Top Things to do in Scottish Borders
What to do and see in Scottish Borders, Scotland: The Best Nature & Parks
A short distance from Edinburgh is a landscape strewn with sturdy hill forts, ancient castles and ruined abbeys that hints at the tumult of the past. It's quite at odds with the picturesque rolling, if windswept, sheep-studded hills and quiet valleys that make all seem agreeably placid to today’s visitor. At its heart are the ruins of four medieval abbeys with Jedburgh, the most complete, the best to visit first for its insights into monastic life. Of the others, Melrose is both the pick of the bunch, and also close to Abbotsford, the sometime home of the Romantic novelist Sir Walter Scott, and a splendid receptacle for his engrossing collection of historical curios. There are fine country houses to visit, notably Mellerstain for its exquisite Robert Adam interiors, and Manderston, the enjoyable swan song of the Edwardian Country House. Anglers should note that the River Tweed is also one of Scotland’s finest salmon-fishing rivers.
Restaurants in Scottish Borders
1. St. Cuthberts Way
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 65 reviews
A hundred KM walk through the Scottish countryside off the coast of Northumberland.
Reviewed By SteveBraysher - Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
Over the years we have walked a lot of Britain's long distance foot paths and have used a nuber of firms to organise our treks, but this was the first time with Shepherds Walks - They were OUTSTANDING, the best we have used. They were helpful and accommodating when we were planning the trip, the information and advice they provided was spot on, the organisation excellent and the standard of accommodation we were booked into along the route was consistently top notch, a step up from what seems to be the norm. The walk itself is one of the most clearly way marked we have come across , so you don't need to be particularly good at navigation - at least in good weather (which we were lucky enough to get). One of the nice things about the route is the wide variety of scenery; small towns, lowland river valleys, the wilder, hilly sections and then the coast. All in all, an excellent trip and a big thank you to Shepherds Walks
2. 7stanes - Glentress
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 277 reviews
Reviewed By Goose1647 - Garforth, United Kingdom
1st visit to the trails here and they certainly don't disappoint, did the black route straight off the bat and it broke me a little, did a bit of pushing up but the flies took a shine to me so stopping wasn't an option. The downhills are ace though and well worth the climbing, spooky wood is great fun and even the blue at the end is pretty mega with great flow, just a shame it's so far away.
3. St Abbs Head National Nature Reserve
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 181 reviews
Reviewed By E6339QHandrewr
Walking from St Abbs to the St Abbs Head lighthouse isn't very far but well worth the effort. It is steep in places but the track is well marked and what's the rush anyway. Towards the Lighthouse you'll see an increasing amount of nesting bird-life from the cliff tops and Mire Loch is slightly inland with its own array of nesting bird-life. Dive-boats are continually busying themselves below you (among the rafts of guillemots) and with the right conditions, you'll get splendid views of Bass Rock in the distance.
4. Velvet Hall Alpacas
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 91 reviews
Alpaca Trekking in the Scottish Borders An opportunity to walk with an Alpaca in the beautiful Tweed Valley countryside. We offer any trekking experience to meet all your requirements. Our Alpacas are adorable and love going out trekking. They amble along taking it all in their stride with a playful, inquisitive nature; we know that children and adults of all ages will fall in love with them.
Reviewed By 401sharona - Aviemore, United Kingdom
What a fantastic experience! Jean and Stuart were lovely, informative and such great fun. We totally fell in love with the alpacas, they have an amazing nature, very sociable, inquisitive and right wee characters! Special thanks to Pearson and Storm for looking after us so well. This years Christmas list looks interesting!!
5. Cove Harbour
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 51 reviews
Reviewed By 18ElizabethB
While holidaying at pease bay we visited Cove and took the children down the hill to find the tunnel through the cliff and out into a bueatiful harbour. A hidden gem with a lovely beach
6. Berwickshire Coastal Path
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 5 reviews
Reviewed By Bibcay - Gateshead, United Kingdom
Love this walk it is St Abbs to Eyemouth. The views are stunning. The wildlife is amazing. Please do this walk I love it.
7. Eyemouth Beach
8. Abbotsford House
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,063 reviews
Abbotsford is the extraordinary home of the 19th century novelist and ‘Great Scott’ who popularised tartan, saved the Scottish banknote and rediscovered his country’s Crown Jewels. In 2021-2022 Scotland celebrates the 250th anniversary of Sir Walter Scott. Visit Abbotsford during this special occasion to meet the man behind the monument, whose imagination and patriotism shaped the Scotland of today. Discover a treasure trove of fascinating objects which inspired his greatest poems and novels. Learn about Scott's life, browse the gift shop, enjoy seasonal food in our cafe or simply relax in the beautiful formal gardens and tranquil woodlands.
Reviewed By captcalculus
if you're anywhere near Melrose. Fascinating house of Sir Walter Scott with an excellent hand-held audio guide that allows you to wander through at your own pace, providing optional commentary on additional items in each room/area. Also, the gardens are quite nice, even in September. I am one of those driven people who like to get in and get out, but even so, we spent close to 3 hours here. Don't miss.
9. Mellerstain House & Gardens
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 147 reviews
Experience one of Scotland's finest stately homes. Located in the heart of the Scottish Borders, Mellerstain is a unique example of William & Robert Adam design, presenting a complete picture as it would have been some 240 years ago. •Admire the outstanding Robert Adam interiors •Enjoy the fine art, embroidery, china & furniture collections.•Relax within acres of parkland, gardens,lakeside/ woodland walks & playground •Treat yourself in the courtyard café •Holiday in our self-catering cottages.
Reviewed By CLE68 - Scotland, United Kingdom
Family visit to the gardens which were beautiful and stunning to walk round. A great woodland walk leading round the lake with the house as a backdrop - well signposted and clear paths. The gardens are well tended and bursting with colour. The cafe is only serving hot / cold drinks. We were served by a very efficient and mannerly young man who also sold the tickets for the gardens. The coffees were fantastic - cappuccino and espresso. Lovely to see barista style coffee being served. Definitely 5* service and would highly recommend visiting these beautiful gardens and grounds.
10. Hawick Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 107 reviews
Following advice from the Government and Public Health Scotland in relation to Covid-19, Hawick Museum & Gallery is temporarily closed. A re-opening date cannot be predicted at this time but our website and social media platforms will be regularly updated. We are grateful for your patience and understanding and very much look forward to welcoming you back. Discover a town’s treasures in an historic house in beautiful parkland. Hawick Museum is home to objects and artworks that are not just about Hawick, but a window on the world. There is always something new to see with a lively programme of changing art and museum exhibitions throughout the year. The Jimmie Guthrie and Steve Hislop exhibitions showcase the lives of Hawick’s two tragic motorcycle champions. The newly-refurbished War Memorial Room reveals the stories of Hawick’s people in Britain’s wars with military memorabilia, wartime souvenirs and audio-visuals.
Reviewed By neilm243 - Deganwy, United Kingdom
A lovely, local museum. The exhibits are arranged in dedicated rooms and well labelled and explained. There are two rooms dedicated to Hawaick motorcycling greats - Jimmie Guthrie and Steve Hislop - giving their life stories and racing achievements with some of their trophies, race gear and motorbikes they've ridden. To add to the delight is the setting - in a well kept, open park close to the town centre. This unexpected gem is well worth a visit.
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