The monks of Dryburgh heard the Laird of Meldrum, was dying. Two brethren set out to visit him. They arrived to find him dead. They were disappointed. They had been nurturing the laird hoping for a bequest. With long faces the monks returned to their monastery to report the laird’s death. An idea came to […]

On thy banks, classic Tweed, still my fancy shall wander, Though far from the Land of the Thistle and thee, To follow thy course to its latest meander, The place of my birth where thou meetest the sea. ‘Though the memory of those early friendships did cherish, Will fade and is fading, thou still art […]

I took part in the first day of the first River Tweed Festival at Peebles (31 October 2025), which was a joyful celebration of watery creativity and inspiration. The forecast downpours held off long enough for participants to gather beside the Tweed and take a moment to connect to the river, its landscape and its […]

The Tweed has always been filled with legend and folklore. Its shifting currents and mist-shrouded banks inspiring tales that blur the line between history and myth. Such as Thomas the Rhymer, whisked away by the Queen of Elfland near the river’s own banks. Beyond this, stories of restless spirits persist. Spectral fishermen, ghostly horsemen, the […]

That summer morning in 2024, stepping into Berwick with the promise of Lowry and the Sea. The culmination of destinations. Not just my own, but also in the Tweed’s own travels. From the Southern Uplands of Scotland, right through to meet me here. An old friend calling me back. The walk towards the Granary Gallery […]

Books possess a remarkable power to whisk us away to different times and places. The Borders has long been a muse for writers, inspiring them to create enduring poetry, ballads, and literature that beautifully depict our landscape. Sir Walter Scott drew on Scottish history and landscapes to inspire his timeless classics including several books which […]