The Scottish Borders

Melrose Abbey The Scottish Borders, which is also referred to simply as the Borders, stretches from the Pentland, Moorfoot and Lammermuir Hills that mark the boundary with the Lothians in the north to the Cheviot Hills which, along with the River Tweed, mark the border with England in the south. Along with Dumfries & Galloway this area of Scotland is referred to as the Southern Uplands. A beautiful route to enter Scotland from the UK is by travelling over the A68 crossing the border at Carter Bar. It's here that you are rewarded with magnificent views over the Scottish Borders.

The landscape of the Scottish Borders differs a lot from west to east. The western part has rolling hills and beautiful lochs such as St Marys Loch, one of the most beautiful lochs in Scotland. The centre part has a more rural character while the eastern part, bordering the North Sea, has some hidden gems such as St Abbs and Cove. The river Tweed crosses the entire area of the Borders starting at the south-east at Tweed's Well and flowing gradually to the east where the river flows into the North Sea at Berwick upon Tweed. On the banks of this beautiful river you can find lovely and romantic villages such as Peebles, Innerleithen and Melrose.

The Border's Abbeys
The Scottish Borders have some of the most beautiful ruined Abbeys in the UK such as Dryburgh and Jedburgh Abbey. The best preserved and best known abbey is perhaps Melrose Abbey, which was founded in 1136 by Cistercian monks, on the request of King David I of Scotland. It was headed by the Abbot or Commendator of Melrose. Today the abbey is maintained by Historic Scotland. The ruins of Melrose are widely considered among the most beautiful of religious houses in the United Kingdom, being especially notable for a wealth of well-preserved figure-sculpture, and its architecture is considered to be some of the finest in Scotland. The east end of the abbey was completed in 1146. Other buildings in the complex were added over the next 50 years. The abbey was built in the form of a St. John's cross. A considerable portion of the abbey is now in ruins, though a structure dating from 1590 is maintained as a museum open to the public. Alexander II and other Scottish kings and nobles are buried at the abbey. The embalmed heart of Robert the Bruce is also said to rest on the abbey's grounds, while the rest of his body is buried in Dunfermline Abbey. It is known for its many carved decorative details, including likenesses of saints, dragons, gargoyles and plants. On one of the abbey's stairways is an inscription by John Morow, a master mason, that says: "Be halde to ye hende" (Keep in mind, the end, your salvation), which has become the motto of the town of Melrose. In 1385 the Abbey was burned by the army of Richard II of England as he forced the army of Robert II of Scotland back to Edinburgh. It was rebuilt over a period of about 100 years—construction was still unfinished when James IV visited in 1504. In 1544, as English armies raged across Scotland in an effort to force the Scots to allow the infant Mary, Queen of Scots to marry the son of Henry VIII, the Abbey was again badly damaged and was never fully repaired. This led to its decline as a working monastery.

Another hidden gem in the Scottish Borders is Traquair House which dates back to 1107. Traquair was originally a hunting lodge for the kings and queens of Scotland. Later a refuge for Catholic priests in times of terror the Stuarts of Traquair supported Mary Queen of Scots and the Jacobite cause without counting the cost. Today Traquair is the oldest inhabited house in Scotland and can be found a mile south of Innerleithen on the B709. The maze in the garden is amazing and there is a brewery in the house too. This house is very much worth visiting.

Wherever you are in the Scottish Borders, you are often reminded of the great Scottish writer and poet, Sir Walter Scott. You can either visit Abbotsford House where he lived between Galashiels and Melrose, visit his grave at Dryburgh Abbey near St Boswells or enjoy the view he loved so much, Scotts View near Melrose. The story goes that when Sir Walter Scott was buried the horses of the carriage stopped at Scotts View, just as they were always used to do.

Abbotsford House - Home of Sir Walter Scott

Sir Walter Scott was born in Edinburgh in 1771, the son of a solicitor, Scott survived a childhood bout of polio in 1773 that left him lame. To cure his lameness he was sent in 1773 to live in the rural Borders region at his grandparents' farm at Sandyknowe, adjacent to the ruin of Smailholm Tower, the earlier family home. Here he was taught to read by his aunt Jenny, and learned from her the speech patterns and many of the tales and legends that characterized much of his work. Scott began studying classics at the University of Edinburgh in November 1783, at the age of only 12, a year or so younger than most of his fellow students. At the age of 25 he began dabbling in writing, translating works from German, his first publication being rhymed versions of ballads by Bürger in 1796. He then published a three-volume set of collected Scottish ballads, The Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. This was the first sign of his interest in Scottish history from a literary standpoint. After Scott had founded a printing press, his poetry, beginning with The Lay of the Last Minstrel in 1805, brought him fame. He published other poems over the next ten years, including the popular The Lady of the Lake. Walter Scott died in 1832, aged 61, in Melrose. Below the poem "St Marys Loch" by Sir Walter Scott

Oft in my mind such thoughts awake by lone St Mary's silent lake.
Thou know'st it well, - nor fen nor sedge pollute the pure lake's crystal edge.
Abrupt and sheer the mountains sink at once upon the level brink,
And just a trace of silver sand marks where the water meets the land.

St Marys Loch

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Scottish Borders Picture Gallery

click on a picture for an enlargment
All pictures (except the 1st) courtesy of Undiscovered Scotland

4 kilometers downstream from the present Melrose, on the leftbank of the river Tweed, a celtic monestry was built around 650 AD. This now deserted Old Melrose is presently known as Scotts View. Melrose Abbey was built around 1130 AD in the present Melrose and is a beautiful Abbey ruin

Dryburgh Abbey is situated near St. Boswells and is the burial ground of sir Walter Scott. The entrance to the Abbey garden is as impressive as the Abbey itself because of the huge trees and wonderful atmosphere.

The burial ground of sir Walter Scott at Dryburgh Abbey

Eastgate cottages in Moffat. Moffat lies a few miles from the A74(m) motorway and is a beautiful town for a stop when you are travelling from or to Glagsgow

Cove Harbour and bay is one of the most beautiful places in this part of Scotland. It is a bit like St Abbs but has fewer houses.

Close to the beautiful town of Peebles Neidpath castle can be found which originates from around 1300

The old parish church of Peebles cant be missed, here seen over the river Tweed

Eyemouth harbour, another beautiful fishing town

St Abbs harbour and bay. Here you can make a wonderful trip over the cliffs with great views on St Abbs and the thousands of birds on the cliffs in the middle of the bay

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St Marys Loch. One of the most beautiful Lochs in Scotland can be found in a remote part of the Scottish Borders on the A708 between Selkirk and Moffat. At a parking place halfway the Loch there's a wee track going uphill which leads to St Marys Churchyard. From here the views of the Loch are even more impressive. Picture © John Mullen