I’ve been spending a lot of time in Scotland lately. I’ve alluded to it here and there, but today I want to come clean. I’ve fallen in love, you see, and the man in question has a house in the Scottish Borders. We’re up there a lot, and in the past year I’ve discovered a part of the UK I never knew about. And it’s pretty amazing. If you want to know why, here are 5 days out in the Scottish Borders that will show you.
Days Out in the Scottish Borders
One of the best things about the Scottish Borders is that the region is under the radar as far as travel destinations go.
Despite being just south of Edinburgh, there are fewer crowds and more opportunities to experience a land full of fairy-tale castles, breathtaking coastline, and storybook villages.
Whether I’m exploring the ruins of an abbey or wading through heather at dawn to watch the sunrise over the moors, this part of Scotland reveals its magic everywhere I go.
The best days out in the Scottish Borders are:
1. Melrose Abbey
2. Abbotsford House
3. Kelso
4. St Abbs
5. Traquair House
Melrose Abbey
This is particularly true at Melrose Abbey. A former Cistercian monastery, what remains of the current building dates back to the 1300s and offers a wealth of treasures to explore.
The abbey was so famous in its day that Robert the Bruce chose it as the final resting place for his heart.
I recently took an audio tour of the premises, learning all about the mystical ruins and exploring the nooks and towers. Walking through architecture so old and beautiful was awe-inspiring.
Abbotsford House
Equally stunning is Abbotsford House. The former home of celebrated Scottish writer Sir Walter Scott, a visit makes for another of the best days out in the Scottish Borders.
With turrets galore and a walled garden to die for, the 19th-century house is straight out of a fairy tale.
Medieval halls and sumptuous libraries win me over on the inside, and grounds that extend to the River Tweed keep me active outdoors.
From formal gardens to wooded glades, Abbotsford House has as picturesque a setting as it does a structure.
Kelso
As far as towns go, Kelso shows the Scottish Borders at its best. Home to another of the region’s ruined abbeys, it also has a pretty square that comes alive with delicious sights and aromas on market days.
And that’s to say nothing of the colorful shops and houses that line the streets. They’re some of the best in the area.
Kelso is also next door to Floors Castle, Scotland’s largest inhabited castle and one of the most impressive country houses in the United Kingdom. The grounds, gardens, and adjacent SCHLOSS Roxburghe Hotel are delightful to explore, too.
St Abbs
When it comes to coastline, one of the best days out in the Scottish Borders is St Abbs.
The fishing village of the same name is charming, but the real treat is walking along the coastal path to St Abb’s Head.
A nature reserve with wild rock formations and rugged shoreline, it shows off Scotland’s beauty from the wildlife to the lighthouse.
Traquair House
Traquair House is the oldest continually inhabited house in Scotland. A cross between a castle and a fortified mansion, this impressive home is a great place to dive into Scotland’s legendary past.
Dating back to 1107, Traquair House was initially a royal hunting lodge. Later the Stuarts of Traquair supported Mary Queen of Scots, who stayed in the house in 1566.
The interiors are a delight—I want to take the library home with me—and the grounds are brimming with gardens (and an impressive hedge maze!).
Places to Visit in Scottish Borders
These 5 highlights are just a handful of places I’ve come to love in this undiscovered region of Britain. There are more castles, towns, paths, and ruins to explore, and and I can’t wait to keep uncovering the best of the Borders.
If you get a chance to visit, I hope you fall in love with this part of Scotland as much as I have.
Have you been to this part of the UK? What are your favorite days out in the Scottish Borders?
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28 Comments on Lady’s 5 Days Out in the Scottish Borders
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beautiful places!
Yeah!
We spent a few days in the area driving down the coast from Edinburgh to Seahouses in England and back up again via Kelso. We stayed at the divine Roxburghe Hotel and stopped off at St Abbs which is the prettiest of fishing villages. I’d love to revisit and take in some of the places you’ve mentioned which we missed.
That’s great! Sounds like a lovely trip. I hope you can go back again and see more.
Abbottsford House looks amazing. Thanks for highlighting this lesser known area of Scotland. I’m adding it to my travel list. And I’m thrilled you are in love!
You’re welcome! I hope you can visit sometime.
Having just stent a beautiful autumn picnic lunch with my wife and grandchild by the banks of the Teviot : upstream from the beautiful old railway viaduct at Roxburgh. iI agree with everything you have said about the beautiful Borders….but Then I would because I live here….All the Best.
Petshop Pete
Nice! Great place to live.
Love this little guide to the Scottish Borders, there are some really beautiful places you’ve captured 🙂
Thanks! Glad you like it.
Wow! I haven’t visited this part of Scotland yet, but looking at all your wonderful photos has made me add it to my ever-growing list of places to visit. It truly is beautiful. 🙂
Yeah! Such a lovely part of the UK.
Very beautiful places ♥️
Where are the first three pictures taken? Super gorgeous landscape. ♥️♥️♥️
Yeah! The landscapes are beautiful. Those photos are from near Duns.
I absolutely adore those landscape images! I fell in love with the Highlands this summer, but I feel that I have to add the Scottish Borders to my travel-wish-list
Thanks! Yeah, the region is worth adding to your list.
Julie, this was such a fun escape to read along with the photos! I would print out this post and just go down the list visiting each place. Have a great upcoming week, my friend! 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Mike! I hope you have a great week, too.
I didn’t know about ANY of these places! They all look amazing, and gorgeous photos. Thanks for this x
You’re welcome!
Your photos are amazing, thanks for sharing them! And thanks for the info on what looks like an awesome area to travel that I’ve never been.
You’re welcome! It’s a great area to visit.
All of your posts regarding Scotland have me planning my first trip there. The only problem is there is WAY too much I want to see and I will only have ten days. The good news is tha should give me an excuse to return again.:) Thank you so much for stoking my desire to visit Scotland! Your pictures of it are unbelievable, simply amazing.
I’m glad you’ve been inspired! I hope you have an amazing time.
I would love to visit these places when I travel to Europe this coming July. Can you give a suggestion how to visit these places for a day or 2? Maybe just a normal transportation hopefully ?
It’s easiest to go by car, so I recommend that.
Hey LIL,
I currently live in North London and I’m moving to a village near Duns for some early retirement in the late summer. Thank you for putting TSB on the map. I travelled the UK for 3 months trying to find a retirement nest and its The Scottish Borders that came in first place! GREAT BLOG & PICS – Cheers Sarah
Thanks! I’m glad you like them.