Kelso Abbey and Norham Castle. Then we'll bus to Berwick and stay overnight there.
On the last day of the trip we'll go to some of the places of interest in North Northumberland (a selection from some of Lindisfarne, and the castles at Bamburgh, Dunstanburgh, Warkworth and Alnwick) before getting the train from Berwick/Alnmouth/Morpeth/Newcastle back south.
That's the plan, anyway!
https://www.instagram.com/samstevensyrk