The Borders is the place where the south of Scotland meets the north of England. Ninety-eight percent of the region is farmland or forest but it takes less than an hour by road to get to Glasgow and Edinburgh. So, people living in the Borders enjoy the best of both worlds – easy access to cosmopolitan cities and an excellent quality of life in the countryside.

Less than 2% of the Borders is built up and there are only around 100,000 people in the region, mostly living in the towns of Kelso, Galashiels, Hawick, Selkirk and Peebles. The Borders has its own customs and is the home of Scottish rugby. In fact, the Borders is probably the only place in Scotland where people like rugby more than they like football!

The area was made famous by the writing of Sir Walter Scott and the world-famous textiles that are made here and which are exported all over the world.

Heriot Watt University continues this tradition with their School of Textile and Design located at their Scottish Borders Campus in Galashiels. The campus also houses the Heriot Watt School of Management and Languages. The Borders College offers a range of courses in business administration, childcare and healthcare, land management and leisure.

Border towns have a real sense of community and a thriving economic and cultural life. Kelso regularly wins the National Floral Awards for its beautiful parks and gardens. It hosts the annual Border Union Agricultural Show and is home to Kelso Racecourse.

The town of Peebles was a popular Edwardian spa town and is now home to the famous Peebles Hydro Hotel. Nearby forests offer great walks and mountain-biking routes. No wonder the Borders are know as 'Scotland's leading short break destination'.

www.scotlandistheplace.co.uk