Catching Up: SSDA Conference 2026 and a positive look at our visitor economy

Peebles - 900 years in 90 minutes

This short episode sets the scene for my summer walking tours in Peebles - 900 years in 90 minutes. We begin with the sound of the town itself the quarter bells and the ten strikes of 10am, transporting you to this great town by the River Tweed... If you’d like to join me on a tour, you’ll find booking links below. Eventbrite [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/tweed-valley-blogger-83418590033] My website [https://tweedvalleyblogger.com/events]

Catching Up: SSDA Conference 2026 and a positive look at our visitor economy

I’m back on the mic as the tour guiding season kicks into life. In this episode, I share the key insights I took from the recent SSDA (South of Scotland Destination Alliance) Conference — and why they’ve left me feeling optimistic about the future of the visitor economy in the Scottish Borders. There’s a real energy building behind tourism here. You could feel it in the room at the conference, and it’s echoed in the conversations I’ve been having across the region over the past few weeks. In this episode I dig into what’s shifting, why I think it matters to everyone and why the Borders should feel confident and excited about the road ahead My SSDA Conference Presentation [https://www.ssdalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/SSDA-Conference-2026-Actionable-Tips.pdf] Catriona McAllister (Live Borders) SSDA Presentation [https://www.ssdalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Live-Borders.pdf] Stuart Holmes (Historic Environment Scotland) SSDA Presentation [https://www.ssdalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/HES-Presentation.pdf] Raj Singh-Dehal (Center Parcs) SSDA Presentation [https://www.ssdalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Center-Parcs-Presentation.pdf]

A Love Letter to Bookshops

In this episode I continue my Go All In month, celebrating the UKs National Year of Reading. It is a love letter to bookshops - the home of books, ideas, knowledge and fun. Places I have always been happy in, this week I wanted to celebrate them and the people who work in them. This is my third and final podcast on the Go All In theme, thanks to everyone who has engaged so far - keep reading! This episode was recorded in St. Boswells, and at Innerleithen. Huge thanks to Ros and the team at Mainstreet Trading Company [https://www.mainstreetbooks.co.uk/] for allowing me to record some audio in the café and bookshop for this episode. CORRECTION: Of course it wasn't WH Smith I went to as a child in the 80's and early 90's - it was John Menzies!! This hit me when I was editing ;)

Twelve Ways the Library Makes Life Better

This month I’m celebrating Go All In, the theme forthe National Year of Reading 2026. It’s a campaign that’s encouraged me to talk more openly about my own reading, which is something that underpins all my work and has shaped who I am.  With half of UK adults no longer reading regularly, and almost half of young adults now “lapsedreaders”, the need to champion reading has never felt more urgent. In this episode, I’m turning my attention to libraries,these warm and generous public spaces that offer far more than most people realise. From Innerleithen to Peebles, Gala, Hawick and Melrose, the libraries of the Scottish Borders are an important part of my life and civic spaces that still matter and are worth fighting for. In this bite sized episode explore why libraries remain vital in 2026, how they support wellbeing, community and access, and why they deserve far more love and particularly promotion. I also share twelve ways libraries make life better, drawn from my own experiences and the brilliant services available across Scotland. If this episode prompts you to visit your local library,borrow a book, or simply enjoy a quiet hour in a warm public space, then it’s done exactly what Go All In hopes to inspire — reading with confidence and joy!   This episode is inspired by Go All In, the theme forthe National Year of Reading. The campaign encourages people to read what they love, not what they think they should love, and that spirit sits right at the heart of this conversation. Link to the Go All In website. ⁠National Year of Reading 2026 | Go All In⁠ [https://goallin.org.uk/]

Ten Books That Made Me

This episode is a little different for me. I don’t usually talk about my own reading or personal life in such a direct way, but reading underpins everything I do as a guide, storyteller, blogger and above all a human being. I’m sharing the ten books that made me who I am: the ones that shaped my imagination, my values, my work and the way I see the landscape around me. I have to be upfront and say these aren't an attempt to impress. They’re honest, sometimes surprising, occasionally slightly cringy and absolutely true to my lifelong relationship with books. This episode is inspired by Go All In, the theme for the National Year of Reading. The campaign encourages people to read what they love, not what they think they should love, and that spirit sits right at the heart of this conversation. Link to the Go All In website. National Year of Reading 2026 | Go All In [https://goallin.org.uk/] Across February, I’m exploring what reading means to me through blogs, podcasts and social posts. This episode is the first step - a frank, personal journey through the books that have shaped my life so far. If it encourages you to think about the books that made you, or nudges you or someone you know back toward reading for pleasure, then it’s done its job :)