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The monks of Dryburgh, from Wilsons tales of The Borders.

This tale was contributed by The Wilson’s Tales Project which celebrated the life and stories of Tweedmouth-born John Mackay Wilson and his ‘Tales of the Borders’ through a series of events for all ages supported by a Destination Tweed Community Grant. The monks of Dryburgh heard the Laird of Meldrum, was dying. Two brethren set […]

On the banks of the Tweed. A poem by J M Wilson (1804-35), author of Wilsons Tales of the Borders

This poem was contributed by The Wilson’s Tales Project which celebrated the life and stories of Tweedmouth-born John Mackay Wilson and his ‘Tales of the Borders’ through a series of events for all ages supported by a Destination Tweed Community Grant. On thy banks, classic Tweed, still my fancy shall wander, Though far from the […]

Following the Festival Threads

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 Old Fisher-Wife

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 […]

Lowry and the Sea

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 […]

The Borders in Books

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 […]