This is royal politics at its most dangerous. In 1526, King James V was under the control of Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus — effectively a teenage monarch held as a bargaining chip. The party was in the Borders at Jedburgh, escorted by an armed force of Kerrs and Humes, then moved north towards Edinburgh.James wanted out. Quietly, he got a message to Walter Scott of Buccleuch to come and lift him. Buccleuch accepted — and suddenly the roads, crossings, and hills of the Borders weren’t scenery

1 minute (ish) histories: Hermitage Castle This fortress that once guarded the bloodiest valley in Britain. It has been described as sod off in stone, some have stronger words for it. It's a foreboding castle that sends shivers down the spines of many. One of its owners William de Soules was the leader of a conspiracy to assassinate Robert the Bruce in 1320. De Soules was also accused of witchcraft, he died a year later in Dumbarton Castle. Although some say disgruntled locals boiled the wicked