SCOTTISH BORDERS & TWEED VALLEY

Day 1 Explore Edinburgh for the day

Spend the day on a walking tour exploring Edinburgh, the Athens of the North. Stroll through the old town with the famous Royal Mile and visit the mighty Edinburgh Castle and the grand streets of the Georgian New Town. Then enjoy some free time in the afternoon. Why not visit one of the many museums like the National Gallery? Or simply enjoy a drink in one of the many cafes, bars and restaurants before travelling to your accommodation in Peebles, a picturesque town in the heart of the Scottish Borders for the next 4 nights.

Day 2 The Tweed Valley: Abbotsford & Melrose

Spend the morning discovering Abbotsford, the home of Sir Walter Scott, home of one of Scotland’s most treasured authors. Created almost 200 years ago by the River Tweed it includes the historic buildings with a treasure trove of intriguing objects plus riverside walks and woodlands. Journey the short distance to Melrose, a charming and polished village at the foot of the three heather-covered Eildon Hills and visit the ruins of Melrose Abbey, one of the great border monasteries founded by King David I and later rebuilt by Robert the Bruce, whose heart is buried here. It is famous for its decorative stonework – look out for the pig gargoyle playing the bagpipes.

Day 3 A Day of Greats: Rosslyn Chapel, St. Abb's Head, Kelso & Floors Castle

Popularized by Dan Brown’s novel The Da Vinci Code the enigmatic and beautiful Rosslyn Chapel draws in the many visitors from around the world. The ornately carved interior is at odds with the architectural fashion of its time and full of mysterious symbolism associated with Freemasonry and the Knights Templar and intriguingly, there are also carvings of plants from the Americas that predate Columbus’ voyage of discovery. Continue travelling along the coast for a short stop at St. Abb’s Head National Nature Reserve, a breathtaking coastal headland with dramatic cliffs, famed for its seabird colonies. Continue your journey inland to Kelso for a salmon lunch. Spend the afternoon exploring Floors Castle and Gardens, the largest inhabited castle in Scotland and family home of the 11th Duke of Roxburghe. Built in the 1720s by William Adam it boasts lavish interiors with 17th century Brussels tapestries and also features an impressive Victorian walled garden.

Day 4 Traquair House & whisky!

Enjoy the morning visiting Traquair House, one of Scotland’s great country houses. Parts of the building are believed to have been constructed long before the first offical record of its existence in 1107. The house has belonged to various branches oft he Stuart family and was visited by Mary, Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie. Fascinatingly, it has a concealed room where priests secretly lived and performed mass – up until 1829 when the Catholic Emancipation Act was finally passed. Travel north to Glenkinchie Disillery, a Victorian distillery set within the abundant farmland and sweet-scented wildflowers of East Lothain for a distillery tour and tasting of Scotland’s the elixir of life, whisky.

Day 5 Depart at leisure

After a hearty breakfast, depart at leisure - speak to us to create a small highlight on your journey home.