I must eat some humble pie and take my hat off, very belatedly, to the Scottish Borders Tourist Board. With unprecedented imagination (the vision thing) they are publicising King Arthur's connections with the Borders. Visit www.scottishborders.com and follow the Arthurian links inspired by a book written by a local historian. Forget Cornwall and that part of the ancient Celtic Kingdoms-it is the Borders where the Knights of the Round Table did their thing; Camelot, as is now well known was situated near Kelso at about the present site of Roxburghe Castle. Apparently this discovery of the link to Merlin and co is to mark the release of a 'blockbuster' movie about Arthur. A SBTB spokesman admitted that the film was not actually filmed here (unlike the location connections between Harry Potter and Aynwick Castle) but it is a good moment to 'exploit the region's links with Arthur'
With more imaginative research the historical links with the Borders could be carried further. Robin Hood could well have visited the Merse escaping from the Sherif of Nottingham; perhaps he even tangled with one of the predecessors of Kevin, Sheriff (Scots double 'f') of Duns. Did Dick Turpin haunt the road between Hutton and Paxton. We might well never
know but it is quite possible and worth 'exploiting' . More recently Rudolph Hesse landed in the wilds of the Highlands with a message from Hitler; research if properly conducted could reveal that he was trying to parachute into Fishwick but was blown off course. A Blue Plaque could be erected to mark the spot he should have landed at. The possibilities are immense. Also take the opportunity to capitalise on a revisionist history for the common good: "See where Mel Gibson defeated the English Incomers at Flodden." Come on the SBTC-keep up the good work. And you could change your slogan to
'Scottish Borders Scotland's favourite myth connection and slightly longer break than expected location'
