A short, quiet episode to wish you a very happy Winter Solstice.Today, Sunday 21 December, the Northern Hemisphere reaches its furthest tilt from the sun. It's the deep midwinter moment when the year turns. From here, the light begins its slow return.This wee solstice reflection celebrates that shift and the first bright thread of the year ahead.I also share a little preview of my upcoming “12 Days of Christmas” series - a set of seasonal, reflective posts beginning on Christmas Day over on my Instagram, and later on the blog.If you enjoy stories, rituals and the quiet side of midwinter here in Scotland then I’d love to have you along.Instagram link below.Tweed Valley Blogger on Instagram
A change of pace for the podcast this week, with a suitably spooky ghostly tale for christmas time. This is a famous old story of a gruesome end for a notorious Border Reiver which I hope gives you a wee chill at this time of year when these sorts of nasty tales fit so well!A big shout out is due to Pixaby.com for amazing library of royalty free sound effects which I used to enhance the story.
In this weeks episode I ask an AI chatbot to produce a Borders tour itinerary. The results are interesting and exciting, but I state the case for why I believe the human touch will always win out...This podcast was originally shared as a blog on tweedvalleyblogger.com in 2025
This week I meet Cree and Emma Britee Steer, Innerleithen residents who are on the eve of opening an exciting new co-working space in the town. In the podcast we touch on the evolving role of the High Street, why co-working spaces are becoming popular and what their goals are for the business and community here in the Tweed Valley. Cree and Emma are great fun, and this comes across in our chat which was a real pleasure. I hope you enjoy hearing about their new venture and their hopes for it, as well as our observations on the changing face of our wee town. To learn more about Inner Co Work you can follow them on Instagram (@inner_cowork) or get in touch via email info@innercowork.org.uk Wishing them all the best with this exciting new venture, thanks for coming on the podcast!
A bite sized episode celebrating St. Andrew's Day - our Patron Saint! I share what St. Andrew's Day means to me, offer some of the reasons he became our saint and share a story of a visit to Hexham Abbey where I ponder a 'sliding doors' moment in Scottish and English history. Have a wonderful day of celebrating everything good about Scotland. This weeks episode is based on a blog first published on tweedvalleyblogger.com in November 2024.
This week I head to Selkirk to meet local mountaineer, health & safety professional and all round outdoor enthusiast Gavin Kellett. We cover a lot of ground in this 20 minute or so chat, including Gavin's introduction to the mountains, his thoughts on risk and his work to raise awareness of safety in the hills, particularly with winter and the possibility of avalanches on the way. We recorded on location at The Haining, the country estate in Selkirk which has been owned by the community for the past few years. A cold and damp November morning with rooks in the trees and frosty mud in the fields. Listen out for us being interrupted by an unexpected, low flying guest! Thanks to Gavin for being a great guest, and for everything he does to share his knowledge, enthusiasm and expertise of these special places that are our uplands. See links below for more information on things discussed on the podcast.Avalanche Activity in the Southern Uplands (Facebook)5 year old Faye reaches Ben Nevis SummitTweed Valley Mountain Rescue
I head high into the hills above the Tweed and Yarrow valleys to visit three reservoirs all built in the Scottish Borders to provide drinking water to the city of Edinburgh. I tell the story of how all three came to be built over a century, including some personal reflections and the sad tale of Irish navvies who died making the oldest of the three, Talla. Please find a link below to the short film 'A Different Valley' which shares the story of Megget's construction over a period of 6 years. Megget Valley film - Back to the future: 1979-1989 - National Library ScotlandThis podcast is based on blogs previously shared on tweedvalleyblogger.com
In the second special 'Valley Voices' episode I speak to Fraser Edwards. Fraser has been the Church of Scotland Minister for Innerleithen, Traquair & Walkerburn parish since February 2021. I caught up with him to discuss his first 5 years as minster in the Tweed valley and we also touched on how we met, his background, life in Edinburgh, reactions to Innerleithen's unique Games Week celebrations and his hopes for the church. It was a lovely chat on a VERY cold November morning outside Innerleithen Church, with the sounds of birds tweeting and the background noise of the Caerlee Mill site being cleared hopefully giving the podcast a real sense of place. Thanks Fraser for taking the time to chat to the podcast. Find out more about the Church by following them on Facebook or Instagram (just search ITW Church) or by clicking on their website, link below:Innerleithen Traquair & Walkerburn Church – Church of Scotland – parish of Innerleithen, Traquair & WalkerburnA future for Traquair Kirk website:A Future for Traquair Kirk
A very special episode of the podcast, celebrating the official launch of the Innerleithen Mill Lade Trail yesterday, 15 November 2025. You'll hear about my involvement, my hopes for the trail and also from those involved in it's development, and some of the events and atmosphere of a wonderful opening event on a bright November Saturday in Innerleithen.Here is the link to the Innerleithen 'Dam' movie on YouTube, uploaded by Scottish Cashmere, with thanks.https://youtu.be/gONV7dRGOwI?si=y3y7JzGCvdqq9adBThe trail was made possible thanks to a grant from Destination Tweed, and it will be an attraction on the River Tweed Trail, coming 2028. For more information, click below:Home - Destination Tweed : Destination Tweed
A bonus episode this week, the first in a series of midweek spotlights I am calling Valley Voices featuring the people who shape the Tweed Valley - makers, movers, doers and dreamers!This week I am at Stay Scotland Studio on the High Street of Innerleithen with Juliet Thompson and Ashley Marley. They are co-finders of Inner Wild Retreats, a brand new concept right here in Innerleithen, inviting women to slow down and invest in themselves this winter. Tune in to hear from these two fab people as we sit down in the Stay Scotland Studio. Thanks for having me, and best wishes for a fab day on Saturday 6 December. For tickets and more info, just hit below.https://stayscotland.co.uk/stay-scotland-studio-inner-wild-retreats/PS. If you know of someone who fits the bill for Valley Voices then get in touch :)
A trip to two of my favourite hills surrounding the Tweed Valley. Windlestraw Law & Broad Law won't make any top 10 lists of mountains in Scotland, but join me to find out why they mean so much to me, and what it is that keeps drawing me back to the rounded Southern Uplands.This podcast is based on blogs first shared on tweedvalleyblogger.com in 2022 and 2023.
Looking for low-cost ways to enjoy the autumnal season? In this episode, Stewart shares a handpicked selection of free activities across the Scottish Borders - from woodland walks to heritage sites with no entry fee. Expect coastal wildlife, quiet corners and a few local secrets stitched in.Whether you're planning a visit or just want to explore your doorstep with fresh eyes, this episode is your autumnal guide to slow, meaningful travel.St. Ronan's Wells Audio GuideAutumnal Walks Blog
Join me this week at Glentress Forest, the countries busiest Mountain Bike trail centre, as I tell you a little about Arthur Phillips whose 1980's vision kicked off the MTB business here in The Borders. Arthur seems to be a name that's become a little bit forgotten so here is a chance to learn more about this man and his story. You can read more about him on my blog, link below, and if you are interested in more tales of the history of mountain biking in the Tweed Valley then do come along to the Traquair Film Club on the 18th of January where I will deliver a short talk ahead of two films on the night. More details at the link below.Arthur Phillips on Tweed Valley Blogger.comTraquair Village Hall - Community Film Club
I'm at Neidpath Castle, just outside Peebles this week to tell you about the upcoming Night Tour where you can view this 14th century border tower as the lairds of the past would have - by candlelight! Tickets available on Eventbrite, use the link below:Neidpath Castle - The Night Tour 30 OctoberThe episode also reflects on the role Neidpath has taken as I have shaped my tour guiding career, and the fruitful relationship between me and the castle. Check out the podcast, and remember to share with friends!
This week I go back to the Victorian Era and the wonderful Innerleithen Alpine Club. We learn about the clubs polymath firs t President and local master builder Robert Mathison, as well as the excursions they undertook and the legacy left behind. I hope you enjoy this weeks episode and should you wish to learn more, you can find the Principal Excursions of the Alpine Club in the reference section of Innerleithen, Peebles, Selkirk and Hawick libraries, free for all to read.See you next week on the podcast.This weeks podcast is based on a blog, originally published on tweedvalleyblogger.com
Two exciting pieces of news from The Tweed Valley Blogger Podcast. Firstly, I am moving the podcast away from a pretty haphazard release schedule to weekly instalments. Still bite sized, still sharing my stories from The Borders but now a regular release every Sunday night. Hear more in the episode.You will also hear about my Winter Walk, in Innerleithen on Sunday 28 December. Tickets have sold well already for this event and are limited so here is your chance to learn more about the walk, and why it could the the Twixmas tonic you need. You can get tickets using the link below:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1136113970469?aff=oddtdtcreatorThanks for listening - remember to share this podcast with anyone who is interested.
A bite sized recommendation for three Autumnal walks in the Scottish Borders, paired with a pub for a glass of whatever you fancy afterwards. This podcast is my wee response to our local newspaper missing out The Borders in its own pub walks guide. Let me know what I missed! Links to Walk Highlands for each walk:Halterburn circuit & the Schil, nr Kirk Yetholm Neidpath Castle and the Tweed walk, Peebles Eildon Hills, from MelroseOriginally shared as a text blog on tweedvalleyblogger.com
From the sacred silence of Rievaulx Abbey in Yorkshire, to the small village of Newstead in the Scottish Borders before ending up at Melrose Abbey, this podcast dives into Medieval history, and brings it to the 21st century.I have been inspired to tell this story by the Newstead Village Community Trust and their first ever Sundials Festival (Saturday 7 September 2025). The community is rightly proud of the heritage of the stonemasons, and I hope this podcast and the village's new Newstead Stonemasons Trail will bring this fascinating piece of Borders heritage to new audiences. Links:Dryburgh Abbey Podcast (more on King David I)Rievaulx Abbey (English Heritage)Newstead Village Community TrustMelrose Abbey (Historic Environment Scotland)
For the second in this short series of 'Wilson's New Tales of The Border', I add my own effort to the mythology, paying tribute to 19th century storyteller JM Wilson, with a very 21st century story. This is my version of an unlikely tale which played out by the River Tweed, across a number of years. An escaped domestic goose, who became an unofficial town mascot and source of comfort during the Covid pandemic, in particular for an endearing and unlikely friendship. I am grateful to the goose's owner Glenn for filling is some of the blanks, and the people of Innerleithen whose love for the goose I have tried to put across in this podcast. Do you have a story relating to this goose, or something I have missed or got wrong? Let me know in the comments, lets keep the stories of the goose alive!A text version can be found on my blog at this link “The Goose and The Horse” — Tweed Valley Blogger | Tour Guide | Scottish BordersThe first episode of this mini series of Wilson's New Tales can be listened to here:https://open.spotify.com/episode/5ltXvqwHuHRdzpBWkL3wge?si=1zmiEawFR0qp-rstUZHAzA
A new series of blogs and podcasts, ‘Wilsons New Tales of The Border’. Inspired by 19th century storyteller JM Wilson, I bring one of his tales up to date and add my own to the mythology of The Borders…In this first episode I travel to Elibank Castle, the gaunt ruin which sits romantically above the River Tweed, and re-tell one of Wilson's finest tales - 'The Wife or The Wuddy', better known as Muckle Moothed Meg. This enduring Borders tale of warring families, a kind hearted young lady and an unlikely marriage has been a staple of Borders culture for 400 years. Here, I revisit Wilson's version, adding my own spin. You can also read the story on my blog, link below. Please subscribe to get first listen to episode two, 'The Goose and The Horse', out in a couple of weeks time.Scottish Borders Blog — Tweed Valley Blogger | Tour Guide | Scottish Borders