Newcastleton Traditional Music Festival

Just a few miles north of the Border with England, Liddesdale was the stamping ground of the formidable Armstrong and Elliot families. The village of Newcastleton was built in 1793 as a "model" weaving community, the original Castleton being a few miles further up the Liddel Water. With neatly aligned streets and squares, Newcastleton today is a picturesque rural village that offers leisurely times amongst friendly and hospitable people. The pace and life of Newcastleton has changed little over the years and it is captured in the famous Border song "Copshawholm Fair". The Newcastleton Traditional Music Festival is probably the longest continuously running music festival in Scotland. Founded in 1970, the festival revolves around a series of competitions (mainly on Saturday), loosely linked by dances, organised ceilidhs and singarounds on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Non-combatants create ad-hoc sessions in all possible locations and visitors are more than welcome at every venue. One of the most popular events is the Grand Winners' Concert on Saturday night, featuring the best of the day's competitors interspersed with passing musicians who failed to escape the press-gang! Although the hotels and B&Bs in the village tend to be booked well in advance, ample camping space is available.

Website: www.newcastleton.com