Borders Railway choo chooses tourism

With a recent report revealing that over a third (35%) of people visit the Scottish Borders for the landscape and scenery, VisitScotland is hoping the new Borders Railway, due to open six months today, will be a significant tourism magnet for international and UK visitors.

Scotland’s newest scenic railway, opening on 6 September to the public, marks the beginning of a new route into one of Europe’s most unspoilt regions.

Running between Edinburgh and Tweedbank, the journey will take less than an hour and open up opportunities for visitors to explore Midlothian’s mining past and the Scottish Borders – an area which has an international reputation for exceptional cycling and for its beautiful countryside, famous for inspiring Sir Walter Scott.

In 2013 approximately 4.3 million people visited the Scottish Borders, Edinburgh and the Lothians, spending £1.3 billion (80% was in Edinburgh). It is hoped that the Borders Railway will inspire the 3.4 million people who currently visit Scotland’s capital city every year, to discover, explore and spend time in Midlothian and the Borders

VisitScotland, alongside local authorities and partners, is developing an ambitious, targeted and coordinated marketing programme that brings to life the Borders Railway. With details due to be released in the next few months, this activity will target potential leisure and business visitors from domestic and international markets, encouraging them to visit Edinburgh, Midlothian and the Scottish Borders as part of their Scotland experience.

The campaign (details due to be announced in the next few months), will offer a vital platform for the three regions to showcase new and existing tourism product along the line:

Carriage Culture

• Visitors can follow in the footsteps of Sir Walter Scott, starting in Edinburgh with The Scott Monument and The Writers’ Museum, just off the Royal Mile, before taking the Borders Railway over 95,000 railway sleepers, through the landscapes that inspired his writing. At the end of the journey, there’s Abbotsford, near Tweedbank, where a new award winning visitor centre tells Scott’s remarkable story, from his birth in Edinburgh in 1771 to the cultural legacy he left to Scotland and the world.

Platform to the Past

• The most visited attraction in Midlothian is just a short cycle from Newtongrange station at the mysterious, richly decorated late-Gothic Rosslyn Chapel, made famous when it appeared in The Di Vinci Code novel by Dan Brown and blockbuster movie starring Tom Hanks.

Equestrian Express

• The towns of the Scottish Borders are home to one of the oldest equestrian festivals in the world – the Return to the Ridings. Celebrations of history, music, parades and concerts take place in the eleven towns take part, so those visiting between May and August will see the spectacle of hundreds of horses ‘protecting the boundaries of their town’ led by a leading man.

First Class Fabric

• Fabrics produced in the Scottish Borders, such as tartan, tweed, wool and cashmere have made their way into the collections of some of the world’s top fashion houses including Chanel, Dior and Vivienne Westwood. Visitors can take a bus from Tweedbank station to the Borders Textile Towerhouse in Hawick to see some of the famous textiles and get a glimpse of future trends. Pringle is celebrating its 200^th anniversary this year. Trace the evolution of Pringle, from hosiery manufacturer to cutting-edge fashion brand at a new exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, before taking a trip to the Scottish Borders to buy a new outfit from the source.

All aboard! Adventures

• The Scottish Borders has over 1500 miles of walking and cycling paths. Cyclists can choose between challenging long distance routes such as the 250 mile Borders Loop, or short country rides www.cyclescottishborders.com.
• The British Mountain Bike Marathon Championships are to be staged over a challenging 75 km single lap course in the Scottish Borders, as part of the ever popular Selkirk Mountain Bike Marathon open cycling event, on Saturday 2 May 2015.

Going underground

• People moved to the mining village of Newtongrange from all over Scotland, not for the work, but for the nice houses. Whole families worked in the mines until 1842 when women and boys and girls under 10 years old were banned. A short walk from Newtongrange station is the National Mining Museum, where the mine and local community are brought to life in an underground tour.

Taste on track

• The Scottish Borders are famed for the fabulously fruity Selkirk Bannock, said to have been a favourite of Queen Victoria when she visited the region during her reign. Although bannocks can be found in several areas of Scotland and are usually a type of flat bread, the Selkirk variety is more akin to a fruit cake. The town of Selkirk is the best place to try slice, The Selkirk Deli is short bus ride from Tweedbank and serves its Bannock with tea in china cups, just like the Queen would have enjoyed.

Keith Brown, Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities said:

"The Borders Railway boasts outstanding scenery along its route rivalling the most stunning railway journeys anywhere in Europe.

“Combined with the steam train experience, the new Great Scenic Railways of Scotland initiative, the Great Tapestry of Scotland display planned for Tweedbank and existing attractions such as the National Mining Museum and Abbotsford, we can look forward to the Borders Railway bringing an entirely new and exceptional offering to Scotland’s tourism industry.

“This railway will be a tourism draw in itself, but it will also help Scottish Borders and Midlothian share in the success Edinburgh enjoys as a visitor destination.”

Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland said:

“Railway journeys have captured the imagination of visitors for decades, and to be able to present to the world this magnificent new train line which takes people on a journey deep into the heart of Sir Walter Scott country, is truly exceptional.

“With just six months to go until this - the longest new domestic railway to be constructed in Britain for over 100 years- is opened, it’s time to focus on how we are going to grasp and develop every single tourism opportunity. We will be working with and supporting attractions, accommodation providers, local producers, restaurants and businesses in the vicinity of the Borders Railway to develop news ideas, products and experiences.

“The Borders Railway is a new adventure for visitors to Scotland to experience, and we look forward to welcoming visitors to this impressive new attraction.”

Scottish Borders Council Leader Councillor David Parker said:

“These are exciting times for the Scottish Borders. For the first time in over 40 years our visitors will be able to visit us by train and will arrive a stone’s throw from spectacular attractions such as Abbotsford - the former home of Sir Walter Scott, Melrose Abbey and the Tweed Valley, which is home of world class mountain biking.

“Our bustling town centres are filled with shops and places to eat out and relax, set into the stunning backdrop of the Eildon Hills. Our historic Common Ridings take place from June to August each year and we host major international events such as the Borders Book Festival and the Tour of Britain which will be more accessible to our visitors than ever before due to the Borders Railway.

“We are grasping this opportunity with both hands and extend a warm welcome to all of our visitors in 2015 to join us at this exciting time.”

City of Edinburgh Council Leader Andrew Burns said:

“It’s very exciting to think we are now less than six months away from seeing the return of a proper rail link between the Capital, Midlothian and the Borders.

“This new transport option will greatly enhance Edinburgh’s accessibility to both visitors and commuters from Midlothian and the Borders and we anticipate a significant rise in visits from that region as people take advantage of the convenient new rail link to experience the best that the Capital has to offer.”

Midlothian Council Leader Councillor Owen Thompson said:

“Something great is about to begin in our county. Something I wasn’t sure I’d see in my lifetime – the opening of the Borders Railway in just six months time.

“With some top tourist attractions on our doorstep, we’re already welcoming the world to our great destination. However, the new railway is set to inspire visitors to spend more time in Midlothian.

“Take the National Mining Museum Scotland as an example, money has recently been invested to tell the tale of Midlothian’s great coal mining past.

“Plans are also underway at Buccleuch Estate’s Dalkeith Country Park – a fantastic open space which recently played host to our second Midfest.

“That’s only just the beginning, our council is continuing to work on supporting tourism and the food and drink sectors to ensure we are willing and ready to capitalise on the excellent opportunity we have in front of us.

“We have a bold message to the rest of Scotland, the UK and the world – we are ready now, come and find us.”

ENDS

For more information, images or interviews, please contact:

Kate Turnbull, Corporate Press Manager

0131 472 2324 / 07854 401040

Image: Credit Borders Railway