When I think of a holiday destination my mind instantly runs to warm countries with palm trees, sun and blue skies. It’s an instantaneous, involuntary instinct to simply associate a holiday with warmth and more tropical climes. For the first time, however, I decided to go against every instinct and better judgement and headed north instead of south, to a place called Reston just over the Scottish border. A friend of mine had invited me to his house there, and while I was keen to accept I couldn’t help but wonder if the Borders were really a place worth considering for a holiday. But, always willing to visit new places, I packed as many jumpers as I could find and set off to see what it is like.
The first thing that needs addressing is the weather. While Scotland is renowned for less-than-pleasant climate, the borders are a little better on the whole. Having been there several times now, there is a surprising amount of sunshine and blue skies, although you get surprisingly little warmth from it. The main problem is the wind, which is incessant and deeply annoying a lot of the time. Any warmth from the sun is washed away in the torrent of icy wind, and only gets worse as you near the coast. It is not even a seasonal thing but pretty much all year round. I find constantly eating my own hair and walking around in a tunnel of blonde blindness, which wind inevitably causes, quite irritating, but if you like things dependant upon wind, like sailing or kite flying or whatever else there is, then maybe this is the place for you. So my first conclusion is that it is definitely not what I’d consider holiday weather.
However, holidays are made on what there is to do, and for sheer wild beauty this is an astonishing part of Britain. The coast offers a rugged, untamed quality, making you feel like an adventurer washed up in an unknown wilderness. The power of nature is keenly felt near the sea, where the wind and waves combine to smash and smother the shore. The coastal towns of Eyemouth, Coldingham, Dunbar and St. Abbs are all perfect bases from which to explore the coastline. St. Abbs in particular is scenic, while Dunbar and Eyemouth offer boats and opportunities to go fishing or diving (in the summer). On warmer days it is great to stroll along the coast, and visit the local pubs and cafes of the places you pass through. A quick word of warning; don’t make the really stupid mistake of thinking because it’s cold you can’t get sunburnt; I must be the only person to ever get burnt in Scotland, a title I can’t decide whether to be proud of or ashamed. I’m not even ginger so have no excuse.
Another thing in abundance is castles, which are littered, in various states of repair, across the region, owing to the turbulent history between England and Scotland, and earlier with Romans, Saxons and the like. The two castles I liked best were Bamburgh Castle and Lindesfarne Castle. Bamburgh Castle, the ancient seat of the Kings of Northumbria, is an immense structure perched on top of a hill overlooking the town of Bamburgh (I say town, it’s tiny) and the sea. It is quite inexpensive, interesting and very impressive to look at, and offers great views of the beach and coastline. The beach reaching endlessly over the horizon is also worth meandering across, although I ended up smothered in sand because of the wind of course. I was spitting sand out for weeks afterwards.
Lindesfarne Castle is also impressive, resting atop a hill on an otherwise completely flat island. Built in Tudor times, it actually looks as though it is from a more ancient romantic period. It is a castle which bestows an almost mythical feeling upon the island, which already has a lot of mythical qualities; at high tide it is cut off from the mainland, as well as boasting a ruined priory which is still a destination for pilgrims. The Holy Island of Lindesfarne is however the windiest place in a windy region and was utterly freezing when I went; even the sheep shivered. (I know I’ve whittled on about wind a lot but it does get on your nerves after a while). There are numerous other castles and historic sites in the region to discover, including Alnwick Castle, used as an exterior for Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films.
The region doesn’t solely offer up historical sites however; if it is culture and entertainment you are after, Edinburgh is easily accessible from most places, either by car, bus or train. Edinburgh is one of my favourite cities, with a load of things to do from the castle, museums, cinemas, pubs etc. etc. It is a thriving, pleasant and friendly city which is well geared towards tourists (as are the prices unfortunately). Edinburgh is definitely worth visiting if you are nearby as it is such a nice city. The only other major population centre in the region is Berwick Upon Tweed, which boasts a couple of striking bridges, although I must admit I didn’t do too much there for some reason.
Other things the region offers include a load of wildlife and birds. It is not something I know much about but there were hoards of twitchers so there must be something good nearby. There was also seals, otters and other interesting creatures around for you to look at if so inclined.
One final comment is that I was struck by the friendliness of people in the region, particularly in the smaller communities; everyone said hello and how were you doing, which is something you would treat with the greatest suspicion if it happened in London, so was a pleasing change.
Overall then I would say I found going north instead of south a revelatory experience. There was plenty to keep me occupied, great scenery and it was fun to experience a different part of Britain. The weather and climate may leave a lot to be desired but there was enough to do to let you forget, or at least overlook, that fact. I would definitely recommend going there if you have the chance, and maybe in the process break a lifelong habit of going the opposite direction, as I did.
hmm manifesto 