R for Rivers, Rugby and Rumbledethumps

Welcome to a Look Around 

"My Scottish Borders"

R is for: 

RIVERS, RUGBY & RUMBLEDETHUMPS

River Tweed near Dryburgh Abbey

The Scottish Borders is a land of RIVERS, with the 97 mile long River Tweed rising in Tweedsmuir in the west of the region and winding its way through the towns of Peebles, Innerleithen, Melrose, Kelso and Coldstream to flow into the North Sea at  Berwick-upon-Tweed on the east coast.   

The Tweed  is one  of Scotland's prime trout and salmon rivers and its many tributaries include the Teviot, Ettrick, Leader, Whiteadder and Blackadder. 

Leader Water at Earlston  where I now live 

 

 River Teviot at Hawick where I used to live

A wintry Slitrig Water  at Hawick

 Jed Water at Jedburgh where I used to work 

RUGBY is the pride and passion of the Scottish Borders and the game of Rugby Sevens originated in Melrose in 1893.

Known as the "Voice of Rugby",  Borderer Bill McLaren (1923-2010) was born and brought up in Hawick.  He became a PE teacher and journalist, whose own rugby playing career had been halted by serious illness.   But he achieved fame as a radio and TV commentator, known throughout the rugby world at home and abroad.  He was greatly respected for his distinctive tongue, his skill with words, his unbiased commentating,  his knowledge and meticulous preparation, compiling detailed anecdotes and notes on players, matches, and teams.   His archive is now housed at the Heritage Hub in Hawick.   Memorial busts to Bill McLaren have been unveiled in both Hawick and at Murrayfield, Scotland's international rugby ground in Edinburgh.


RUMBLEDETHUMPS  is a traditional dish from the Scottish Borders made of potato, cabbage and onion - similar to the English buble & squeak and the Irish colcannon.  

Shredded onion and cabbage are lightly sauteed in butter and potatoes are added, mashed with butter, salt and pepper.  The mixed ingredients can then be topped with cheddar chees and baked  until golden brown.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Borders

Follow the next stage of this A-Z Journey 

through the Scottish Borders

S is for:
Scotts, Sir Walter and Scott's View

Do take a look at earlier  posts in "My Scottish Borders"

A-Z Challenge Preview
A-Z Challenge A - Abbeys,Abbotsford and Armstrongs
A-Z Challenge B - Border Reivers, Border Ballads and Blackmail

A-Z Challenge C - Common Ridings and Carter Bar 

A-Z Challenge D - Dryburgh Abbey,  Duns Scotus and The Douglas Tragedy 

A-Z Challenge E - Elliots, Earlston, Enigma Hero and Eyemouth Tart 
A-Z Challenge F - Flodden, Fletcher and Flowers of the Forest  
A-Z Challenge G - A Green & Pleasant Land and Galashiels 
A-Z Challenge H - Hermitage Castle and Hawick  

A-Z Challenge I - Inspirational Land  of James Hogg & Will Ogilvie

A-Z Challenge J - Jedburgh, Jedthart Justice & Jethart Snails 
A-Z Challenge K - Kalaidoscope, Kelso and Kinmont Willie   
A-Z Challenge L - The Fair Lilliard and Leaderfoot Viaduct
A-Z Challenge M - Muckle Mou'ed Meg and Melrose 
A-Z Challenge N - Newark Castle and Nature  
A-Z Challenge O - Oxford Connections - Sir James Murray & Mary Somerville 
A-Z Challenge P - Pele Towers and Princely Connections  
A-Z Challenge Q - Queen of Scots and Queen of Elfland