Galashiels Guide
Galashiels is a town that’s earned its character — and it’s well worth sharing.
Set along the Gala Water as it heads for the Tweed and shaped by generations of graft, it’s a place where industry met community, with a Jacobean Burgh exploding into a thriving mill town in the 19th century. Decline of the textile mills followed, and traces of that decline can be seen in the town - this is part of The Borders story. There’s a straightforwardness to Gala, no airs or pretence. Here you will find architectural surprises, paths & trails through and around the town and the energy of locals breathing fresh life into streets and gardens.
As a tour guide, I’ve come to appreciate Gala in all its depth, as a town that rewards curiosity. Whether you're hiking in on the Southern Upland Way, down on the train to explore the Great Tapestry of Scotland or simply soaking up the views from surrounding hills, this guide offers practical tips, personal reflections and hopefully a renewed appreciation of Galashiels. Gala doesn’t shout from the rooftops, but walk a little, stay a little and listen a little and it starts to tell you it’s story.
Cover Image: South of Scotland Destination Alliance (SSDA)
Blogs & Podcasts about Galashiels
Arriving & Exploring
Image - SSDA
Train: 2025 marks the 10th anniversary of the Borders Railway. The huge popularity of this route is more evidence of the publics appetite for rail travel. Trains run to and from Edinburgh Waverley every 30 minutes.
Bus: Galashiels Interchange acts as the public transport hub for the Scottish Borders, and is very well served from all directions. Traveline Scotland will allow you to plan your journey here with ease.
Cycling: Gala is on both the National Cycle Network (NCN) Route 1 from Edinburgh and the Kirkpatrick Coast to Coast meaning many visitors arrive by bike, skirting the southern edge of town. Check out the Hike & Bike Hub for more information on routes, and hiring bikes.
Walking: Galashiels is perfect for walkers, with the Southern Upland Way skirting through the town, and surrounding hills offering hikes for all abilities. A spring walking festival brings walkers to the area, and is a great way to learn new routes with guided hikes.
Driving: Galashiels is on the main A7 Edinburgh to Carlisle road. Parking can be found in various car parks around town.
Galashiels through the seasons
As the cherry blossoms burst into colour in Bank Street, Galashiels shakes of winter and steps into spring with creativity, community and plenty of fresh Borders air! The spring Walking Festival, hosted by the excellent Hike & Bike Hub is a celebration of some of the Borders best trails. Bringing together seasoned hikers and curious visitors alike, you can expect a mix of guided walks, social events and wildlife spotting opportunities.
March brings the Volunteer Hall alive with Gala Opera’s latest production. I love a night out at Gala Opera, whether it’s a Broadway classic or a new production, it’s always a showstopper.
For the past few years the business community of Galashiels have come together in the srping with the Heartland Awards. A celebration of community spirit and the commerical businesses in the heart of Gala.
Heriot Watt’s Degree show is something of an underappreciated gem. Held in the historic High Mill at Netherdale, this late-spring exhibition showcases the next generation of designers. A nod to the great Bernat Klein’s legacy and a glimpse into the future.
The Braw Lads season kicks off with Declaration Night in April, announcing the new Braw Lad and Lass to the town from the Burgh Chambers balcony. They are soon in action, with Spurs and Threepwood rideouts in May. Find out more about the Border Common Ridigs and Festivals on my blog.
Summer arrives in The Borders with our traditional festivals taking centre stage. Galashiels is of course no different, though it’s worth noting that their Braw lads gathering is not a Common Riding in the traditional sense. Very much it’s own thing, it was designed to bring wanderers and neighbours to Galashiels for a festival that draws on the rich heritage of the area for inspiration. My personal highlights of the Braw Lads Day itself are the Town Cross Ceremony and Raid Stane, both full of style and symbolism. ‘Better felt than telt’ - next years dates will be shared here once I have them confirmed.
The town leans into its threads — literally — with the Tangled Galashiels Fibre Festival, a community led event where spinners, weavers and crafters gather in a tactile celebration of textile craft. It’s a perfect fit for Gala with it’s rich heritage of textile manufacturing and its status as home to the School of Textiles & Design. 2026 will take place the last weekend in May.
Old Gala House, meanwhile, quietly opens its doors for the summer. A number of permanent and seasonal exhibtions fill the rooms of this storied building, once the home of the Lairds of Gala. But this season however, there’s a bit of weight to its welcome. The venue, like many others in the Live Borders portfolio, stands under the threat of closure. Its summer programming takes on a bit of a different feel - its an invitation to engage, but also a plea not to look away and lose this wonderful building and what it stands for.
For me, Autumn is walking season and the good folks at Galashiels Hike & Bike Hub clearly agree, leading the way with September’s Walking & Wheeling Festival. It’s a gentle call to lace up your boots or check your tyres, offering a range of hikes and rides that wind through Gala and beyond, catering to all ages and abilities.
This is the sweet spot in the year, when the air still holds a bit of summer’s warmth, but the leaves begin to turn and the mist settles in the hollows each morning. It’s the kind of atmosphere that makes you want to linger outdoors a little longer, to explore the familiar with fresh eyes. That’s what these festivals, and their expert guides, encourage you to do.
MacArts, the beating heart of Borders live music, delivers again this season, with everything from indie legends and classic tribute bands to grassroots favourites. It’s bold, it’s brilliant and it’s built on passion. In a time where live music is seemingly constantly under pressure, being squeezed by costs, and often totally silenced by venue closures Gala is fighting the good fight. Tickets are affordable, the atmosphere is great and the acts punch well above their weight. Thanks to MacArts live music in The Borders is worth shouting about.
At the heart of winter is The Heartland Market, which pops up in it’s new home of, fittingly enough, Market Square on the first Saturday of every month. Like many in retail, December always feels like the busiest time (shopping local isn’t just for Christmas!), and there is something special about the festive version. The market is the vision of three local entrepreneurs/business owners and has been a roaring success, helping to bring a real slice of local live back to the streets, where it belongs!
Just across the road, the Pavilion Cinema has a new chapter, now under the wing of Merlin Cinemas, a national operator with a soft spot for heritage venues. After more than 30 years with the Poole family, the baton has been passed, and the good news is Gala’s cinema remains a place where you can catch a blockbuster, munch your snacks and still afford the bus home.
And then there’s the Great Tapestry of Scotland. Yes, it’s perfect for rainy days, but it’s also a year-round marvel: 160 panels of hand-stitched history, crafted by over a thousand volunteers, telling Scotland’s story from prehistory to the present. The building itself is a triumph — a modern, inclusive and accessible gallery, with views to the surrounding hills.
Despite its beauty and ambition, the Great Tapestry of Scotland has faced its share of scepticism — particularly close to home. With visitor numbers sitting around 22,000 annually, it's not reached the fairly lofty projections made at launch. That gap makes it an easy target for a grumble or a disinterested shrug, and in the Borders, where modesty often outruns marketing, enthusiasm can be mistaken for exaggeration.
But here's the thing - every visitor I’ve taken has raved about it. Not quietly impressed but genuinely moved. The stitching, the scale, the storytelling all seem to resonate deeply and often unexpectedly. It’s a dazzling journey through the soul of Scotland, which happens to have been told with needle and thread.
And while it might not be pulling coachloads (yet), it remains one of the most significant paid attractions in the region and a cornerstone of Galashiels’ cultural regeneration. It’s perfect for rainy days, yes, but for me it shines all year round.
So if you’ve heard the moans and murmurs just visit anyway. And maybe, like so many others, you’ll walk out wondering why it took you so long to step inside.
Walks Around Galashiels
(External Links)
Galashiels Hike & Bike Hub
Image - Squarespace
Paths around Galashiels - Scottish Borders Council
Image - SSDA/Duncan Ireland
Town Trails - Galashiels Heartland of The Borders
Image - @tweedvalleyblogger
“Why didn’t I know about this place?”
“This is my life! Burns, The Scotsman, Stanley Baxter, Jute Jam & Journalism”
The Great Tapestry, by my guests…
What some of my guests have said about Gala’s 5 star visitor attraction
“I need to come back, two hours isn’t long enough”
“Put’s the V&A in the shade”
Learn more about Gala
Galashiels is shaped by its people, the everyday grafters who make good things happen! If you’re keen to see how community spirit thrives here, check out the work of these brilliant organisations:
BID for Galashiels - the town’s new Business Improvement District.
Hike & Bike Hub Social Enterprise
Explore Gala with Tweed Valley Blogger
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My favourite way to explore. Meeting at Gala Railway Station, we will enjoy a leisurely paced walk around the town, uncovering its story and secrets as we go. Just £200 for up to 10 people. Learn more and book here.
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Are you keen to explore Galashiels, and the surrounding countryside, in the hands of a five star guide? My bespoke tours are the answer. I will collect you from your accommodation and tailor the day to suit you. Tours start from £450 for up to 4 people (price per tour, not person) and can be booked here.