Often overlooked by visitors, southern Scotland is unspoilt and has lots to offer – rolling hills, small market towns, and historic houses.
Some highlights
- The Border Abbeys. Romantic ruins are all that is left of the four historic Border abbeys at Melrose, Jedburgh, Kelso and Dryburgh. Nonetheless they are architecturally beautiful, fascinating to visit, and give a real insight into monastic life in medieval Scotland.
- The south west is Burns Country. Discover why the poet Robert Burns is still so popular today, 250 years after his death, and visit his cottage and the places which inspired some of his most famous poems.
- Like the great outdoors? Southern Scotland has some of the world’s best mountain biking trails, or you can fish world class salmon rivers like the Tweed and the Nith. Explore the countryside including Galloway Forest Park, a Dark Sky park and one of the best places in Europe to observe the night sky.
I use all of these, all the time! My granny used to tell me I was “as thrawn as a bag o’ weasels” when I was a wee girl 😂💙🏴The Scots language has words for things no other language bothered to name.
Dreich — that specific grey, damp, miserable weather that isn't quite rain but isn't quite not rain either. The English say "overcast." The Scots say dreich, which sounds exactly like it feels.
Thrawn — stubborn in a particular way. Not just obstinate. Twisted, contrary, determined to do it the wrong way on purpose. There is no English equivalent because English speakers apparently gave up trying to describe this personality type.
Glaikit — vacant. Dopey. The expression on someone's face when the lights are on but nobody is home.
Couthie — warm, friendly, comfortable in a homely way. The feeling of a kitchen that smells like baking and has a dog asleep by the fire.
Wheesht — be quiet. But with feeling. Haud yer wheesht is the full version, and it means be quiet right now and I mean it.
Scunnered — utterly fed up. Beyond tired of something. A level of exasperation English doesn't have a single word for.
Every language reveals the priorities of the people who speak it.
Scottish priorities, apparently, include very specific weather, very specific stubbornness, and very specific silence.
Which one is your favorite? 👇
#ScottishHistory #ScottishHeritage #ScotsLanguage #ScottishWords
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Hope everyone has been enjoying the antics of the Tartan Army over in Boston for the World Cup! Glad to see the Glasgow tradition of putting cones on statues is alive and well across the pond 😂⚽️🏴The Scottish fans didn't just bring bagpipes and beer to Boston.
They brought traffic cones for the statues too.
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