Scottish Borders are Designed to Impress

Driving from Edinburgh to Kelso was like entering a richly decorated drawing room. Opulent shades of green carpeted the rolling hillsides and were highlighted with the iridescent yellow of rape fields. New spring growth in brighter limey greens was bursting from beautiful trees which lined roadsides and fields and were underplanted with thick drifts of wild garlic and dense weeds. To complete this montage, crisp neat lines of trimmed hawthorn hedges pierced with tiny white flowers edged this impressive setting and as the Tweed river ambled slowly by it created stunning reflections in the water. By the time we reached Kelso in the early afternoon we were all smitten with this understated elegant countryside.

It’s unusual for me to take a group to an area I haven’t visited. But Charles my guide is rich in knowledge and with his having lived there in the past I was more than comfortable with his suggestions.

For two nights we stayed in the Borders town of Keslo and very quickly settled into the country hotel called Ednam House. It sits on the banks of the Tweed river and enjoys a stunning view of the river slowly meandering past. However, we were not there to sit idly by looking out of the window and before arriving at the hotel we had already visited the huge stately home of Floors Castle and explored the extensive walled garden. It is one of the largest privately owned houses in Scotland and the Earls of Roxburgh have ensured their massive highly impressive house is a visit to remember.

The Border country has had a long, long turbulent history and was fought over between the Scottish and English for hundreds of years. It was a wild place and impressive stone tower houses like Smailholm were necessary to ensure families and clans remained safe. Walking up towards the rocky tower it was easy to see why in the 1600’s this site would have been so effective and a perfect defensive stronghold. From the top you had a commanding view of the countryside and would certainly see your unwanted guests arriving. Smailholm was bought by the Scott family and it was a favourite place for the young Walter as a child. Sir Walter Scott is of course a famous Scottish writer and lived in and loved the Border country. His house Abbotsford is now nurtured and maintained by a trust and to spend a morning visiting his house and gardens was very special. He was an avid collector of all things and was a passionate gardener with strong ideas and today throughout the house and garden you get a sense of this clever man and his attention to detail.

It was so lovely to enjoy the border towns of Kelso, Melrose and Jedburgh in relative quietness. The mass tourist coaches were not to be seen and of course we don’t regard ourselves as tourists!! Each of these towns has its own unique quaintness and uniquely, their own ruined, once prestigious abbey. Created in the 11th century by Cistercian monks from France they were sadly destroyed and broken in the reformation years of the 15th Century.

These Border market towns provide cultural and thriving shopping centres for the surrounding country farmers and all boast a very good bakery making cakes, bread and a huge selection of pies along with a fabulous butcher, still with meat cuts and cheeses lined up in the counter and proudly sourced from the local area.

It’s easy to tell you how beautiful the Border Country is and why it relates to the Scotland we know and love. Our two nights were way too short – this stunningly beautiful region has surpassed my expectations and I can’t wait until next year.