Page 95 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Scotland

SOUTHERN SC O TLAND  93

9 Traquair House stairway leads to the Priest’s q Pentland Hills
Room, which, with its clerical
Peebles, The Scottish Borders. The Lothians. 3 Edinburgh, then bus.
Tel (01896) 830323. @ from Peebles. vestments that could be n Regional Park Headquarters,
Open Apr–Sep: 11am–5pm daily; Oct: dis guised as bedspreads, attests Edinburgh (0131) 529 2401.
11am–4pm daily; Nov: 11am–3pm Sat to the problems faced by Catholic ∑ pentlandhills.org
& Sun. & - 7 limited. = families until Catholi cism was
∑ traquair.co.uk legalized in 1829. The wilds of the Pentland Hills
stretch for 26 km (16 miles)
Scotland’s oldest contin uously southwest of Edin burgh, and
inhabited house has deep roots 0 Peebles offer some of the best hill-walking
in Scottish religious and political The Scottish Borders. * 8,000. country in Southern Scotland.
history stretching back over @ from Edinburgh. n 23 High St Walkers can saunter along the
900 years. Evolving from (01721) 723159. many sign posted footpaths,
a fortified tower to while the more adventurous
a 17th-century This charming Borders town can take the chairlift at the
mansion (see p25), has some fascin ating Hillend dry ski slope to reach the
the house was a sights, including the higher ground leading to the
Catholic Stuart Tweeddale Museum and 493 m (1,617 ft) hill of Allermuir.
stronghold for 500 Gallery which houses full- Even more ambitious is the classic
years. Mary, Queen of scale plaster casts of part of scenic route along the ridge from
Scots was among the the Parthenon Frieze, and casts Caerketton to West Kip.
many monarchs to of a frieze depicting the entry of To the east of the A703, in the
have stayed here. Alexander the Great into Babylon. lee of the Pentlands, stands the
Her crucifix is kept in The walled Kailzie Gardens exquisite and ornate 15th-century
the house and her attract day-trippers from Rosslyn Chapel, which features
bed is covered by Edinburgh. Glentress Forest, in The Da Vinci Code. It was origi-
a counterpane which begins on the fringes nally intended as a church, but
that she made. Mary’s crucifix, of town, is very popular with after the death of its founder,
Family letters and Traquair House hikers and mountain bikers William Sinclair, it was used as a
engraved Jacobite from the city as well. burial ground for his descendants.
drinking glasses are among The delicately wreathed
the relics re calling the period E Tweeddale Museum Apprentice Pillar recalls the
of the Highland rebellions. and Gallery legend of the apprentice carver
Following a vow made by Tel (01721) 724820. Open Mon–Sat. who was killed by the master
the fifth Earl, Traquair’s Bear Y Kailzie Gardens stone mason in a fit of jealousy
Gates (the “Steekit Yetts”), Tel (01721) 720007. Open daily. & at his pupil’s superior skill.
which closed after Bonnie 8 - ∑ kailziegardens.com
Prince Charlie’s visit in 1745, } Glentress Forest R Rosslyn Chapel
will not reopen until a Stuart Tel (0300) 067 6900. Open daily. - Tel (0131) 440 2159. Open daily. &
reas cends the throne. A secret ∑ scotland.forestry.gov.uk 7 ∑ rosslynchapel.com

Details of the highly ornate, decorative carved-stone vaulting in Rosslyn Chapel

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