The Galashiels Town Trail has been set up by Scottish Borders Council in conjunction with the Old Gala Club and Scottish Borders Tourist Board. The aim is to provide you with an added dimension to local history and a flavour of the town's development.

The name Galashiels is a mix of two words. Gwala, which forms the first part probably, comes from the Old English language and means 'full stream'. Shiel, meaning 'shelter', derives from a Scandinavian language. This was the "shelters by the full stream" where hunters and foresters found shelter by the river. Galashiels is known to locals simply as Gala.

The Trail is split into two parts. The main walk is 4.5km (2¾ miles) long and should take 2 hours to complete. The extended walk, being approximately 3km (1¾ miles) long, should take about 1 hour to complete. In order to guide you, numbered plaques are situated along the route at specific points of interest. As some of the sites along the Trail are houses, we would ask you to respect the owners' privacy.

We hope you will enjoy walking the Town Trail and trust that you will have a pleasant stay in Galashiels.

Next: Historical Background