Galashiels Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
town in Scottish Borders, Scotland, UK
About Galashiels
Galashiels (often shortened to "Gala") is at the confluence of the Tweed and Gala Water, and a little way north of the confluence of the Tweed and Ettrick Water. This puts it astride a natural transport route between Edinburgh and Carlisle, and the rivers were harnessed to power mills, to process wool from the sheep dotting the hillsides above. The local textile industry got going from 1800 and mostly wove high-end products such as tweed and tartan - it couldn't compete in the cheap mass market with the Yorkshire mills. In 1883 a School of Textiles was established, which is now a department of Heriot Watt University. Like other Borders towns, Galashiels suffered from foreign competition in the late 20th century, and became run-down. The low point was the closure of the railway in 1969. It
Top Attractions in Galashiels
Explore the best things to see and do in Galashiels:
- ★Great Tapestry of Scotland
- ★Old Gala House
Where to Eat in Galashiels
Must-try local food and restaurants:
- 🍴Hunters Hall
Where to Stay in Galashiels
- 🏨Kingsknowes Hotel
- 🏨Monorene
- 🏨Salmon Inn
Galashiels Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 11 sections including: