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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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