A day oot in The Borders… 6 things to do in Galashiels
Galashiels (Gala) is The Borders second biggest town in terms of population, and is also officially the happiest place to live in Scotland! For me growing up, Gala was a place you went to get stuff. Need a new washing machine? Gala. Time for the big shop? Gala. Car needs new tyres? Gala. Couple this with the fact that both my parents spent much of their working life in Gala and I viewed it as a, well, functional and industrial place. Perhaps others in The Borders feel the same, however, there is so much more to Gala than just big shops. Gala is a place I have really come to love and believe it has a huge potential, perhaps as much potential as any town in Scotland, as well as being a great place to spend time in the here and now. Want to find out more, and plan your visit? Read on…
The Burgh and Lairds of Galashiels - Torwoodlee, Old Gala House, Abbotsford & Burgh Chambers
The Burgh of Gala does not have the same Medieval pedigree that other Border towns such as Jedburgh, Peebles or Melrose have. Originally it was a small settlement of scattered farms and huts (or shiels) found on the Gala Water. It does however have history from the time of The Stuart Kings and Queens, and you can still see traces of this today. The Pringles came to Torwoodlee, just outside Gala on the Clovenfords road, in the early 1500’s and have been Lairds of Torwoodlee since. Today the estate welcomes walkers who can view their ruined 400 year old tower, as well as a rare example of a Broch in the South of Scotland. The Pringles were also had a fine residence, now known as Old Gala House. It is Gala’s oldest building and later became the home of the Scott’s when Andrew Pringle moved back to his old pad, Smailholm Tower, and his daughter married Hugh Scott, 1st Laird of Galashiels. Interestingly enough there was a New Gala House, with its own woodlands (policies) but it didn’t last as long as this fine old house which hosts great wee art exhibitions and a permanent display about Thomas Clapperton, a notable local sculptor. Old Gala House opens for the season on 22 June. The Burgh Chambers of Gala are well worth a look, with a very fine tower (representing the fortified towers so common in the region), striking war memorial (Reiver statue built by Thomas Clapperton) and nearby fountain in Cornmill Square, an ingenious use of a former mill lade. A great centrepiece to the town. Finally, no mention of Lairds in these parts can ignore Abbotsford, just across the Tweed and home of Sir Walter Scott, a self made and self appointed Laird. Abbotsford is a Borders must see attraction. These are just some of the stories of Gala’s interesting past, a great way to enjoy them and learn more about how this town developed is to follow the Braw Lads Gathering each summer, where the clever folks of 1930’s Galashiels incorporated these stories and more into a fascinating week of equestrian activity. Find out more about it, and other Border Common Ridings in my post below.
The Border Common Ridings and Festivals — Tweed Valley Blogger | TVB Tours | Scottish Borders
Eats and Drinks - The Salmon, Bulldog Bakes, Luckie Beans & Macari’s
Just across from the fountain in Cornmill Square is my favourite place to eat in Gala, The Salmon Inn. Always evolving with fresh ideas, its a great pub which is always busy. I’ve had more sticky chickens out of there over the past 20 years than I care to remember - a super place for lunch and a pint. For something sweeter, I recently had great cookies from Bulldog Bakes on Channel Street. No getting away from it, Channel Street is a bit tired with big stores having moved out but places like Bulldogs surely has to be the future for Gala, encouraging smaller, local and indie businesses to make our High Streets go to places again. Highly recommended! Gala also has a great coffee roastery, Luckie Beans, tucked away behind Bank Street. You can get a coffee from them directly, or Affogato Joes (also Bank Street). If you grab one on Bank Street then you have the beautiful, volunteer tended gardens to sit in and watch the world go past. You will also find Luckie Beans coffee at events, or if your getting a train at Haymarket Station. A real success story. Finally, if you want a traditional Cafe then look no further than Macari’s. Great selection of meals and snacks, with a secret outdoor seating area… My researches also told me that this year is the 100th anniversary of Macari’s Cafe, what a great achievement. That’s just some of my highlights for eating and drinking in Gala - there are dozens more, to suit all tastes! Let me know in comments who I missed :)
Scotland’s Story - The Great Tapestry of Scotland
The Great Tapestry of Scotland is a brilliantly accessible way to learn Scotland’s story, now anchored permanently in Gala. While I enjoy the stitching and stories of those who made the Tapestry, I have to say that for me it’s the story it tells that is the big draw. Of course Robert Bruce, Tartan, Mary Queen of Scots, Burns etc are all here - but so is so much else, from the Norse influenced far north to the rugby mad Borders. From the Glasgow shipyards to Oor Wullie in Dundee. The rocks beneath our feet to rock and roll in the charts. It’s a great way of learning more about our country which, as you will discover, contains multitudes! Credit must be given to local author and historian Alistair Moffat who drove the narrative of The Tapestry and has given us Scotland’s Story - in one room. My only bone of contention is that it stops with the reconvened Scottish Parliament in 1999. We’ve had a hell of a 25 years since - the story goes on…
The Great Tapestry of Scotland | Scotland's history like never before
Boots on - Hike & Bike Hub, Town Trails, Gala Policies & Gala Hill
Plenty of walking and cycling options around Gala, and your first stop should be the Hike & Bike Hub on Channel Street to get all the info you need and where best to go. This is a small social enterprise promoting the benefits of walking and cycling for health. They also run walking festivals in the town and are keen to develop Gala as a cycling destination to link up the rest of The Borders with the almost self contained cycling ecosystem of Peeblesshire. You can hire bikes here, and they offer servicing and repairs. A wonderful service for Gala. If you want to explore Gala then one of the Town Trails is an excellent way to start. These will cover architecture, history and the new murals which have been added in the past few years, brightening up the town centre. You can find these on the excellent Heartland of The Borders website, run by Energise Galashiels Trust (link below). For a more energetic hike, head for Gala Hill. Various routes will get you there, but my favourite would take me through The Policies of New Gala House (now demolished), using the Southern Upland Way before crossing a minor road on to the wooded Gala Hill itself. From here you can follow paths round the hill and drop back on to the Sothern Upland Way back into town. Its worth a detour to the top of the wooded hill as it’s recently been felled, giving views that haven’t been available in decades.
Galashiels Heartland of the Borders – Heartland of the Borders
MacArts & The Picture Hoose
MacArts is a live music and arts venue inside an old church in the town, and they have an excellent and varied programme of entertainment. They are inclusive and accessible, with something for everyone on their upcoming bills. Small venues like this are the lifeblood of the arts and it’s important that they are supported, especially when times are tough. What I really like about this place is they are great at ensuring acts finish on time to allow people to get a train or bus home. That might sound a bit obvious but in areas like The Borders, these things matter! For 2024 MacArts is one of the venues for Tangled Galashiels - a weekend celebration of the wonders of yarn, so integral to The Borders. You can check that out on 31 May & 1 June.
Gala is home to the Borders largest cinema, the four screen, independent Pavilion Cinema. It’s had many guides down the years but there has been a cinema on this spot for more than 100 years. ‘Galae Picture Hoose’ shows all the latest Hollywood movies, as well as live theatre and other special events. It will always hold a special place for me as the first trip I remember going to the cinema was here (when it was just one screen), for Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade - surely one of the finest films ever made and an awesome spectacle for 7 year old me :)
MacArts community and performance venue in Galashiels Scottish Borders
Indie Shops & Market!
I mentioned earlier that Gala is well known for its big, practical shops and has two muckle supermarkets in the town centre. While this has been the end of certain mid sized shops in the town, and left Gala with an issue in terms of large, empty shops, it has seems to have galvanised a growing number of small, independent businesses. Couple this with a Textile University Town, known for entrepreneurs and makers, plus an upcoming town centre Business Improvement District ballot (see link below), and you can see yet again the potential that exists in Gala. I hope planning and politics can aid the town in reaching that potential... For now, you have great options of quirky, wee shops in Gala that are well worth your support, here are a couple. The Wee Souk just across from The Tapestry sells homeware and accessories, prioritising women makers from Tunisia and the UK. Round the corner is Vintage Besoms (great use of the word Besom!), a mother and daughter business sourcing treasures which still have more to give. Bringing together loads of small business is the hugely successful monthly Heartland Market (created by three local entrepreneurs Esther from Luckie Beans, Lauren from The Colourful Edit and the incomparable Emily from McGowan Marketing). Taking place on the first Saturday of the month (except July where its the second) , the market showcases ‘artisan makers, bakers and shakers’.
There’s an energy in Galashiels, being driven by engaged townsfolk, with the textile past proudly woven throughout and it’s exciting to see what this auld toon will come up with next…
Hope you enjoyed this blog, and are planning a day oot in Gala this summer! The town has half hourly rail connections to Edinburgh Waverley, as well as bus and active travel routes across The Borders.
Image Credits: South of Scotland Destination Alliance (Cornmill Square & Great Tapestry), @tweedvalleyblogger
