Hawick The Floral Border Town With Great Views
Image: C D Strickland/Shutterstock.com
If you find yourself exploring the Scottish Borders. love flowers, history and have a penchant for fine quality Knitwear, then Hawick has to be on your to-visit list. The town its self is fairly centrally located, about 15 miles north of the Border, but is one of the furthest Scottish Lowland towns from the sea. So if its beaches you want, expect a long drive. It is located on the meeting of two rivers, the Slitrig and Teviot (great if you like fishing).
It’s the largest town in Roxburghshire with a population of around 14,000 and boasts an impressive High Street and a spectacular Town Hall. Its population has been declining of late due to the loss of traditional industries, however, it has a lot of character with a history stretching back to the 5th Century. It is noted for the number of red sandstone buildings it has and of course, it prides its self on its floral displays, which often win awards.
If that sounds appealing then read on and see what else this quaint border town has to offer. Starting with, a little bit of history…
Brief History Of Hawick
Hawick is thought to date back to a settlement founded by the Angles in the 600s. This is plausible given its position by two rivers – providing water and a degree of extensibility. However, the proper foundations of the town were laid in the 1100s when a Norman family the Lovells was granted lands in the area by King David I (who ruled Scotland from 1124 -1153) They built a large wooden castle here and the remains of the Motte & Bailey can still be found in the town.
Times Of Trouble
Being smack bang in the middle of the disputed borderlands meant that the town suffered significantly from the then frequent wars that raged between England and Scotland in the 14th & 15th Centuries. For example, most of the towns fighting age men died at the Battle of Flodden Field in 1513. Ironically this ill-conceived battle in which King James IV of Scotland died led to one of the towns finest historical moments when a year later the “boys” of the town fought off an English raiding party. To this day the victory is commemorated via the annual “Common Riding” event, and there is also a statue on the High Street.
Horse and rider statue
Image: dvlcom/Shutterstock.com
In 1570 the town was pretty much burned to the ground when the Earl of Surrey, Thomas Howard, invaded. He pursued a scorched earth policy, taking everything of value and burning the rest. Only a single building the “Black Tower” remained standing after his army left. Despite this Hawick rose phoenix-like from the ashes to become a major industrial centre focussed on textiles.
The Textile Age
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By the mid-1600s Hawick had become one of Scotland’s leading textiles producers. Initially, it was mainly the hand knitting of socks plus some spun wool and linen, but by the early 1700s hand power was largely replaced by water power and soon the town had 50 textile mills! Drumlanrig’s Tower now the oldest standing building in the town was also constructed during this period.
Hawick Today
Hawick is still a town in decline population-wise anyway, however, things are looking up. In 2018, Hawick became home to the Borders Distillery, which is the first legally sanctioned whisky distillery to open in the region since 1837. It is also benefitting from the growth in traffic on the A7 between Carlisle & Edinburgh, and of course, some luxury textile brands are still synonymous with the town, with Pringle & Lovat Mill both having large retail outlets in the town.
So now we are up to date let’s gave a few interesting facts:
Not A Lot Of People Know That…
- In the days of horsepower, the Edinburgh to Carlisle stagecoach changed horses at Hawick
- In 1785 an Italian called Vincenzo Lunardi made the trip from Glasgow to Hawick by hot air balloon. Apparently, it took two and a half hours, a lot less than a coach would have taken.
- Hawick is twinned with Bailleul, a small town in Northern France that is famed for being the birth town of French Film Director Bruno DumontÂ
- Scottish Retro Sweet brand “Hawick Balls” originated in the town.
- Three times Masters winner Sir Nick Faldo, who is an honorary member holds the Hawick Golf Course record with a round of 64! Try beating that even with a handicap.
Hawick Balls – The town even has its own Sweets.
Famous Hawick Locals
William Pollock (Bill) McLaren CBE. BBC commentator known as ‘the voice of rugby’, and loved by all fans of the game. He even has his own memorial statue in the Town located in Wilton Lodge Park.
Dame Isobel Baillie. Famed Opera Singer (Soprano) who in 1933 became the first British singer to perform at the Hollywood Bowl.
John Brunton Daykins. Who fought in WWI and was awarded the Victoria Cross (the highest honour for bravery). Daykins Drive is named after him in the town and his medals are in display in the York and Lancaster Regimental Museum in Rotherham.
Jimmie Guthrie – Motorcycle racer who was 4 times Grand Prix Champion and 6 times TT winner. Who sadly died at the German Grand Prix in 1937.
James Paris Lee. Weapons designer whose work led to the development of the Lee-Enfield rifle, the stalwart gun of the British Army for nearly 100 years.
Places to visit.
For a small town, there is a surprising amount of attractions and we don’t just mean for shoppers, although they are well catered for. Here are a few things to consider:
Hawick Museum – located in Wilton Lodge Park is a hidden gem. Its been on the go since 1910 and not only offers an inside into Hawick’s history but also has exhibitions on most of the year and for Motorcycle fans there is exhibits focussing on the towns two champions Jimmie Guthrie and Steve Hislop.
The War memorial is right next to it so you can take them both in. There is plenty of free parking and admission is free, although we would suggest making a small donation to help keep this marvellous museum going.
Speaking of Wilton Lodge Park, well a visit to the town is not complete without perusing the wonderful gardens on display here, to say its picturesque doesn’t do it justice! If you love tree-lined walks drives and waterfalls surrounded by walled gardens and loads of flowering trees then this is the spot for you. There is just over 107 acres to explore so don’t forget your camera as there are loads of selfie opportunities.
In Hawick
If you prefer to stay in the town centre then pop into the Borders Textile Towerhouse, where you can discover the history of the towns textile industry and a bit about the tower itself, which is probably the towns oldest remaining building. It is also home to an impressive display of paintings by the acclaimed Scottish watercolourist, Tom Scott.
Finally, if you like a drop of the hard stuff take the Borders Distillery tour. At the time of writing (2020), this costs £12 but is well worth it as you not only get to see how they make their range. This includes Single Malt Whiskey, Gin & Vodka, but you also get to sample a dram or two at the end of it. Booking in advance is recommended.
Things To Do & See When In Hawick
If you want to go shopping for knitwear, watch Rugby or Football, or just enjoy a bit of old fashioned historical tradition then Hawicks the place to be. Here are a few things you might want to consider doing…
Join In the Common Riding Celebrations
Come and enjoy Common Riding week, which has been listed as one of the best parties in the world! This combines the annual riding of the town’s common land boundaries with the commemoration of a victory of local youths over an English raiding party in 1514. Copious quantities of alcohol is involved but it is surprisingly good-natured, as are most events in Scotland. You can check out next years event schedule here.
Even the rain can’t stop the Common Riding celebrations.
Image: C D Strickland/Shutterstock.com
While you are here you may as well visit the town hall which is not only an attractive building complete with clock tower but also well-appointed comprising two halls and a decent size buffet room. There are often events here including concerts and shows as well as more community orientated events.
Go Shopping
The highstreet is rather impressive for a small town with a nice eclectic range of small shops as well as some factory outlets. If you are looking for knitwear then you have come to the right place!
Go Bird Watching
If you are a twitcher at heart, then Hawick would make a good base for a birdwatching holiday. Although the Ospreys at the Tweed Valley are probably the biggest draw (around 50 minutes drive away) there are several less frequently seen birds that frequent the area. A 25-minute drive will get you to Ale Water Valley which is home to around 10% of Britain’s Water Rail population, and the Ale River which flows through it is home to a healthy population of Dippers.
Throw in such other less frequently sighted birds like Meadow Pipits and Stonechats (in season) and you have the makings of an ornithologists dream. Don’t forget your binoculars though as there is no easy place to hire them locally.
Nearby Ale Valley gives you one of the best chances of seeing the secretive Water Rail.
Image: Nitin Chandra/Shutterstock.com
Hawick Sporting Teams
Sporting wise Rugby Union takes pride of place in the town thanks to the historically successful Hawick Rugby Football Club who play at the 5,000 capacity Mansfield Park. They have been around (usually winning things) since 1885. Although they no longer command the crowds of old (over 10,000 was not unknown for a touring team visit) they still sometimes get 2000 plus. There are a number of local derby games on the calendar most seasons. Games against Selkirk, Jed-Forest & Gala springing to mind.
Honours wise they hold 14 Scottish Unofficial Championship titles (including 4 jointly) and since the 1973-4 season when the Scottish Premiership was formed they are the most successful club with 12 titles. They dominated the early days of the competition winning the first five and followed that up by winning an unprecedented 10 in the first 14 seasons! Their most recent win was in 2002 however they remain a force and have over the years 58 players have represented Scotland at International level. Not bad for a small town.
Football
Football-wise the town is represented by Hawick Royal Albert United FC who were formed for the start of the 2019-20 season via the merger of the towns two former clubs. The team currently plays in the East of Scotland League (EOSL) First Division Conference B. The origins of the team can be traced back to its original formation back in 1947. Since 1963 they have played their home games at Albert Park, which has a 1,500 capacity with seats for the first 500 if they so desire.
They may not have the honours collection of their Rugby playing neighbours, but they have enjoyed some success, having won the EOSL three times – most recently in 1973-4 and of course, they have played in the Scottish Cup proper on numerous occasions.
Hawick Royal Albert’s Moment of Glory
Their best run was reaching the third round in 2016-17, a run that included a memorable win away at then league side Berwick Rangers 3-2. Sadly they lost heavily in the next round to Elgin, but hey they still made history.
You can relive the highlights of their 90 minutes of fame below…
If you fancy taking in a game you should be able to pay at the gate unless they are playing in the Scottish Cup.
Golf Anyone?
If playing a bit of sport is more your thing then you will be pleased to hear that there is an 18 hole Golf course. Hawick Golf Club has been in existence since 1877, making it the oldest course in the Scottish Borders. It is open to visitors, although it would be wise to book in advance especially at the weekends.
Getting To Hawick
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As mentioned above Hawick is fairly centrally placed in the Scottish borders and it is fairly easily accessed by road Via the A7 from Carlisle to the South and Edinburgh from the North. From the East, the best way is via the A696 from Newcastle.
Public Transport
The town is not massive covering an area of around 1.9 square miles so you can pretty much walk anywhere you want to go in the town limits, or a taxi will be cheap if it’s raining (it rains 145 days a year here on average). However, if you want to get here by bus you can travel from Carlisle. The schedule is fairly regular and the rather scenic journey takes about an hour & a half. There is a bus from Newcastle but it takes over 3 hours.
Train Services
Hawick Railway Station was closed as part of the Beeching purge and the last train to carry passengers to it was in 1969. If you must arrive by train then you can cover part of the journey from Edinburgh to Galashiels and then get the bus for the remainder of the journey. Time it right and it is quicker than driving and a whole lot less stressful, especially at busy times.
Air Ports
The nearest major Scottish airport to Hawick is Edinburgh, which is 57 miles away (92 km). Alternatively in England Newcastle is slightly closer being 56 miles away (90 km). Edinburgh offers easier road access through, via the A7 and better public transport. There is an airport at Carlisle but the routes are currently very limited.
Where to stay?
Hawick surprisingly only has two hotels in the town centre but both are superb places to stay and reasonably priced given their quality. Balclary House is the closest to the town centre while the 4star Mansfield House is fairly conveniently located on the outskirts. There is also a good range of Guesthouses and Bed & Breakfast accommodation available as well as a few holiday lets. If you don’t mind being a few miles out of the town there is more choice as well as some interesting Glamping opportunities.
Thinking of Moving Here
If you fancy living in Hawick you will be pleased to hear that house prices are well below the national average at the time of writing (early 2020) with Zoopla listing the average price paid over 12 months (to June 2020) at £106,857. Obviously, this hides a wide range and is a bit skewed to the lower side by the number of flats sold (which averaged just under £54,000 each).
Still, this makes the town surprisingly affordable given how pleasant it is and for first-time buyers, this is a boon. However, three-bedroom properties seem scarcer and there is a massive leap in the price for the few which come on the market (think nearly double!) which puts them out of the price range of many locals.
Fancy Renting
The rental market is similarly cheap with one-bedroom flats going for well below £300 PCM on average and two-bed properties coming in at around £321. What is notable is that larger properties are almost impossible to rent and this might be part of the reason that the population is declining as young families are forced to move due to a lack of suitable accommodation.
So there we have it our quick guide to this interesting Scottish Borders town which should be on your stop-off list even if it’s only on your route north to Edinburgh or South to Carlisle.
