Lost in Translation - Trip planning with AI
I love what we can now do with AI, and I use chatbots regularly to help me with my business. Writing a press release? My usually chatty, informal style doesn’t work so I can tweak using AI. Faced with competing priorities and in need of a plan? AI can point me in the right direction. It goes on, AI is a useful tool and chatbots can be fun if used correctly. As someone who relies on my words to get my personality across, I couldn’t use it to write blogs, or to plan tours for my guests. I rely on my own knowledge and experience for this, warts and all! I do however understand that AI can again be a very useful tool for tour or itinerary planning, and lots of people use it - it’s not the future, it’s here now. I would like to think however that the human touch offered by guides like me can elevate anything AI could suggest into a truly memorable, one of a kind experience. It’s money where my mouth is time - I have used the Copilot AI bot to suggest an itinerary for a three day Scottish Borders tour, giving ultimate bang for your buck with the following prompt:
“Create a three day itinerary in The Scottish Borders for me. Make it exciting, with history, landscapes and culture. Great food options, and directions for how to travel. I want to be wowed by The Borders.”
Within a second (how do they do that???) I was given a very good itinerary indeed, but I think a guide like me could enhance it significantly. Here then is how I would go about it. The AI suggestions are in italics…
Day 1: Historical Immersion and Coastal Charm
Morning: Start in Melrose. Visit the iconic Melrose Abbey, a stunning ruin steeped in history and the burial site of Robert the Bruce’s heart. Stroll through the town and enjoy a coffee at Apples for Jam.
Lunch: Head to Oblo in Eyemouth for fresh seafood by the harbor.
Afternoon: Explore St Abbs Head, a dramatic coastal nature reserve perfect for a scenic walk. Don’t miss the charming fishing village of St Abbs.
Evening: Stay in Kelso. Dine at The Cobbles, known for its locally sourced menu.
That’s what the AI suggests for day one, and it’s hard to argue with any of that. What a day! You would have a blast. What you miss however, would be a personalised, guided tour at Melrose Abbey, learning of the everyday life’s of the Masons who built it, the people who are buried there and how the Abbey is interlinked with the cultural life of Melrose today. You might also miss the shortcut through The Wynd as you head to Apples for Jam, past a wonderful bookbinders, and hidden pieces of centuries old masonry in the walls, plundered from the Abbey dominating the town.
Then it’s off to the coast, but while you were wowed with the gothic carvings of Melrose, I was checking in with uber popular Oblo, and it’s fully booked - disaster! No matter, I present you with two options - I can pull strings with my pals at the Award Winning Allanton Inn and get us a lunch table there on route, or we can go for the full seaside experience with fish and chips at the harbour at Eyemouth. What the AI itinerary doesn’t tell you is that it is an hours drive to Eyemouth, through lovely Berwickshire countryside, which is worth stopping to admire. It also doesn’t take into account that, having sipped a latte from Apples for Jam, you’ll probably need the loo. To solve both these issues I tweak our route and take you to Robson’s Honey Farm, crossing the Union Chain Bridge, by far the most exciting Border crossing between Scotland and England. Here you can also grab some honey, and spend a penny. By the time we get to St. Abb’s you are ready for a walk, but feeling tired - I tweak our plans to take the shorter, accessible walk to view the cliffs before taking us down to the village itself. Knowing how much you enjoyed Melrose, I ask if you are up for a wee surprise, and you are - we stop at Coldingham priory and I bring it’s early Christian past to life, tying together the early saints whose traces reach from Coldingham in land to Melrose. It’s then a smooth drive to Kelso, and your AI has chosen your accommodation well - but your very human guide leaves you with a recommendation to have a pint of Long White Cloud with your dinner, knowing they stock the local Tempest beer. He also tells you that the owner of the Cobbles planned his wedding, and makes the best gelato in The Borders, before leaving you for the day. What will day two bring?!?
Day 2: Castles, Countryside, and Culture
Morning: Visit Floors Castle in Kelso, Scotland’s largest inhabited castle, with beautiful gardens and a rich history.
Lunch: Enjoy a meal at the castle’s Terrace Café or head to The Orde Food Company in Kelso for a gourmet experience.
Afternoon: Drive to Jedburgh to explore Jedburgh Abbey and the Mary Queen of Scots Visitor Centre.
Evening: Stay in Peebles. Dine at Osso, a contemporary restaurant with a creative menu.
It’s another belter of a day the AI has planned, I tip my hat to them. Floors Castle is the biggest house of it’s kind in The Borders, and a tour here will be a great way to learn more about the Kerr family (Dukes of Roxburghe), and the stunning estate they have managed for centuries. What the AI doesn’t pick up on here is an opportunity to show where they came from, so instead of heading straight to Jedburgh along the fairly uninspiring A698, your guide takes you into the wilder reaches of The Borders. We head for the charming wee village of Morebattle, nestled at the foothills of The Cheviots and learn of the many legends associated with it. We go to the amazing Community Shop and spend half an hour speaking to the volunteers who run it, getting a real slice of rural life and a cuppa. From here, we head to the blunt, massive ruin of Cessford Castle - the home of the Kerr’s before they graduated to Dukes of Roxburghe. Floors all of a sudden becomes richer and more intriguing at the site of this Reiver’s tower, and the link to the often bloody past of the Kerr’s. The sun’s out, and we’ve made good time so your guide pulls another one out the bag and takes you to Whitton Edge, on an old Roman Road, for the viewpoint the Legionaries faced as they headed, arrow straight for the Eildon Hills to the north. The sense of isolation is intoxicating, but, alas, so is the need for the loo after the cuppa at Morebattle. Don’t panic, your guide knows that Bierhope Alpacas are just down the hill, so 5 minutes later we are using their loo, in exchange for ice creams and alpaca products. More than this, because your guide knows owner Lynne and is full of charm, he persuades her to fit us in for an impromptu Alpaca trek, even though we haven’t booked.
We head for Jedburgh, later than planned but still in plenty of time as your human guide knows to go to Mary Queen of Scots House first, as it closes at 4 and the audio guide (which he strongly advises you use) takes about 45 minutes. You still have time to explore Jedburgh Abbey before last entry at 4.30pm, and your guide is able to fill you in on it’s holy and regal past with a guided tour.
The AI itinerary has us heading north to Peebles to end the day, it’s a longish drive in The Borders, after a long day but I will forgive the AI this as with the smooth driving of your guide you can nap until we get to Peebles. AI has suggested dining at Osso, but your human guide knows it ceased trading some time ago now so has instead booked you into The Crown for the best bar food in The Borders (in his view!). End of day two, a beauty of a day in the sunny Borderlands.
Day 3: Nature and Local Delights
Morning: Begin with a walk in the Tweed Valley Forest Park or visit the Dawyck Botanic Garden near Peebles for a tranquil start.
Lunch: Stop by Cocoa Black in Peebles for a chocolate indulgence and light bites.
Afternoon: Explore Traquair House, Scotland’s oldest inhabited house, with its fascinating history and brewery.
Evening: Wrap up your trip with dinner at The Horseshoe Inn in Eddleston, offering fine dining in a cozy setting.
We are in real Tweed Valley Blogger territory here, and once again the AI has pulled together a day to remember. I suggest we follow it’s advice for tranquillity and head to Dawyck, rather than the Tweed Valley Forest Park, as your guide knows we will drive through large parts of that later in the day. On the way, your guide is able to stop at the somewhat hidden Neidpath Castle and Stobo Kirk to bring the culture and history of Peeblesshire to life, before we visit the arboretum. Following the AI advice again, we head to Cocoa Black and that’s a visit nobody will ever regret, but alas AI has slightly misjudged as they don’t do lunches. Your human guide suggests a takeaway patisserie to enjoy on our journey to Traquair. Once here, your guide takes us first to the café for lunch, knowing the chef is newly installed and first rate. You then have the benefit of being shown around Traquair House but someone who has known and loved it his whole life.
From Traquair, we follow the AI suggestion and head to the horseshoe at Eddleston for dinner, but your human guide has a wee surprise at the end, taking you to the Great Polish Map of Scotland and pointing out the journey we have undertaken over a wonderful three days.
I hope you enjoyed this wee experiment! When pulling together an itinerary in the Scottish Borders, AI tools can certainly provide speedy convenience and loads of information. They excel at compiling facts and suggesting popular attractions, as this fun wee experiment proved. However, in my view AI lacks the depth of understanding, emotional connection and personal experience that a human guide offers. As the ‘Tweed Valley Blogger’, I bring a wealth of local knowledge, a genuine passion for the region and the ability to adapt and tailor your itinerary to your preferences.
Unlike AI, I can lead you to places you would miss, share personal anecdotes and create a tour enhanced by authenticity. While AI serves as a helpful resource, and it’s something we all need to make use of, it can’t replicate the warmth, intuition and personal touch of a dedicated guide. For a truly memorable adventure in the Scottish Borders, the human touch will always win out and that’s what I offer with all my tours :)
