Some excerpts from the website of Sunnybrae that might be useful
Galashiels lies in a valley where the Gala Water meets the Tweed. The town lived for many years on a prosperous textile industry. Old Gala House, home of the Lairds of Gala for centuries, is now a museum and art gallery set in landscaped
gardens. Gala Aisle nearby, the burial place for the Lairds since the 17th Century, has recently been restored. The magnificent figure of the Border Reiver by local sculptor Thomas Clapperton marks past Borders history at the
centre of the town. The Tweed Cycle Way runs through Galashiels from Berwick to Biggar offering long
trips. The 4 Abbeys route will suit short distance cyclists and gives geat views of Border scenery. For long distance walkers the Southern Upland Way passes through the town and St Cuthbert's Way ends nearby in Melrose. Closer to Galashiels there are opportunities for those cyclists and walkers looking for less strenuous exertions. More details below. Two miles east of the town, Sir Walter Scott financed the building of Abbotsford House by the Tweed from writing his Waverley novels. Open to visitors, there are many artefacts on display. To the north of Galashiels is the village of Stow whose history goes back to early Christian times and with some association with King Arthur. Nearer to Edinburgh lies Rosslyn Chapel linked to the Knights Templar of the Order of St John of Jerusalem. Among its many strange unique features is the intricately carved Apprentice Pillar said to hide the resting place of the Holy Grail. Local Amenities and Places of Interest. Old Gala House and Scott Gallery. Gala Aisle. Abbotsford House. Melrose Abbey. Galashiels
Golf Club. Torwoodlee
Golf Club. Soutra Aisle Priorwood
Garden Dried Flower
Shop, Melrose. The Trimontium Exhibition Melrose. Lindean Mill Glass. Pavilion Cinema. Historic Homes and Castles. The Borders' place-names reflect successive waves of invaders. Ancient fortifications, battlefields, castles, towerhouses and ruined abbeys are the essential backdrop of the region, as evocative now as they were to writers in the past. The frontier was always hotly contested and for a long time was beyond either Scottish or English law being ruled under its own Borders; Law. This was the stamping ground of the border reivers, those horse and cattle thieves and murderers, who featured in the Border ballads. The Visitor
Centre at Jedburgh Abbey gives an insight into the harsh daily life of medieval canons. Hermitage Castle in Liddesdale is a brooding example of the martial side of King David;s reign. If you prefer the tranquility of later times, try Traquair, the oldest inhabited house in Scotland, with links to Mary Queen of Scots, the Jacobite Risings with oldest working brewery still producing its own Beers. The Edwardian Manderston at Duns, has a unique silver staircase. Mellerstain a great Georgian house with interiors by Robert Adam. Floors Castle Kelso, is an extravagant castellated fantasy and Abbotsford was home to Scotland's greatest novelist and antiquarian Sir Walter Scott. Bowhill near Selkirk, home of the Duke of Buccleuch hidden deep in woodland, has priceless paintings; Thirlestane Castle at Lauder exuberant Restoration ceilings; Ayton Castle, baronial in red sandstone, overlooks the border near Berwick; Paxton House near Berwick is a Palladian mansion designed by Adam and furnished by Chippendale. Other places to visit. St Ronan's Well Interpretive
Centre Innerleithen Smailholm Tower Smailholm near Kelso Hume Castle Hume near Kelso. Neidpath Castle Peebles Ferniehirst Castle Jedburgh James Hogg Exhibition, Bowhill House near Selkirk. Many Border towns and villages, have short walks which will show you the history and architecture of the place with viewpoints of the surrounding areas. The Border forests such as Glentress, Cardrona, Yair, and Craik, have networks of footpaths with separate trails for mountain
bikes and horses. These walks range from short strolls, of an hour or so, to longer walks of three or four hours. There is also a coastal walk between Lamberton to Cockburnspath with high sandstone cliffs, many small coves and natural harbours and is a must for Birdwatchers with St Abbs Head a National Nature Reserve where you might see kittiwake, fulmars, guillemots, gulls, cormorants and even puffin. The 4 Abbeys Cycle Route is a 55 mile circular route linking the abbeys of Melrose, Dryburgh, Kelso and Jedburgh. The Tweed Cycleway is a waymarked cycle route, 89 miles, from Berwick to Biggar, avoiding busy roads almost entirely. The Coast and Castles route runs from Newcastle upon Tyne to Edinburgh, 200 miles. Mountain Biking Forest Walks. Glentress provides an interesting diversity of wildlife with good routes for walkers and spectacular runs for the off-roader of all grades of expereince. Hire
Bikes are also available for visitors who just want to 'have a go'. Other Forests of the Borders include Craik Forest climbs from 200m (654ft) at Craik Village to over 450m (1470ft) and is well waymarked. The Red Route uses part of the International Standard competitive circuit - not for the inexperienced. Caberston Newcastleton Elibank Traquair is the largest in the Tweed Valley. The climb to the top of Minch Moor gives magnificent views all round. Yair Cademuir Thornielee - good walks and the wood carving of Muckle Moo'ed Meg. Cardrona Swinnie For more information on Glentress and links to these other Forests click on. For other cycling information click.
Gardens and
Beauty Spots. Peace and tranquillity, bursts of colourful blooms and exciting environments we have hidden gems like the arboretum at Dawyck Botanic
Garden near Peebles or picnicing in the woodland and mature
gardens of Paxton House near Berwick. Monteviot House
Gardens Jedburgh Kailzie
Gardens Peebles Edrom Nurseries Coldingham Conundrum Farm Trail and Fishery Berwick-Upon-Tweed Mertoun
Gardens St Boswells. Dawyck Botanic
Garden Stobo Harmony
Garden Melrose Harestanes Visitor
Centre Harestanes Countryside Visitor
Centre Jedburgh Teviot Smokery And Water
Gardens Kelso Priorwood
Garden Dried Flower
Shop Melrose. The Borders; rich history is brought to life in the region;s museums. The past is all around as you enter the chilly cell of the town jail, a replica of a fisherman;s cottage, a 19th century ironmonger;s
shop or the brooding Drumlanrig;s Tower in Hawick, a stronghold of Border warfare from the Middle Ages. Old Gala House and Scott Gallery Galashiels Robert Smails Printing Works Innerleithen Halliwell's House Museum Robson Gallery Selkirk Robert D Clapperton Photographic Trust Selkirk Sir Walter Scott's Courtroom Selkirk The Jim Clark
Room Duns Tweeddale Museum and Gallery Peebles Coldstream Museum Coldstream. Hawick Museum Scott Art Gallery Hawick Drumlanrig's Tower Visitor
Centre Hawick Mary Queen Of Scots Visitor
Centre Jedburgh Jedburgh Castle Jail Museum Jedburgh Eyemouth Museum Eyemouth Liddesdale Heritage
Centre Newcastleton Berwick Barracks Berwick-Upon-Tweed. Just over an hour's drive from Galashiels there are TWO World Heritage Sites. 1. Started in 1785 by David Dale as a new industrial settlement with cotton-spinning mills and tenement housing for the workforce it was one of the largest cotton-manufacturing
centres in the UK. Under the management of Dale;s son-in-law, Robert Owen, New Lanark became a model community as he used the profits to finance social and educational reforms to improve the workers' lives. The cotton-mills continued in production until 1968. 2. The most important monument built in Roman Britain. It is the best known frontier in the Roman Empire a lasting reminder of Rome's glories. Designated a World Heritage Site in 1987, it ranks alongside the Taj Mahal and similar wonders of the world. Other Places withing easy travelling of Galashiels include:- Lady Victoria Colliery. Newtongrange Midlothian a museum of Mining history. See Scotland's largest
steam engine, listen to stories of work in the mines from ou...
All
rooms are double glazed with
central heating, colour
TV and
tea or
coffee making facilities. We are
non-smoking establishment. There is private off-street
parking for cars at the bottom of the
garden and for cyclists and Bikers we have secure garaging for overnight storage of machines. We are a pet-friendly establishment and children are also welcome. For direct bookings our rates are £24 to £26 per person per night and £28 to £30 for single occupancy. These rates includes a full
breakfast. A large
double ensuite bedroom. On the ground floor it is suitable for people with mobility difficulties giving level access to the
Dining room with only a single small step at the house entrance. This first floor
double ensuite bedroom has views of the
garden and the valley of the Gala Water. This twin bedded
room on the first floor has
private bathroom facilities immediately next door reserved exclusively for
Room 3's occupants.
Contact Details: Agnes Anderson Sunnybrae 160 Magdala
Terrace Galashiels TD1 2HZ.
Phone: 01896 758042 Email:
bandb@sunnybrae.co.uk. Copyright© 2001 Heron Systems Sunnybrae. Last Updated 30/01/08 D Anderson. Welcome to Sunnybrae Bed and
Breakfast - in The Heart of the Scottish Borders. Over the centuries the Scottish Borders have seen many visitors on their way to battles or in search of a place to stay. They enjoyed the fruits of the land and when times were hard they raided their neighbours across the Border. Fortunately the only Border Raider we have now is the Reiver statue in the town
centre - a reminder of bygone days. Besides the beautiful Border landscape unspoilt by modern development, we have much to offer. Stately Homes, Abbeys, Castles,
Gardens, places of interest reflecting Borders past and present, Sports, Walking, Cycling in beautiful countryside with winding roads to enjoy at leisure in the clear, fresh air. Basing yourself in Galashiels puts Edinburgh and much of central Scotland within your reach too. It's a perfect place to make a relaxing start to your Scottish holiday or to pause and say farewell to our lovely country. At Sunnybrae you will be assured of a warm Scottish Welcome, cosy
rooms and a hearty
breakfast. Central Galashiels - just the spot for a restful holiday break in the Borders.