Beautiful as they are, the Highlands were not the only part of Scotland that made Sir Walter Scott wax lyrical. The Scottish Borders, between Edinburgh and the north of England, is a relatively unsung region of dramatic landscapes and atmospheric ruins, sweeping valleys, sparkling rivers and lovely old towns such as Melrose and Kelso. It’s an idyllic, time-warp place to live, offering country pursuits (salmon-fishing on the Tweed, riding, hiking, mountain-biking, golf) and proximity to the cultural delights of Edinburgh.
Yet the Borders have long been overlooked, not least because they’re hard to get to by public transport. The closure of the Waverley railway line in the 1960s left Edinburgh a long commute from Melrose, 39 miles away.
That’s about to change — the old line will be reopened as the Borders Railway by the Queen on September 9, although the first public service runs next Sunday, the culmination of a £294m project that has been in the planning since 1999.
The line has seven new stations, linking Edinburgh Waverley, at the northern end, with Tweedbank, the southern terminus. The latter is a few minutes’ drive from Melrose, the picturesque town near Scott’s former home, Abbotsford House.
Trains will reach Edinburgh from Tweedbank in 55 minutes, bringing Melrose and a huge swathe of the beautiful Borders countryside within easy reach of the Scottish capital. For those who drive to Edinburgh, it will be a welcome alternative, especially in wintry weather.
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“The railway is likely to have a seismic effect on the accessibility of our region,” says Tony Perriam, managing partner at Rettie estate agency in Melrose. “The Borders is a big place, and not many people live here — we can absorb a lot more people and housing. Property prices here are 20%-25% lower than in Edinburgh.”
David Parker, leader of Scottish Borders council, voted for the line to get the go-ahead. “We’ve had more businesses talking to us about relocating from Edinburgh because of it,” he says. “They’ll get premises at a fraction of the cost.”
According to Transport Scotland, the Borders Railway line is expected to contribute £33m to the Scottish economy, which will include tourism and business development. “A lot of towns in the region have struggled since the economic downturn,” says Andrew Meehan, senior researcher at Rettie in Edinburgh. “With a boost to the economy and more demand for housing, an uplift in property values is bound to happen.”
The line may also offset the negative impact of changes in stamp duty, which dramatically increased the tax on properties valued at over £450,000 in Scotland when they came into force in April. James Denne, partner at Knight Frank estate agency’s office in Lauder, a Borders town, is among those who believe it will help. “Once it’s up and running, I’m confident we’ll see more people moving to this area, leading to increased property sales and values,” he says.
Denne moved to the Borders from Kent 28 years ago and brought up his children there. “If you like the outdoors, it’s wonderful for families,” he says. “You get beautiful surroundings, a nice pace of life, good schools and value for money.”
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Estate agents have reported increased interest in homes in the Tweedbank, Galashiels and Melrose areas in recent years. “When work started on the construction in 2013, we had heightened demand for rental properties in particular,” says Alex Inglis, head of residential in CKD Galbraith’s Kelso office. He says many clients want to rent before buying: “We expect to see more letting tenants, as well as buyers, as Edinburgh becomes more accessible.”
The commute will be a pleasant one — a ride through the glorious landscapes that inspired Scott, it should rank as one of the most scenic in Europe. Hopefully, the new housing developments will provide an economic boost without detracting from the classic views. Here’s a sneak preview of the new stations, and of where to buy along the Borders Railway.
Tweedbank
Time to Edinburgh: 55 minutes
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Even without the rail link, the pretty town of Melrose was already one of the most desirable addresses in the Borders; Robert the Bruce’s heart is supposedly buried in the 12th-century abbey, so it’s not short of historical cachet. Only a few minutes’ drive or bus ride from the new Tweedbank station, Melrose will appeal to those who work in the capital, but hanker after an elegant rural address — and taking the train will be quicker and more relaxing than driving.
The new line will also draw more tourists on days out from the city; Scott’s former home is a 20-minute walk from Tweedbank station, which should boost visitor numbers. As befits a town associated with a celebrated author, Melrose holds the Borders Book Festival every June, attracting big names — this year’s line-up included Gordon Brown and Alexander McCall Smith. There’s a handful of decent cafes, pubs, restaurants and shops, and things gets lively in spring, when the town hosts a global rugby sevens tournament.
Prices here tend to be higher than in the rest of the Borders, but the average house price is still only £228,000. For the best four-bedroom detached homes, you’re looking at upwards of £350,000. If you’d prefer a more rural setting, St Boswells and Midlem are pretty villages close to town.
Galashiels
Time to Edinburgh: 50 minutes
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Galashiels doesn’t compare well with Melrose — it’s not as aesthetically pleasing, and suffered economically after its Victorian heyday, when its woollen mills were at the centre of the tweed industry. Borders residents go there to shop, as it’s a good-sized town with branches of many of the big chains. Yet its fortunes could be changing: the new station will give the town a boost, and there’s a grassroots regeneration movement, Energise Galashiels.
This could be a happy hunting ground for first-time buyers working in Edinburgh. Fine Edwardian and Victorian houses typically sell for less than £300,000; head for the Abbotsford Road area, a good-looking residential neighbourhood with some substantial homes. Galashiels is surrounded by beautiful countryside, so rural homes will also benefit from the new station, and it’s only a few miles from Melrose.
Stow
Time to Edinburgh: 42 minutes
A village of only 718 souls, nestled in the Galawater Valley, Stow can expect to benefit hugely from the Borders Railway. Its setting is easy on the eye and it has history — a 17th-century stone bridge over the river and a ruined church from the same period. Though small, it has cultural cred thanks to Stowed Out, an indie music festival staged here in late August.
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Clusters of smart executive homes have spring up in anticipation of the commuter links: look for houses in Stagehall Farm or Craigend Road, both within walking distance of the station. A four-bedroom detached house is yours for about £350,000; for three bedrooms, you’re looking at less than £300,000.
A couple of miles away is Lauder, a historic market town with good pubs, cottages in the centre and new-build homes on the outskirts.
Gorebridge
Time to Edinburgh: 25 minutes
This section of the line is in Midlothian, rather than the Borders, but the scenery is equally bucolic. Like Newtongrange (below), Gorebridge is a former mining town with 19th-century brick and stone terraced houses; developers have been building on the outskirts of both towns over the past few years because there’s a shortage of family homes in Edinburgh, and they can’t build on the green belt closer to the city.
The Borders Railway will bring more demand for these and eventually push prices up; at the moment, new-build three-bedroom houses typically cost between £225,000 and £250,000.
Newtongrange
Time to Edinburgh: 21 minutes
A former mining town, Newtongrange has made a virtue of its industrial past. Miners used to drink at the Dean Tavern, which opened in 1899, and the National Mining Museum is two minutes’ walk from the new station. Dan Brown fans will recall medieval Rosslyn Chapel, six miles to the west, as the setting for the climactic scene of The Da Vinci Code.
You’ll find more traditional terraced houses here than in Gorebridge, with four-bedroom terraces available for about £200,000. Most homes for sale, however, are newish builds, and larger homes are rarely up for grabs.
Eskbank
Time to Edinburgh: 18 minutes
Eskbank is an affluent suburb of Dalkeith, a town southeast of Edinburgh, with quaint stone houses in its historic core and substantial period properties on the edges. Five-, six- and seven-bedroom houses with spacious grounds fetch anything from £550,000 to £1m or more. The station will only add to its appeal.
Shawfair
Time to Edinburgh: 13 minutes
On the southeastern edge of Edinburgh, Shawfair is a new planned satellite town with more than 4,000 homes on 350 acres. It will have three schools, landscaped parks, a health centre, business parks and a supermarket. It’s the largest development scheme ever in the region, and planners hope it will become a commercial hub for south Edinburgh and Midlothian.
The project is in its early stages, and will take 15 years to complete, but the new station is an integral part. Properties in the Millerhill development will come onto the market in October, with four-bedroom homes costing about £360,000 (macmic.co.uk).
Properties for sale
Stow £650,000
Eight-bedroom Cathpair House is deep in Border country, with views of the Muirfoot Hills, but it’s only 1½ miles from the new Stow station and eight from the shops of Galashiels. Set in five wooded acres, the Victorian house has a drawing room with an open fireplace, a billiards room and a conservatory. 0131 240 6960, ckdgalbraith.co.uk
Tweedbank
Aldebank House is a handsome Victorian former manse, and its location matches the five-bedroom house for historic appeal: the period town of Jedburgh is three miles away, Melrose 10, and Ancrum, a quaint village with a primary school, a pub and a shop, is within walking distance. It’s a 20-minute drive to the station. 01578 722814, knightfrank.co.uk