Photos and the City

Category: Nature

Eyemouth

On my last day in the Scottish Borders, I boarded another bus and drove about 2 hours towards the coastline to Eyemouth – a tip I got from Ruth, who I had photographed at Scott´s View. I originally had planned to go to St. Abbs, but that was even further away and had less buses going there – it has to wait for another time.

Eyemouth is a small town on the coast of the Scottish Borders and about 13 km north of Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Fishing at Eyemouth dates back to the 13th century and the harbour is still active with its colourful fleet. Like other coastal communities in the 18th century, smuggling was rife amidst the clusters of houses, narrow wynds, caves and underground tunnels. (Visit Scotland)

Eyemouth lies along a sandy bay within steep cliffs and offers a beautiful walk along the cliffs towards St. Abbs.

Eyemouth Fort

Above the village, you´d find the remains of a former fort – Fort Point, the first Trace Italienne style fortification in Britain built in 1547 and finally demolished in 1559.

View in direction of St. Abbs Head – I will come back for that!

10/12/2019
Smailholm Tower

Sited high on a rocky outcrop, Smailholm is a small rectangular tower set within a stone barmkin wall.

This 65 ft towerhouse was built by a well-known Scottish Borders family in the first half of the 15th century, and today you can enjoy stunning views of the surrounding countryside from Smailholm Tower’s battlements. (Visitscotland.com)

Karina and I had a photoshoot in Galashiels and were looking for a bit of nature as a second location and that brought us to Smailholm Tower, lucky for me, I´ve probably hadn´t visited it otherwise.

a place that inspired Sir Walter Scott. Ancestors of the great Romantic novelist had called the tower home, and Scott learned the power of border ballads as a young infant living on the estate. (Historic Environment Scotland)

Smailholm Tower is a 20m high tower house built by the Pringles family in the first half of the 1400s as a border stronghold. The tower was closed on the day we visited but the view from up there must be stunning!

Smailholm Tower was designed, in common with all Scottish peel towers, to provide its occupants with protection from sporadic English raids. The tower was attacked by English soldiers in 1543, 1544 and again in 1546, when the garrison of Wark Castle sacked the tower and carried off prisoners and cattle. The castle was successfully defended against the English in 1640, by Sir Andrew Ker of Greenhead. (Wikipedia)

26/11/2019
Scott´s View

Between Galashiels and Melrose lies this iconic view of the Scottish Borders – Scott´s View – a favourite of Sir Walter Scott.

The story goes that he paused to admire the view so often during his travels that his horses soon learned to stop at the viewpoint without command. When Scott died in 1832, his funeral procession passed the viewpoint on its way to Dryburgh Abbey (where Scott was interred), and it is said that his horses stopped out of habit, allowing their friend to have one final look at the Borders landscape he loved so dearly. (Atlas Obscura)

From Scott´s View, you´ll have an overview over the River Tweed valley and the three peaks of Eidon Hill, a remainder of volcanic activities in the Scottish Borders.

I was only able to enjoy Scott´s View thanks to Ruth (and Bingley) – a photographer herself Ruth stepped in front of my camera and we drove up to the viewpoint after our photoshoot along the River Tweed. Ruth not only wanted to have some images with Bingley, her lovely dog but also bring out her wedding dress for a little “glam the dress” photo session. Doesn´t the look like they stepped out a Scott novel?

19/11/2019