Page 92 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Scotland

90  SC O TLAND REGION B Y REGION SOUTHERN SC O TLAND  91

+ Jedburgh Castle, Jail and
Museum 6 Tour of the Border Abbeys
Tel (01835) 864750. Open Easter–Oct:
daily (Sun: pm). & The Scottish Borders are scattered with the ruins of ancient
buildings destroyed in conflicts between England and
P Mary, Queen of Scots’ House
Tel (01835) 863331. Open Mar–Nov: Scotland. Most poignant of all are the Border Abbeys,
daily. & whose magnificent architecture bears witness to their
R Jedburgh Abbey former spiritual and political power. Founded during the
Tel (01835) 863925. Open daily. & 12th-century reign of David I, the abbeys were destroyed
7 =
by Henry VIII in 1545. This tour takes in the abbeys and
some other sights.
4 Eildon Hills 2 Kelso Abbey The largest of
6 Melrose Abbey the four Border Abbeys, Kelso
The Scottish Borders. @ n Melrose Once one of the richest abbeys in was founded in 1128 and took
(01896) 820178. Scotland, it is here that Robert the 84 years to complete.
The shattered crags and cliffs of St Abb’s Head
The three peaks of the Eildon Bruce’s heart is buried (see p92). Berwick-
1 St Abb’s Head edge of Kelso was designed by Hills dominate the central upon-Tweed
William Adam in the 1720s, Borders landscape. Mid Hill is the
The Scottish Borders. 3 Berwick- J 1 Floors Castle Open from
upon-Tweed. @ from Edinburgh. and reworked by William tallest at 422 m (1,385 ft), while Melrose Easter–Oct, the Duke of
Tel (01890) 771443. Open Easter–Oct: Playfair after 1837. A short drive North Hill once had a Bronze Tweed Roxburgh’s 18th-century home Kelse
10am–5pm daily. « away is Mellerstain House, a Age hill fort dating from before is close to the Tweed.
stunning stately home built by 500 BC, and later a Roman fort. J
The jagged cliffs of St Abb’s Head, the Adam brothers. In this part of the country the
rising 91 m (300 ft) from the most celebrated name is Sir Selkirk
North Sea, offer a spectacular P Mellerstain House Walter Scott (see p92), who had a 5 Scott’s View
view of thousands of seabirds Gordon. Tel (01573) 410225. & 7 particular affection for these hills. This was Sir Walter Scott’s
wheeling and div ing below. partial. - ∑ mellerstain.co.uk A pan orama of the Eildons called favourite view of the
During the May to June + Floors Castle Scott’s View lies just east of Borders. During his funeral
breeding season, this nature Tel (01573) 223333. Open Mar–Oct: Melrose, near Dryburgh Abbey, the hearse stopped here
reserve becomes an important daily. & 7 8 ∑ floorscastle.com and this is the best location to briefly, as Scott had done Kale Water
site for more than 50,000 cliff- see the hills’ position as they rise so often in life.
nesting seabirds, including above the Tweed Valley.
fulmars, guillemots, kittiwakes 3 Jedburgh Teviot
and puffins. The Scottish Borders. * 4,100. @ Alewater
St Abb’s village has one of n Murray’s Green (01835) 863170.
the few unspoiled working
harbours on Scotland’s east The town is home to the mock- Teviot
coast. A cliff top trail begins medieval Jedburgh Castle, Bonjedward Key
at the Visitor Centre, where Jail and Museum. Built in the Jed Water
displays include identifi cation 1820s and once the local jail, it Tour route
boards and a touch table where now serves as a museum with Jedburgh Other road
young visitors can get to grips some good displays on the
with wings and feathers. area’s history and life in a 4 Dryburgh Abbey Also set on
19th-century prison. the bank of the Tweed, Dryburgh is
2 Kelso Built around 1500, Mary, considered the most evocative
monastic ruin in Scotland. Sir
Queen of Scots’ House is
The Scottish Borders. * 6,500. @ so-called due to a visit by the A picturesque view of the Eildon Hills in Walter Scott is buried here.
n The Square, (01573) 221119; queen in 1566. The house was late summer sunshine
open Apr–Oct. converted into a general 0 kilometres 5
mu seum in the 1930s, and in 5 Borders Railway
Kelso has a charming centre, 1987 (on the 400th anniversary 0 miles 3
with a cobbled square of Mary’s execution) it became ∑ bordersrailway.co.uk.
surrounded by Georgian and a centre dedicated to telling her
Victorian buildings. The focus life story. Exhibits include a copy Stretching 30 miles (50 km) Tips for Drivers
of the town is the ruin of the of her death mask. between Edinburgh and
12th-century abbey. This was Jedburgh Abbey is one of Tweedbank, the Borders Railway Length: 50 km (32 miles).
the oldest and wealthiest of the the great quartet of 12th-century opened in 2015 and is the Stopping-off points: Leave the 3 Jedburgh Abbey The abbey was established
four Border Abbeys founded by Border Abbeys, along with longest railway line to be built in car at Dryburgh Abbey and take in 1138, though frag ments of 9th-century Celtic
David I, but it suffered from Dryburgh, Kelso and Melrose. Britain for 100 years. Tweedbank a walk northwards to the foot stonework survive from an earlier structure.
wars with England and was The abbey church has some station is just a 20-minute walk bridge over the River Tweed. The Visitor Centre illustrates the lives of
severely damaged in 1545. interesting features inclu ding from Abbotsford House, Sir Augustinian monks.
Floors Castle on the northern a rose window. Walter Scott’s former home.
For hotels and restaurants see pp173–5 and pp183–4 For additional map symbols see back flap

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