The Lone Reiver rides through the shadows of time, relaying stories of old – bespoke tours in the Borders
Meet the clan that put blood before borders – and the family member sharing their story today
William Armstrong of Kinmont, or Kinmont Willie as he was better known, was probably the most famous of the Border Reivers – the outlaws who carried out raids on either side of Scotland / England Border in the 16th century.
Now, nearly 500 years later, a man descended from the Armstrongs of old is regaling tourists with the brutal and wide-ranging history of the region.
Adam Armstrong runs Armstrong Tours from the former Reiver heartland of Langholm, creating bespoke itineraries for those wishing to learn more about his clan, or any other aspect of history, from the Romans to a secret World War One munitions base at Gretna.
Adam said: “I have been interested in history for a long, long time. It started when I was nine years old after I read a book about the Vikings, not knowing then that the Armstrongs were reputed to be descended from them.”
Since then, his love of history has led to a book about the Reivers, with another due to be published next year. These works are intertwined with the tours he runs.
“I have learned all about the Armstrongs and I think I have a rebellious spirit that may stem from my troublesome forbears. I use that in my books and on the tours to inform and entertain visitors.”
Kinmont Willie lived at the Tower of Sark, a short distance from where Adam now resides. At the height of his strength it is said he could muster a thousand men to fight for him, allowing the family to dominate the region for centuries.
But the Armstrongs were not aligned to England or Scotland as Adam explains.
“The saying goes that we are ‘English at our leisure, Scottish when we must.’ It was family first and foremost, not country.”
Bespoke tours
Adam’s tours are as wide-ranging as his customers wish. He travels around the Borders visiting Reiver strongholds as well as other historical sites such as Melrose Abbey or Traquair House. “When you walk into Traquair House you can imagine the ghosts of time spanning its 1,000-year history,” Adam says.
Adam also takes guests across the Border into England and north to other parts of Scotland, depending on what they wish to see.
Each tour begins with Adam asking what the visitors want to see and experience, meaning no trip is the same.
Adam says: “We work to people’s specifications and desires. A tour guide’s job is not just about knowing places to visit and the lie of the land, it is about knowing what is in the land. That means knowing how the land has been shaped and knowing the people that live there now, as well as those from the past.”
Adam was born with a rare bone disorder, Grant’s Syndrome, and also has a cochlear implant to help overcome deafness. He believes that along with his love of history, this has drawn him to being a tour guide. He says: “I don’t like following the crowd, I like to stand out. Maybe it is because I am disabled – I have a thirst for life.”
To find out more visit the Armstong Tours website here.