Galashiels is a busy manufacturing town, which grew with the 19th century textile industry. As a result it has several shops specialising in tweeds and woollens. The Peter Anderson Woollen Mill, incorporating the Galishiels Museum, which recalls the history of the town through the ages, offers guided tours of the tartan weaving process and welcomes visitors to the mill shop. Old Gala House, home of the Lairds of Gala for several centuries is now a visitor centre.

Galashiels lies on the route of the 90 miles Cycle Way and also the Southern Upland Way, the long distance footpath that stretches over 200 miles from Portpatrick to Cockburnspath. The town is the ideal starting point for a tour west along the Picturesque Tweed Valley to Peebles from where it is a short distance to Edinburgh. Travelling east the Tweed leads past the Abbey towns of Melrose and Kelso, through the rich farmlands of Berwckshire, stretching to the cliffs of the east coast.

To the south is Abbotsford house, which was built and lived in by Sir Walter Scott. The house contains a fantastic collection of relics, including an impressive collection of weapons and armour, Rob Roy’s gun and Montrose’s sword, and over 9,000 rare volumes in his library. Visitors will be able to see Sir Walter Scott’s study, library, drawing room, entrance hall and armouries, as well as the dining room overlooking the Tweed, which is where Sir Walter died.