Galashiels
Galashiels | |||
Location Map ( geo) | |||
| |||
County | |||
Selkirkshire | |||
Highway Authority | |||
Scottish Borders | |||
Forward Destination on | |||
A7 • A6091 | |||
Next Primary Destinations | |||
Edinburgh, Hawick, Jedburgh | |||
Places related to the A7 | |||
Galashiels (often called simply "Gala") is an important town in the Scottish Borders, lying astride the Gala Water just upstream from its confluence with the River Tweed. It has come to prominence in recent years as the terminus of the high profile, revived Borders Railway, although the actual terminus is at Tweedbank, a suburb between Gala and Melrose. The town centre lies along the river bank, sandwiched between retail parks on the sites of former industry, with housing rising up the sides of the valley. Although not a big town, it is an important centre in the region, with the main hospital at Melrose, part of the same urban area. Melrose is also home to one of the famed Borders Abbeys, and as a result is more tourist orientated than Gala itself.
The main road through Galashiels is the A7, which has come south from Edinburgh, following the meanders of the Gala Water into the town. At the north end, it meets the A72, and the two then follow the old town centre relief road, on the north bank of the river, before crossing to resume the old route of the A7. Just before reaching the Tweed, the A7 turns south at Kingsknowes Roundabout, following the Tweed towards Selkirk. The A7 has become a trunk route at the roundabout, the continuation being the A6091, which crosses the Tweed and heads east, bypassing Tweedbank and Melrose to meet the trunk A68.
There are two B roads in Gala, the unsigned B6452, which follows High Road, parallel to the A7, but higher up the hill, and was once the A6092, when the A7 still ran through the town centre. This leads to the B6374, which follows the former line of the A6091 from Gala to Melrose. Melrose, however, is a mass of B roads, with no less than 5 numbered routes. The B6374 largely follows the former route of the A6091, whilst the B6394 and B6361 are short links within the town, now almost superfluous with the construction of the bypass. The B6359 heads south, eventually reaching Hawick, whilst the B6360 runs through Gattonside to the north of the Tweed, then crosses the river and follows the other bank down to the A7 on the way to Selkirk.
Routes
Route | To | Notes |
Hawick, Selkirk | ||
Edinburgh | Was detrunked in 2005. Also signed (in brown) as the Tourist Route for Edinburgh. | |
Edinburgh, Jedburgh | Both via A68 | |
Peebles | ||
Gattonside | ||
High Road; former A6092 |
Melrose B Roads
Route | To | Notes |
Dingleton | Ultimately reaches Hawick | |
Gattonside, Leaderfoot | ||
Lindean, Selkirk (A7) | multiplex with A6091 Tweedbank bypass | |
Newstead | Annay Road | |
Galashiels | former A6091 through Melrose | |
Darnick | Abbotsford Road |