ABOVE: Borders Buses 12009 (YX20 ODV), an ADL Enviro200 MMC, in Lowther Street, Carlisle, at the end of the long run it has made from Edinburgh. All photos in this article were taken on Monday 22 September 2025.
Rural Bus Rides: Galashiels to Carlisle
28 February 2026
I have arrived in Galashiels, in the Scottish Borders, after a journey from Berwick-upon-Tweed on route 67. I'll shortly be heading south over one half of the lengthy Borders Buses route X95 (Edinburgh to Carlisle at its fullest extent).
It's a lovely afternoon. The September sunshine still feels strong, even as we enter the fourth week of that month, and coats are definitely not necessary. (Just as well - mine's in London!)
ABOVE: The junction of Market Street and Overhaugh Street in the centre of Galashiels, with Coulter's Candy Statue just visible on the right - go to BusesTopDeck.co.uk/236 for a better view of the statue.
Galashiels is a town with plenty to appreciate. Apart from Coulter's Candy Statue (pictured here), there is also a building to house the "Great Tapestry of Scotland". One of the world's largest community arts projects, the tapestry was hand-stitched by over 1,000 people from across Scotland, and comprises of 160 linen panels and 300 miles of wool. It tells the story of Scotland's history, heritage and culture, from the country's land formation millions of years ago, right up to 2013, when it was completed.
Novelist, poet and historian Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832) built his home, Abbotsford, just across the River Tweed from Galashiels. The Tweed itself doesn't come to this part of town, preferring a circuit of neighbouring Tweedbank, but a tributary - Gala Water - does:
ABOVE: Gala Water
Gala Water is sometimes known as just the "Gala", a nickname which is also shared with the town. "
Burns, Scott and many others are commemorated in the Great Tapestry. For me, another piece of the rich tapestry of life is beckoning as I wait at the Galashiels Interchange for the X95. My bus is reportedly late according to the real-time display at the Interchange, but there's plenty to see whilst waiting:
ABOVE: Borders Buses 11001 (BKJ10 MFP), a Volvo B7RLE Wright Eclipse 2, arrives at Galashiels Interchange after a run on local route 70 from Langlee.
Despite a reasonable amount of manoeuvring space in the Interchange, and only seven stances, a Traffic Marshall has been employed to ensure buses reverse safely. A personal shelter has been provided at the back of the "apron", with a chair for those periods between departures.
Scottish Borders Council operates some bus routes here, and one of its minibuses is reversing out on route 75A to nearby Netherdale:
The X95 arrives at around the intended departure time of 15:50 - a few minutes late as there is some standing time scheduled here. The fare of £11.75 is remarked upon by a passenger as I board; "how much did that cost you"? It certainly feels quite steep when I've got used to a three pound ceiling south of the border. But, to be fair, it is going to be a long ride!
The buses on this route are ADL Enviro200 MMCs. They are advertised as being able to carry bikes (presumably at the front opposite the wheelchair space), and the normal tight seats over the rear wheels have been replaced with tables for the row behind!
Galashiels sits on the Waverley railway line from Edinburgh. Built between 1849 & 1862, the line once ran all the way to Carlisle, but was closed in 1969. The line from Edinburgh to Tweedbank was reopened in 2015, and the recreated Galashiels station sits behind the Bus Interchange.
The route of the X95 south from here closely follows the old line to Carlisle, and I wonder whether the service was created as a rail replacement or already existed. I haven't found anything that would tell me though.
We set off, four minutes late, at 15:54. It only takes a few miles to find lovely scenery:
It's school chucking-out time, and this bus is getting very busy, very quickly. We soon reach standing-room only and it's not exactly clear where one would have stored a bicycle if one had boarded with one or, more critically, if one was trying to get on with one behind this throng of people. Passengers are not all school age by any means, but it's a busy time of day, and that is reflected.
We come to the town of Selkirk, one of the oldest Royal Burghs in Scotland and the site of the earliest settlements in what is now the Scottish Borders. Scottish indie rock band Frightened Rabbit was formed here in 2003 (you know I got that off the web, don't you - I'd never heard of them)!
The scenery does not disappoint:
We enter the town of Hawick and cross the River Teviot:
Hawick (pronounced something like "Hoyk") is Old English in origin. First recorded in 1167, the name translates as "enclosed farm" or "enclosed hamlet".
The town was formally established in the 16th century and expanded during the Industrial Revolution. By the Victorian era it was well-established as a centre for the production of textiles, with a focus on knitting and weaving, involving materials such as tweed and cashmere.
The town hosts the annual "Common Riding", an equestrian tradition in which horse riders ride out of the town and along its borders. The event is a commemoration of a victory of local youths over an English raiding party in 1514. In March 2007, this event was described by the Rough Guide publication "World Party" as "one of the best parties in the world"! Quite a recommendation!
At Mart Street there's a mass exodus of passengers, giving me the unexpected chance to swap a seat with tight legroom for one of the 'table' seats - not something you can often do on a bus!
The journey is much quieter from here on. Buses run hourly from Edinburgh, and are supplemented from Galashiels to Hawick to offer a half-hourly service over this section. But the service south of here is only every two hours.
At the time of my visit, one bus every two hours ran from Edinburgh through to Carlisle, with additional short workings covering the greater frequencies north of Hawick (the through journey took about three-and-three-quarter hours). However, it appears that buses have now been formally split into two sections, with an overlap (and extras) between Galashiels and Hawick.
ABOVE: Not sure of the exact location, but this is somewhere near Hawick.
We cross Ewes Water as we approach Langholm:
Known colloquially as "Muckle Toon", Langholm lies between four hills in the valley of the River Esk in the Southern Uplands. In 1972, astronaut Neil Armstrong visited and became the first Freeman and Burgess of the burgh. The civil engineer and road builder Thomas Telford was born nearby and worked in Langholm as an apprentice early in his career. And Langholm was also where the Edinburgh Woollen Mill was founded in 1946, initially as the Langholm Dyeing and Finishing Company Limited, dyeing wool yarn to order.
The Town Hall is a Category B (Scottish system) listed building and casts a spectacular sight across the High Street. I can't get the whole thing in one frame from the bus, so have to settle for the below. There's a better view on Google Streetview.
ABOVE: Langholm Town Hall
The area south of Langholm is sparsely-populated. The main road here (the A7) closely follows the route of the River Esk. There are few bus stops and few places where people other than hikers or nature lovers would want to stop.
This stretch of fast-running does at least reduce one issue that has been a burden all the way. There's a recorded announcement, "for everyone's safety", to warn that smoking and vaping are not allowed, and to ask people not to stand beside the driver. The message ends with a "thank you for your co-operation" and is repeated after every bus stop that we serve. There are 73 bus stops on the Galashiels to Carlisle section (source: BusTimes.org), so thank goodness there's no-one to board or alight in some instances!
We do leave the main road to serve a few locations, but this is really rural territory. The ancestral home of the Clan Armstrong is Gilnockie Tower:
Clan Armstrong was such a powerful force in the borders that King James V of Scotland saw them as a threat to his own authority. Known as notorious raiders, they could muster 3,000 horsemen. The "Armstrong Clan Association" presents the story as follows:
"For almost 300 years, from the late 13th century until the early 17th century, the English / Scottish Border region was in turmoil. England and Scotland were often at war during this period. The border families, including the Armstrongs, were living in the front line of this 'war zone'.
"Tensions remained high even when the countries were not at war, with personal rivalries and animosity carrying over into an unsettled peace. On each side of the border the authorities appointed 'Wardens of the Marches' to enforce a form of cross-border justice. It was a difficult and unenviable task."
Armstrong Clan Association
This is of course the reason why Neil Armstrong was so welcomed when he visited Langholm. Descended from a branch of the Armstrong Clan that moved first to Ireland, Neil Armstrong's great-great-great-great-great-grandfather John emigrated from Ireland to Pennsylvania, where Neil was born in 1930 (source: Armstrong Clan Association). Whilst in Scotland, Neil Armstrong climbed the Gilnockie Tower, in honour of his ancestors.
I should mention that there are Armstrongs in my family history as well - I shall have to dig out the records and see whether I could, conceivably, be a descendent of the Clan...
Back to the X95, and, just off the A7 is the village of Canonbie:
We're now just a couple of miles from the English border. We return to the A7 and cross the border. We pass through Longtown, which I mentioned in my South West Scotland article a few weeks ago (at the time of my X95 trip, those events are still a few hours in the future)!
The bus takes the direct route into Carlisle. We cross the River Eden, via Eden Bridge, and make our way into the City Centre.
There are seven of us coming into Carlisle, and the bus reaches the centre three minutes late, at 17:58. The journey has taken two hours and four minutes, and I estimate that I have covered between 65 and 70 miles on the trip. And what a lovely trip!
I take a short walk back to the Railway Station.
ABOVE: Carlisle's stunning railway station, Grade II* listed, taken at the start of the day.
I started my day here around 10 hours ago. If the Waverley Line is ever restored to Carlisle, I wonder whether the X95 will survive? I hope so - and I must try the northern section one day...
ABOVE: Borders Buses 11919 (SN69 ZNK), an ADL Enviro200 MMC, has just left Galashiels Interchange with a journey north on route X95 to Edinburgh.
BELOW: Diagram of the southern half of route X95
