How Boring, Oregon and Dull, Scotland became an exciting pair

By Ellie Forbes via SWNS

Two places with tedious names were paired to create some excitement and humor for their residents...it's working.

In 2012 Elizabeth Leighton, 62, came up with the idea to link the village of Dull in Scotland, with Boring in Oregon, after she passed through Boring on a cycling vacation

Locals in Dull, which has a population of just 85, jumped at the idea of twinning the two places.

Elizabeth says the union has brought some excitement to Dull.

The village has seen a surge in visitor numbers since 2012 and even had tourists from Boring come to celebrate the match.

Elizabeth, who lives in nearby Aberfeldy, said visitors are regularly seen snapping selfies with a road sign which reads: “Dull, paired with Boring, Oregon, USA.”

In 2017 the mayor of a town called Bland in New South Wales, Australia, decided they wanted in on the act and together the towns are known as the ‘Trinity of Tedium.'

Other US towns like Dreary and Ordinary have been touted as potential partners.

Climate change policy worker Elizabeth said: “The pairing definitely brought a flash of excitement to the area over the last ten years.

“It really increased the number of visitors, and you can see people stopping to take selfies with the road sign."

“There have been exchanges, with people from Boring coming here for celebrations.

“It’s nice to have a bit of fun when life gets serious, and it's great people want to have a laugh and a joke about the names.

“Other places have wanted to join, but I don’t think anything official has happened yet.

“It’s great to make something of the pairing ten years on.”

Dull's main businesses are guest lodges and chalets, aimed at the tourism market, as well as Highland Safaris.

Boring was named after William H Boring, an early resident of the area and former Union soldier in the American Civil War, and has a population of nearly 8,000.

Elizabeth added: “I was going through Boring and saw the sign so pinged my friend who was living in Dull a message saying, ‘isn’t this amazing I’m in Boring and you are in Dull.'

“She thought it was great and the community council and the locals jumped on the idea as something fun.

"It’s been great for the Dull over the last ten years.

“They are both quite rural places and do have similarities.

“Boring is bigger, but that doesn’t make it more exciting.”

Emma Burtles, 53, who was living in Dull when Elizabeth texted her about Boring said she never imagine the pairing would take off.

Yoga teacher Emma, who now lives in Aberfeldy, said: "When Elizabeth texted me she was in Boring I could never have imagined what would happen over the next ten years.

"It just blew up and all happened so quickly at the time.

"Dull hasn’t changed much in a practical sense but as a community, the pairing has had a really positive effect.

"It has definitely enriched Dull, it’s a lovely place and the pairing has put it firmly on the map."

"Bland wanted to get in on the action and they became part of the whole thing informally.

"Other places have been mentioned over the years, like Ordinary [Virginia, USA]."