Spending A Day In Scotland’s Debatable Lands
Written by Graeme Johncock
For centuries, a corner of Scotland was known as the Debatable Lands. This frontier land along the English border was too lawless and wild to try and govern from Edinburgh, with powerful local families ruling by the sword instead. Violence spilled into the surrounding area, making for a lot of fascinating, albeit brutal, history to uncover in one short day!
Explore Hermitage Castle
Where better to begin the day than at Hermitage Castle, a foreboding building known as the “Guardhouse of the Bloodiest Valley in Britain”? Today, it feels like a quiet, lonely ruin, sitting a million miles from anywhere. The walls are enormous, with no easy ways to break in, so clearly this is somewhere that expected to have to defend itself. Once home to John de Soulis, this nobleman carried out such despicable acts that he’s said to have summoned up an evil creature known as a Redcap. While the lord of Hermitage was eventually taken care of by the locals, his minion might still be haunting the ruins!
Delve Into The Liddesdale Heritage Centre
The western section of the Scottish-English border doesn’t get much attention, but it’s packed with fascinating stories. Small, local museums are often the best places to find those and the Liddesdale Heritage Centre is no exceptions. For a very small entrance fee, discover the history of this war torn borderland, the Border Reiver families who lived and died here, as well as how daily life in Liddesdale has changed over the centuries.
Admire The Milnholm Cross
It’s easy to drive right pas the Milnholm Cross without ever realising that it’s there! Quietly standing in a field near the road, this 700-year-old memorial remembers an important member of the Armstrong family, with their crest carved into the top above a long sword on its shaft. When evil John de Soulis murdered a local man, Alexander Armstrong stepped in to stop the crowd from tearing him apart, insisting that the nobleman be tried for his crime properly. To thank him for his intervention, Soulis invited his saviour to Hermitage Castle for dinner. It was a trap to eradicate the only witness to the crime whose testimony really mattered, but at least Alexander’s bravery and mercy are remembered by this cross, erected near his grave!
Lunch at First Bite - Langholm
Langholm is one of the main bases in the area and First Bite is always my pick of the spots for lunch, especially if it’s a nice enough day to sit out the back in the sun. Make sure to save space for one of their cakes!
Walk The Duchess Bridge
It’s always worth stretching the legs after a hearty lunch and this stroll through the woods alongside the River Esk is just the right length. Cross the elegant Duchess Bridge and enjoy the easy walk through woodland and beside the river. You should complete the circular in less than an hour!
Climb Gilnockie Tower
Gilnockie Tower is the ancestral home of the Armstrongs, a simple but striking fortified tower. Inside you’ll find plenty of information about arguably the most powerful of the Border Reiver families. At one point, it was thought the Armstrongs could raise 3000 men in battle, so it’s no wonder that royal authority struggled to make an impact here! There’s also a more modern connection, with the story of the world’s most famous clan member visiting the tower in 1972 – Neil Armstrong. The first man on the moon stood atop Gilnockie, looked out over his ancestral land and felt a deep connection with the area that he never forgot and there’s a whole section dedicated to this space hero.
Visit Gretna Green
End the day just a stone’s throw from the border with England at Gretna Green. While the Debatable Lands might have been a place of conflict and danger for centuries, this specific spot has become famous for love instead. The old blacksmith at Gretna Green was a destination for runaway couples! In 1700s England, couples had to be over 21 or have their parent’s permission to get married and the ceremony could only take place in a church. However, the rules were different in Scotland where the age was drastically lower and a simple wedding could take place anywhere. As the first place over the border, Gretna Green became synonymous with elopements, usually taking place at the old blacksmiths. It’s still a place for weddings and vow renewals, but anybody can visit and learn about this quirk of history in a beautiful location!
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