Selkirk is a typical Borders town with a turbulent history and a famous cake! Selkirk stands high above the Ettrick and Yarrow Valleys. It is a town of braes and wynds, and sudden unexpected views. This historic town can boast some famous patronages: William Wallace was proclaimed Overlord of Scotland in the town's Forest Kirk, while Sir Walter Scott served as Sheriff for 33 years. Halliwell's House, the town's oldest dwelling, is now the local museum.
Selkirk Common Riding, with over 400 riders taking part, is recognised as one of the oldest of the Borders festivals. With its origins in the riding of the marches or boundaries of the town to ensure that they remained intact, the festival also commemorates the Battle of Flodden in 1513. Selkirk sent 80 men with the Scottish King and only one returned, bearing a blood-stained English flag. Another tradition of the town is the Selkirk Bannock, a sort of fruit cake. Three miles west is Bowhill house, home of the Scotts of Buccleuch, a Georgian mansion set in extensive grounds, with beautiful woodland walks and an adventure playground. Its Little Theatre hosts drama and music performances. The twin valleys of Ettrick and Yarrow contain some of the most glorious scenery in the Scottish borders, with St Mary's Loch, southern Scotland's largest stretch of water.
Accommodation Nearby
Nether Whitlaw, Selkirk, Scottish Borders, TD7 4QN
Nether Whitlaw Cottage is the recently upgraded detached cottage on the farm, situated in extensive grounds well away from other buildings and over half a mile from the nearest public road. Nether Whitlaw is an upland stock farm with grazing for sheep and cattle, standing in the middle of an 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty', one of the first areas in Scotland to be so designated.
Cossarshill Farm, Ettrick Valley, Selkirk, Scottish Borders, TD7 5JB
Enjoy the peace & tranquillity of our 1,400 acre hill farm and the flora & fauna of this unique and unspoiled area. An ideal base for touring the Historic Scottish Borders, walking, bird watching, fishing & relaxing away from it all.
Attractions Nearby
Bowhill, Selkirk, Scottish Borders, TD7 5ET
"When summer smiled on sweet Bowhill" -
Sir Walter Scott wrote these words about Bowhill and though many summers have shone and gone since those dreamy days, the sweetness of the landscape remains and is only enhanced by the variety of activities on offer.
Market Place, SELKIRK, Scottish Borders, TD7 4BL
This award-winning museum recreates the building’s former use as home and ironmonger’s shop and also tells the story of the historic burgh of Selkirk. Discover and explore the Selkirk trades and local people who worked in the town of Selkirk. The Robson Gallery hosts regularly changing contemporary art, craft and local history exhibitions.
Philiphaugh Estate Office, Selkirk, Scottish Borders, TD7 5LX
The Salmon Centre is a pioneering visitor attraction that offers a unique fish's-eye-view of the underwater world of the Atlantic salmon using live underwater camera footage and archive footage from the previous months.