Scottish Borders

The Tweed Valley on the Scotland–England border, where the ruins of four great abbeys, including Melrose and Jedburgh, and Sir Walter Scott's home at Abbotsford bear witness to border history.

The Scottish Borders lie in south-east Scotland, bordering Northumberland in England to the south, with the River Tweed flowing west to east across the region. In the Middle Ages this was a frontier fought over repeatedly by England and Scotland: the four great abbeys David I founded in the valley — Melrose, Jedburgh, Dryburgh and Kelso — were burned time and again by English armies, and today their ruins, together with the tower houses scattered across the hills, tell the story of the borderland's bloody past. In the 19th century the writer Sir Walter Scott settled here, and his Romantic works made the region famous across Europe. Melrose makes a good base: nearby are Melrose Abbey, Scott's home at Abbotsford, Scott's View, Dryburgh Abbey and walks in the Eildon Hills. To the east, Kelso has its abbey and Floors Castle, with Smailholm Tower and Mellerstain House easy to add on the way; to the south, Jedburgh has its abbey and Mary Queen of Scots' House, and further south still is bleak Hermitage Castle; to the west, around Peebles, are Traquair House, the Glentress Forest mountain bike trails and Dawyck Botanic Garden; and on the north-east coast, St Abb's Head offers cliffs and seabirds. The best time to visit is May–Sep, and in summer the towns take turns holding their Common Ridings. From Edinburgh, the Borders Railway takes about 1 hour to Tweedbank, from where you can continue by bus or bike to Melrose; sights are spread out, so driving is easiest. Allow 2–3 days. Many stately homes and castles open only Apr–Oct, so check before travelling in winter.

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