The Tweed Valley Blogger Podcast

This longer than usual episode follows my 20 plus mile walk from Innerleithen to Ettrick Kirk, a personal pilgrimage in honour of James Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd and founder of St Ronan’s Border Games. The route carried me through the landscapes that shaped his imagination from the very familiar Leithen Valley, on to the Southern Upland Way, across moor and forest to the wide Yarrow valley where...

Turning Threads to Treads - three Scottish Borders walks inspired by the Great Tapestry of Scotland. This episode is an audio version of a blog I was invited to create for The Great Tapestry of Scotland. The piece explores some of my favourite walks across the Scottish Borders and how they connect with the stories told in the Tapestry itself. The Great Tapestry of Scotland is one of the country’s...

This short episode is something a little different. Each month I send an email to my subscribers and for the first time, I’m sharing an audio version :) In this edition I look back at May and talk about recent reflections on my business, Galashiels BID, Peebles Guided Walks, the closure of Haus & Co in Innerleithen and the pride of Hawick Common Riding. It’s a more reflective piece than usual...

This short episode sets the scene for my summer walking tours in Peebles - 900 years in 90 minutes. We begin with the sound of the town itself the quarter bells and the ten strikes of 10am, transporting you to this great town by the River Tweed... If you’d like to join me on a tour, you’ll find booking links below. Eventbrite My website

I’m back on the mic as the tour guiding season kicks into life. In this episode, I share the key insights I took from the recent SSDA (South of Scotland Destination Alliance) Conference — and why they’ve left me feeling optimistic about the future of the visitor economy in the Scottish Borders. There’s a real energy building behind tourism here. You could feel it in the room at the conference, and...

In this episode I continue my Go All In month, celebrating the UKs National Year of Reading. It is a love letter to bookshops - the home of books, ideas, knowledge and fun. Places I have always been happy in, this week I wanted to celebrate them and the people who work in them. This is my third and final podcast on the Go All In theme, thanks to everyone who has engaged so far - keep reading! This...

This month I’m celebrating Go All In , the theme forthe National Year of Reading 2026. It’s a campaign that’s encouraged me to talk more openly about my own reading, which is something that underpins all my work and has shaped who I am.  With half of UK adults no longer reading regularly, and almost half of young adults now “lapsedreaders”, the need to champion reading has never felt more urgent....

This episode is a little different for me. I don’t usually talk about my own reading or personal life in such a direct way, but reading underpins everything I do as a guide, storyteller, blogger and above all a human being. I’m sharing the ten books that made me who I am: the ones that shaped my imagination, my values, my work and the way I see the landscape around me. I have to be upfront and say...

Join me on a journey through the landscapes and stories of the Borders, retracing Robert Burns’ 1787 tour. Often overshadowed by his famous Highlands trip of the same year, this episode shines a light on the places, people and impressions Burns gathered closer to home. With atmospheric soundscapes to bring the hills, rain and towns alive, I explore how the Bard’s footsteps connect with our heritag...

In this week’s episode, I’m sharing a special live recording from Traquair Film Club: a twenty minute version of my longer talk on the history of mountain biking in the Tweed Valley.  In the talk I explore how a relatively quiet corner of the Scottish Borders became a global riding destination, shaped by the landscape, local pioneers and a strong community. I also touch on the exciting news that t...

In this longer than usual special episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes of one of the most exciting creative festivals in the South of Scotland: the Wild Writers Festival , happening across Peebles and the Eastgate Theatre from Thursday 29 January - Sunday 1 February . I’m joined by three of the brilliant people shaping this celebration of words, wild places and imagination: 🎙️ Rich Rowe — Go...

Happy New Year! This episode marks the launch of my new Borders Abbeys Guided Tours - (very) small‑group, premium experiences taking in all four of the Borders’ extraordinary medieval abbeys in one full, story‑filled day. With only four seats per tour and tickets at £110 per person (including abbey entry), these days are designed to be intimate and rooted in the landscapes and stories I love. The...

A short reflection on 2025, as I enjoy the festive break at home. I want to say thank you to everyone who has supported my business and podcast in 2025. Lots to look forward to next year, including my 'Micro Group Tours' starting with the Border Abbeys , dates now available on the website - lots more to follow on this in the New Year with a special launch episode. Remember to follow along...

A short, quiet episode to wish you a very happy Winter Solstice. Today, Sunday 21 December, the Northern Hemisphere reaches its furthest tilt from the sun. It's the deep midwinter moment when the year turns. From here, the light begins its slow return. This wee solstice reflection celebrates that shift and the first bright thread of the year ahead. I also share a little preview of my upcoming...

A change of pace for the podcast this week, with a suitably spooky ghostly tale for christmas time. This is a famous old story of a gruesome end for a notorious Border Reiver which I hope gives you a wee chill at this time of year when these sorts of nasty tales fit so well! A big shout out is due to Pixaby.com for amazing library of royalty free sound effects which I used to enhance the story.

In this weeks episode I ask an AI chatbot to produce a Borders tour itinerary. The results are interesting and exciting, but I state the case for why I believe the human touch will always win out... This podcast was originally shared as a blog on tweedvalleyblogger.com in 2025

This week I meet Cree and Emma Britee Steer, Innerleithen residents who are on the eve of opening an exciting new co-working space in the town. In the podcast we touch on the evolving role of the High Street, why co-working spaces are becoming popular and what their goals are for the business and community here in the Tweed Valley. Cree and Emma are great fun, and this comes across in our chat whi...

A bite sized episode celebrating St. Andrew's Day - our Patron Saint! I share what St. Andrew's Day means to me, offer some of the reasons he became our saint and share a story of a visit to Hexham Abbey where I ponder a 'sliding doors' moment in Scottish and English history. Have a wonderful day of celebrating everything good about Scotland. This weeks episode is based on a blog f...

This week I head to Selkirk to meet local mountaineer, health & safety professional and all round outdoor enthusiast Gavin Kellett. We cover a lot of ground in this 20 minute or so chat, including Gavin's introduction to the mountains, his thoughts on risk and his work to raise awareness of safety in the hills, particularly with winter and the possibility of avalanches on the way. We recor...

I head high into the hills above the Tweed and Yarrow valleys to visit three reservoirs all built in the Scottish Borders to provide drinking water to the city of Edinburgh. I tell the story of how all three came to be built over a century, including some personal reflections and the sad tale of Irish navvies who died making the oldest of the three, Talla. Please find a link below to the short fil...

In the second special 'Valley Voices' episode I speak to Fraser Edwards. Fraser has been the Church of Scotland Minister for Innerleithen, Traquair & Walkerburn parish since February 2021. I caught up with him to discuss his first 5 years as minster in the Tweed valley and we also touched on how we met, his background, life in Edinburgh, reactions to Innerleithen's unique Games Week celebratio...

A very special episode of the podcast, celebrating the official launch of the Innerleithen Mill Lade Trail yesterday, 15 November 2025. You'll hear about my involvement, my hopes for the trail and also from those involved in it's development, and some of the events and atmosphere of a wonderful opening event on a bright November Saturday in Innerleithen. Here is the link to the Innerleithen 'Dam'...

A bonus episode this week, the first in a series of midweek spotlights I am calling Valley Voices featuring the people who shape the Tweed Valley - makers, movers, doers and dreamers! This week I am at Stay Scotland Studio on the High Street of Innerleithen with Juliet Thompson and Ashley Marley. They are co-finders of Inner Wild Retreats , a brand new concept right here in Innerleithen, inviting...

A trip to two of my favourite hills surrounding the Tweed Valley. Windlestraw Law & Broad Law won't make any top 10 lists of mountains in Scotland, but join me to find out why they mean so much to me, and what it is that keeps drawing me back to the rounded Southern Uplands. This podcast is based on blogs first shared on tweedvalleyblogger.com in 2022 and 2023.

Looking for low-cost ways to enjoy the autumnal season? In this episode, Stewart shares a handpicked selection of free activities across the Scottish Borders - from woodland walks to heritage sites with no entry fee. Expect coastal wildlife, quiet corners and a few local secrets stitched in. Whether you're planning a visit or just want to explore your doorstep with fresh eyes, this episode is...