Once home to a Scottish poet, Morebattle is a sleepy village that would often remain undetected would it not be for the long-distance trail that runs through the middle of the village. In this edition of Secrets of Scotland, I’m sharing the history of this quaint village and some things to do in the area.
Morebattle is a delightful wee village just 2 miles from Cessford Castle. With cosy stone cottages draped in ivy, an 18th-century church, and a trickling river running alongside the village, this village is worth a slow wander on foot.
History of Morebattle in the Scottish Borders
Morebattle translates to “dwelling place by the lake”- a reference to Linton Loch, which was drained in the 19th century to improve the agriculture of the area.
Morebattle was home to Robert Davidson, who was known as ‘The Morebattle Poet’. He wrote about the lives of the poor living in the countryside. You can read informational plaques about him in the village centre.
At the centre of the village, you will find the Trysting Tree. This tree marks the spot of an ancient tradition, where the two chosen horse riders from the Border towns of Kelso and Jedburgh would meet, each followed by their band of horsemen.
Today the spot still marks celebration; each June the two chosen riders (the ‘Kelsae Laddie’ and the ‘Jeddart Callant’) make speeches by the tree, and there is music and dancing.
On Morebattle Hill, next to the village, is the site of an old Iron Age hillfort.
Planning Your Trip To Morebattle
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Things to do in Morebattle
Wideopen Hill, near Morebattle
Wideopen Hill
Nearby Wideopen Hill is a popular walk with locals and walkers of St Cuthbert’s Way. It offers spectacular views across the Scottish Borders and the Cheviot Hills- and is the perfect place for a picnic with a view on a nice day! There is a community shop located in the village where you can grab some lunch and supplies for your walk.
Visit Cessford Castle
Cessford Castle is a dramatic ruin, and was once home to the Ker family. I’ve written a guide on Cessford Castle which explains more about the history of the castle, and tips for visiting.
Visit the villages of Town Yetholm and Kirk Yetholm
The twin villages of Town Yetholm and Kirk Yetholm are where long-distance walkers complete their adventure on the Pennine Way.
Kirk Yetholm is home to a fantastic hotel and pub, The Border Hotel, which is a great stop for lunch, dinner, or a dram. The village also was once home to the Gypsy royal family- and you can stay in the palace!
Accommodation in Morebattle
MY BEST TRAVEL TIPS FOR SCOTLAND
Here is a list of travel resources that I always use that save me time and money. For more tips check out my ultimate guide on planning a trip to Scotland.
💜 Planning: If you’re on a budget I highly recommend grabbing my Ultimate Scotland Travel Planning Bundle. It includes an ebook, digital travel planner, and cheat sheets for planning your trip.
💜 Planning a Trip to Scotland Course: If you are looking for help to plan your trip from start to finish, my Planning A Trip To Scotland course is my absolute best resource for creating your itinerary! It includes 70+ videos about every aspect of planning a trip to Scotland.
💜 Booking flights: I use Skyscanner when researching and booking my flights as I find them to have the best deals. I also use Google Flights to compare flights I’ve found on Skyscanner. I always book direct with the airline.
💜 Accommodation: I use Booking.com when booking my accommodation in Scotland. I also have a list of my recommended accommodation in Scotland here.
💜 Travel insurance: I always recommend booking travel insurance for any trip you take. Personally, I use CoverMore– I used to sell this insurance when I was a travel agent and dealt with claims on behalf of my customers frequently and they were really easy to deal with. World Nomads is also another high-quality insurance provider I recommend.
💜 Tours and Activities: I use GetYourGuide whenever I can to book tours and activities. I also recommend purchasing the Explorer Pass if you plan on visiting a few attractions.
💜 Transport: When hiring a car in the UK I always use Celtic Legend. You can save 10% off your car rental by using the referral code WAYFARINGKIWI when you ask for a quote. For train times and bookings I use Scotrail (Scotland’s main network) and I also compare prices with Trainline. For bus travel, I use Megabus for cheap fares.
💜 What to pack: The weather is changeable in Scotland and you can sometimes have four seasons in one day! I’ve written this comprehensive packing list for Scotland that will tell you everything you need to pack, whether you’re travelling from abroad or living locally and you’re planning a day trip to Scotland.
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