Free things to do in The Borders
The Borders is a great place to be all year round, but personally I feel it comes into its own as autumn kicks in. Misty mornings, colourful woodlands and cooler days really suit this part of the world. Most Borderers also love a bargain (not to stereotype!), so without further ado here is a totally arbitrary and personal list of great things you can do this autumn for free.*
*Most of these places have the option of leaving a donation, please do if you can!
Bill McLaren Centenary Exhibition
Nobody has done more to represent the Borders to the world over the last century than the late Bill McLaren. To this day, more than 20 years since he retired, I can still go down a YouTube rabbit hole listening to his iconic commentary from the golden age of Rugby Union. A brand new exhibition celebrating his life opens on 4 October, in his beloved Hawick. The Exhibition is in the town museum, within Wilton Lodge Park which is a lovely space in autumn, with russet and golden leaved trees lining the River Teviot.
Image courtesy Live Borders website
St. Ronan’s Wells Gardens
I had to include something in Innerleithen! The Wells Gardens are very worthy of inclusion, a peaceful and beautiful space on the flanks of Lee Pen, with gorgeous native woodlands behind and the historic pavilion in front. The gardens are tended entirely by volunteers and include a number of plants which will stay in bloom well past summer, making it a perfect stopping point on an autumnal walk. You can also find out about the enduring legend of St Ronan and how he banished the de’il to hell to create the sulphurous well! This year they have made it more family friendly with sandbox, a fairy trail and treasure hunt for the wee ones. The volunteers meet on a Thursday so stop and say hello if you can.
St. Abbs Head - Grey Seals
St. Abb’s Head National Nature Reserve is a wonder of Scotland. There are natural treasures here all year round, but as autumn trips towards winter you can see Grey Seals gather on the Berwickshire beaches, preparing to mate. This is a spectacular sight in itself, but there is so much more on offer and going slightly off season will work in your favour - less of us humans about... The reserve is in the charge of The National Trust for Scotland, and there is a £3 charge for parking, however access is free and members don’t have to pay for parking.
St. Abb’s Head - National Trust
Chambers Institute, Peebles
An old favourite of mine, as is the man who paid for its construction, William Chambers. You can read more about him here
The institue hosts the Peebles library, including the unexpected Parthenon friezes, which were locked away for decades. There are also two excellent art exhibitions on at the moment. Identity:Abstracted by local artist Muriel Prince runs until 28 October and explores the relationship between our possessions and identity. Upstairs you’ll find an exhibition by Liz Douglas. Her interpretation of landscapes are staggering, and the exhibition is all the more poignant as she sadly passed away in 2022. This exhibition runs into the New Year.
Autumnal Walks
There’s no better time to go for a woodland walk than autumn, with colours popping all over the place, crunchy leaves under feet and the hint of wood smoke on the breeze. Of course if you are like me there is usually also the hint of a nappy to be changed or moaning bairn wanting carried, but let’s focus on the romantic image! There are loads of great walks in The Borders, of course, but two I’d recommend to really get the autumn vibes are Neidpath Castle and the Lady’s Walk at Bowhill, by the Yarrow Water (entry charge for parking at certain times of year).
Mary Queen of Scots House
This is a long established museum, a short walk from the car park in Jedburgh. It’s ideal for anyone into history, telling Mary’s eventful and tragic story in a really quite moving way. It focuses on her stay here in Jedburgh, as guest of the Kerr’s. During this stay she undertook a very dangerous ride to Hermitage Castle, deep in Liddesdale and home to the fearsome Elliot’s. The story is told brilliantly using an audio tour which only costs a couple of quid and is well worth it. By the end you might agree with my own personal view that Mary was both pivotal in Scottish history, while being entirely peripheral. For a full day out you can double up with Jedburgh Castle Jail, also free, and up the hill. For lunch I’d recommend Simply Scottish. You can also gape at the mighty Abbey for free (from behind the railings!)
Scott’s View and Wallace Statue
Is Scott’s View the best viewpoint in The Borders? I’m not sure, I reckon Talla gives it a strong run for its money. Either way, it’s a superb spot to take in the Borderlands with The Tweed meandering through stunning woodland and Eildon Hill’s distinctive three peaks in full view. The name comes from Sir Walter Scott who admired it so, and the legend goes that the horses pulling his coffin stopped here, one last time, as they took him to rest at nearby Dryburgh. Just down the hill a bit is the curious William Wallace statue. I’m on record as saying I don’t especially care for the way the statue looks, but I love that it’s there and often find myself wandering along the well made path to look at the sandstone monster. It used to actually be quite spooky, as it suddenly loomed at you out of thick trees, but it’s all been expertly landscaped now and is being well cared for - please chuck a few coins in the donation box.
Hawick Playpark
One for my fellow parents! There are great new playgrounds in a lot of Border towns, but Hawick’s is head and shoulders above the rest. The council call these new parks ‘Destination Play Parks’ and the Hawick one does fit the bill. It’s in Wilton Lodge park so has parking, toilets and cafe all within reach. Plus it’s huge, and if your fed up playing with the kids you can go and see the Bill McLaren exhibition I mentioned earlier!
Galashiels Heartland Market
OK, so once you get to the market it isn’t going to be free as your likely to spend a fortune, but it’s free to browse! This market has been a huge success for Gala, providing a showcase for brilliant local makers and breathing life back into Channel Street. It’s not unheard of for traders to be sold out within an hour of opening, showing the support there is for this market, and how Gala desperately wants to support it. There are four in the run up to Christmas (2 September, 7 October, 4 November and 2 December), get yourself along to see some exceptional local produce. My personal hope is that the Heartland Market could have a Christmas special and run for several days as, to be honest, the city centre Christmas Markets are a bit naff - I reckon we could do it better in The Borders, setting a higher standard.
Salmon!
As we get into autumn you can expect Atlantic Salmon to be making their way up stream throughout the Tweed catchment. It’s one of nature’s greatest accomplishments, and if you know where to go you can see it in the flesh. There are some great hotspots to watch them leap, I especially like ‘The Cauld’ here in Innerleithen where salmon and sea trout propel themselves up the dam used to feed the mill lade. But my recommendation is to get along to Philliphaugh near Selkirk, where the salmon viewing centre is open all year round, with autumn the best time to see them migrating up Ettrick Water. While you are there you can also explore great walks on the estate, find out about the Golden Eagle project and get a very decent bowl of soup at The Waterwheel Cafe, my personal number one lunch stop in the Borders.
There you have it, a nice round 10 free things to do in The Borders. I could have added more - but I’ll maybe save them for a winter version!! I hope these provide a wee bit of inspiration, let me know if you decide to try any. A big shout out to Live Borders, who provide many of these free attractions and give a great service to us in The Borders. They are worth supporting :)
