We think Bonnie Prince Charlie, Mary Queen of Scots and Queen Victoria missed out on Scottish Borders trips by not going mountain biking. The very fab 7stanes mountain bike trail hadn’t been developed in those days of course, but it fills our hearts with mirth to imagine royal Borders visitors hitching up their skirts/kilt and taking off down a mountain. Chortle.
These days, visitors can hire bikes at the Glentress visitor centre to tackle a trail of their own; billowing skirts and colourful kilts optional. Elsewhere for those who’ll hurtle down a mountain on a bike when hell freezes over, campsites in the Scottish Borders are surrounded by outdoor options fit for a queen, like salmon fishing on the Tweed, hiking the Berwickshire Coastal Path or Borders Abbey Way, diving at St Abbs and tramping the shores of St Mary’s Loch.
Bonnie Charlie and Scots Mary have a trail to follow around Jedburgh, the place to pick up tartan and Jethart Snails; Queen Victoria’s favourite nosh Selkirk Bannock should be sampled along with Eyemouth seafood and other Highlands foodie highlights; and any Scottish Borders camping trip worth its salt should make room for a royally good time at the region’s castles, abbeys and stately homes.
