Which Three Cities and Towns are Nearest to Scotland?
Would you like to know? Of course you would! The three nearest (main) towns and cities near the Scottish border are Berwick-upon-Tweed (Northumberland), Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Carlisle (in Cumbria). Let’s visit all three!
If at the coast, read our post on keeping dogs safe by the seaside.
Berwick-upon-Tweed (2.5 miles from Scotland)
This is England’s most northerly town, on the mouth of the River Tweed, and has been ruled by England and Scotland many times over the years, changing hands (it even has its own tweed). Still featuring Elizabeth town walls and the ruins of a castle, it has three bridges and a beautiful coast.
The nearest place in Scotland to Berwick-upon-Tweed is Eyemouth, around 8 miles away. It is mostly sadly known for a massive storm in 1881, that claimed the lives of 129 fishermen. The nearby coastal villages are now best-known, for being locations for the Scottish crime series Taggart, when it was still filmed.
Berwick-upon-Tweed was recently named one of England’s happiest places to live. Read Between Britain: Walking the History between England and Scotland, by Scottish writer Alastair Moffatt.
Newcastle-upon-Tyne (46 miles from Scotland)
Newcastle (and its neighbouring town of Gateshead) are also near the towns of North and South Shields (on opposite ends of the River Tyne) and the seaside city of Sunderland.
This area (known for its attractive ‘Geordie’ accent), is cold! It sits on the same latitude as Scandinavia (with a warming Gulf Stream). So bring a thick organic cotton jumper, you’ll be in for chilly nights!
Carlisle, Cumbria (10 miles or so from Scotland)
Carlisle (Cumbria) is the county’s only city, an ancient place with a stunning cathedral, and a real heart of Romans, Viking and medieval kings.
Not far from here is Hadrian’s Wall, an ancient landmark built under Roman rules almost 2000 years ago. It stretches right across to Northumberland (one happy resident that stood alongside it was the Sycamore Gap tree, recently in the news when destroyed by vandals – it is now growing new shoots – here’s hoping).
The nearest Scottish place to Carlisle is Gretna (Lockerbie is around 25 miles away, scene of the fatal plane crash). When Scottish laws were more lax, many people eloped to Gretna Green to marry, when they did not have parental consent.
