Hi everyone, I’m a relative newbie to AirBnB even if I'm an oldbie in most other ways. Finally here on my own in a Kelso town mansion meant for the extended families of 200 years ago, my daughter Ailsa and her husband Colin (experienced AirBnB guests and occasional hosts) helped me to list two 1000 sq ft 3-bed spaces. I live in the middle!
The midwinter season is always a favorite time for me, but that’s almost inevitable in Scotland. I’ve been part of the town’s folk and live music scene for over 25 years, and it’s a lovely social aspect to life as well as a chance to see visitors returning year after year. Photo: a full house at one of the club’s festival daytime concerts.
Our autumn begins with a folk festival on the first weekend of September and winter probably starts properly with St Andrew’s Day on November 30th – Halloween always means plenty happening between. St Andrew’s Night isn’t anything special but if there’s anything happening like music sessions in pubs there’s normally a traditional Scottish feel.
Here’s a video of a Thursday night session at the Cross Keys:
But in my town we have traditional music every week, year round, with fiddle and smallpipe, flute, whistle, guitar and more on Thursday nights? That’s in addition to the transatlantic cross-generational mix of songs on Fridays!
Christmas is not traditionally celebrated in Scotland as much as Auld Year’s Nicht (it’s only called Hogmanay in Edinburgh, and New Year’s Eve over the border in England) though many Scots always use those names. As an incomer, born on the other side of the border in Cumbria, I’m happy with all three. But we’ve regularly had Christmas Eve gatherings in Kelso (the Town Hall this year, below) and the surrounding villages, whether at home or in a music-friendly pub, before heading for midnight carol service – or bed…
It’s December 31st which pays the piper (literally) if local hotels, restaurants and pubs decide to make a night of it as many do. It would be hard not to find music and good cheer, and a traditional welcome in for 2023, in any of the Border towns or Auld Reekie.
Well into January the lights stay up and things still feel very Christmassy in Edinburgh even if the sales are the big draw.
There’s not much of a break until Burns Night makes an early appearance - officially it’s January 25th, but starts much sooner from demand for Burns Suppers with piper, haggis, songs and if you’re lucky a memorable recitation in the lallans (Lowland) dialect of the bard. For the record,‘memorable’ not ‘comprehensible’ for many visitors as the ear may need tuning for a few years to catch every word! Photo: Burns Night in the Cobbles Inn.
It doesn’t stop until early in February - and by then we’re seeing the days get brighter and longer. Even the less hardy walkers are back on the hills and Spring is round the corner - even if he Eildon Hills can sometimes have a touch of early morning snow in April!
Photographs © David Kilpatrick