Scenic Route to Edinburgh via Peebles: A72, A703 and A701

Driving from Liverpool to Edinburgh does not have to mean spending the entire journey on the motorway. The motorway is the sensible choice when time matters, but on this trip I was not in a hurry. At the beginning of April, I left the M74 and followed a quieter route through the Scottish Borders, passing Peebles before continuing towards Edinburgh.

My route used the A72, A703 and A701. It took longer than the fastest option, and I made several short stops along the way, but that was the point. I wanted to see something beyond service stations, traffic and road signs.

Why I left the motorway

The journey began in Liverpool, and for roughly the first two hours I followed the normal fast roads towards Scotland. Leaving the M74 was a deliberate choice rather than a navigation mistake. I had enough time, the visibility was good, and I wanted to enjoy the drive instead of treating Edinburgh as the only part of the day that mattered.

Scottish weather in early April is never guaranteed. The sky was grey and cloudy, which was not what I would have chosen for colourful landscape photography. Still, I could see the surrounding hills clearly and the softer light suited some parts of the scenery. Blue sky would have been welcome, but the weather did not spoil the journey.

A short diversion to Horsburgh Castle

One of my planned stops was Horsburgh Castle, close to Peebles. I made a short diversion to see the ruins and photograph them from different positions. The surrounding landscape, with open fields, horses and distant hills, interested me more than the remains of the castle itself.

I would not recommend travelling a long distance only for these ruins. There is not a great deal to explore once you arrive. However, if you are already following this route, the short stop makes sense. The wider view is peaceful, and the castle adds a point of interest to a landscape that is already worth photographing.

That is one advantage of choosing slower roads: a modest place does not need to justify an entire day out. It can simply become one small part of a much better journey.

An unplanned discovery at Neidpath Castle

Neidpath Castle was different because it was not in my plans at all. I noticed a sign while driving and decided to stop. This is exactly the kind of discovery that is easy to miss on a motorway.

A notice explained that visits were available only by appointment at that time, so I did not go inside. I took a photograph and continued the journey. Anyone planning a visit should check the official Neidpath Castle website before travelling, as access and arrangements may change.

Even without an interior visit, seeing the castle unexpectedly added something to the drive. I prefer describing it that way rather than pretending every stop became a major attraction. Sometimes a photograph and a few quiet minutes are enough.

The roads around Peebles

Near Peebles, the road itself became the most memorable part of the route. Yellow daffodils were flowering along both sides, bringing colour to an otherwise muted April landscape. I stopped several times where it was safe to do so and photographed the road, the hills and the flowers.

There was no single dramatic viewpoint that defined this section. Its appeal came from a succession of ordinary but attractive scenes: bends in the road, open land, flowers on the verge and changing views through the hills. It felt more like travelling through the landscape than stopping to observe it from one designated viewpoint.

Following the A72, A703 and A701

The exact route matters because “the scenic road to Edinburgh” can describe many different journeys. Mine continued from the A72 towards the A703 and then the A701 into Edinburgh. These roads are not difficult, but they demand more attention than a motorway and the journey naturally takes longer when you stop for photographs.

Allow extra time and avoid stopping where visibility is poor or where the road is narrow. A viewpoint is never worth creating a problem for other drivers. I treated every photograph as optional: if there was no sensible place to pull over, I continued driving.

I was also struck by the isolated houses scattered through the landscape. From the road, they seem far removed from shops, hospitals and the facilities most of us take for granted. I do not know the stories of the people living there, so I will not invent them, but the isolation is difficult to ignore. It must offer peace and space, along with practical compromises that a passing visitor does not see.

The camera I carried

I photographed this journey with my Sony RX100 VII. A compact camera made sense because I could carry it easily and use it during brief stops without unpacking a larger system. I owned and used this camera, and its combination of a small body and useful zoom range suited this kind of travel photography well.

The photographs on this page are resized for faster loading, so they are not intended as technical files for judging every pixel. If you are interested in the camera rather than only the journey, my Sony RX100 VII review explains my experience with it in more detail. Some of my photographs are also available through my GottaPics profile on Pexels.

Is this scenic route worth taking?

Yes, provided you have enough time and understand what kind of drive it is. I would choose it again when travelling without a strict arrival time. The route offers countryside, small historical stops and plenty of opportunities to enjoy the landscape, but it is not a road where every few minutes brings a famous attraction.

Horsburgh Castle is worth including if you are already nearby, not as the sole reason for a long journey. Neidpath Castle deserves advance planning if you hope to visit rather than simply see it from outside. Around Peebles, the pleasure comes mostly from the road and the scenery, particularly when the spring flowers are out.

If your priority is reaching Edinburgh quickly, remain on the main route. If you have a little freedom in the schedule, the A72, A703 and A701 turn an ordinary transfer into part of the trip. That was enough reason for me to take the slower road.