The Scottish Borders

[Bruce]

The Scottish Borders is probably most famous for its four abbeys - Melrose, Kelso, Jedburgh and Dryburgh. Each has something different to offer, but they all have one thing in common! Being located close to the actual border with England the abbeys tended to get mistreated by the English before, after and sometimes during their many conflicts with the Scots! As a result we're left with four ruins... but don't let that put you off visiting!

At Dryburgh Abbey you will find the tomb of Sir Walter Scott and also Earl Haig is buried there. If you find yourself at the abbey take a trip north to Scott's View where you do get a fantastic view west over the Tweed to the Eildon Hills - under which it is said place of King Arthur and his knights are sleeping! The hills also overlook the abbey at Melrose Abbey, which in turn is famous for being the place where Robert the Bruce's heart is buried! Another Scott, Michael, who is supposedly a wizard is also said to be buried there!

Also to be found in the Borders, by the River Tweed, is Conundrum Castle - more commonly known as Abbotsford, the home of Sir Walter and where he wrote most of his novels!

[expat]

take a trip north to Scott's View where you do get a fantastic view west over the Tweed to the Eildon Hills - under which it is said place of King Arthur and his knights are sleeping!

I recently read something associating Merlin with Edinburgh and have previously read of King Arthur being associated with Scotland rather than England - can anyone expand on this?

The hills also overlook the abbey at Melrose Abbey, which in turn is famous for being the place where Robert the Bruce's heart is buried!

A much travelled heart - story goes that the Black Douglas was entreated to take The Bruce's heart to Jerusalem and his entourage was ambushed by Moors in Spain. During the retreat , Douglas spotted some of his Knights trapped and turned to charge the Moors resulting in his death - the sad part of the story is that the heraldry on Douglas's shield was unknown to the Moors who would take hostages of knights and free them for ransome. I believe there is a monument in Spain to the Black Douglas to comemorate his bravery.

[Bruce]

I've also read much that associates Merlin and Arthur with Scotland and there are certainly plenty places in the Lothians and Borders areas that get mentioned in connection with them, as well as the likes of Camelon near Falkirk being a possible location for Camelot. I think with Arthur being a supposed king of the Britons and their kingdom being Strathclyde is where it all starts off for us, but of course much of it is pure speculation - but its fun to speculate isn't it!!!

You're right about the story of the heart, expat! Apparently when the Black Douglas was attacked he threw the heart into the midst of battle and called out "advance brave heart" (or something along those lines)... it was Robert the Bruce seemingly that was referred to as Braveheart, not the Wallace (or so one version of that story goes!)

[Graeme]

Always fancied heading down to Castle Douglas, pay a kind of hommage so to speak.

Recommended?

[Bruce]

Always fancied heading down to Castle Douglas...

this might be better in the Dumfries & Galloway thread...

[Graeme]

this might be better in the Dumfries & Galloway thread...

Whoops!

[Carol Ann]

Peebles, 25 mins from Edinburgh on the A702 south, is a lovely town.

The River Tweed runs through the middle and have lovely walks on either banks. I would recommend the north side walk that takes you past Neidpath Castle, which is a typical Scottish Castle.

The Beltane Festival in early June is also colourful and the last Saturday is usually pretty wild, or at least it was when I lived there!!

As a wee side visit, there used to be a plaster restorer's workshop you could visit which showed how all those old cornices were replaced in tradional ways.

And ye canny help but feed the the ducks oan the 'cuddy'

The ducks used to 'wander' into our courtyard tae get fed in the winter

[Bruce]

We were in the Peebles area recently and went for a meal and drink at the County Inn. As it says on the Belhave Pubs website, it is a tastefully restored coaching inn situated in the centre of Peebles High Street. We certainly couldn't complain as the food and service were both great!

[Graeme]

Peebles, 25 mins from Edinburgh on the A702 south, is a lovely town.

The River Tweed runs through the middle and have lovely walks on either banks. I would recommend the north side walk that takes you past Neidpath Castle, which is a typical Scottish Castle.

The Beltane Festival in early June is also colourful and the last Saturday is usually pretty wild, or at least it was when I lived there!!

As a wee side visit, there used to be a plaster restorer's workshop you could visit which showed how all those old cornices were replaced in tradional ways.

And ye canny help but feed the the ducks oan the 'cuddy'

The ducks used to 'wander' into our courtyard tae get fed in the winter

That's where I made my film 'debut' C!! The land between the castle and the river.

[lucsa]

....At Dryburgh Abbey you will find the tomb of Sir Walter Scott and also Earl Haig is buried there. If you find yourself at the abbey take a trip north to Scott's View where you do get a fantastic view west over the Tweed to the Eildon Hills....

We have enjoy the view,when we stop there last summer on the road to Smailholm Tower and Crichton Castle.