Southern Scotland - Scotland - page 277

lions. Continue eastwards on the A72 pausing at Abbotsford , once the home of Sir Walter Scott. The pretty bi-
jou village of Melrose , with its fabulous abbey, is a must-see and a good lunch stop. Turn south down the A68
to DryburghAbbey , perhaps the most evocative of the great Borders ruins.
Head on via the A68 to attractive Jedburgh , dominated by the skeleton of the third abbey. The turbulent his-
tory of these once-powerful communities tells of the constant strife in these frontier lands.
From Jedburgh, take the A698 northeast to Kelso , an historic market town and the location of the grandiose
Floors Castle, the last and least intact of the abbey ruins. With several other historic buildings within easy striking
distance, this makes an appealing stop for a night or two: the classical elegance of Mellerstain House and the grim
Smailholm Tower are particularly worthwhile.
Beyond Kelso, the A698 brings you to Coldstream , which gives its name to the famous regiment once based
here. Here, the road crosses the Tweed into England and leads eventually to the coast near Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Head north and take the left turn to the magnificent 18th century Paxton House , just back over the border in
Scotland. Continue north to Eyemouth , with a fascinating maritime history and excellent places to stay. Here,
Gunsgreen House is another elegant Adam family mansion with an intriguing smuggling past. From here, it's an
easy drive up the A1 through East Lothian and back to Edinburgh.
Peebles
POP 8065
With a picturesque main street set on a ridge between the River Tweed and the Eddleston
Water, Peebles is one of the most handsome of the Border towns. Though it lacks a major
sight, the agreeable atmosphere and good walking options in the rolling, wooded hills
thereabouts will entice you to linger for a couple of days.
Sights & Activities
If it's sunny, the riverside walk along the River Tweed has plenty of grassed areas ideal
for a picnic, and there's a children's playground (near the main road bridge). A mile west
of the town centre, Neidpath Castle is a tower house perched on a bluff above the river;
it's closed for the foreseeable future but worth a look from the riverbank.
Two miles east of town off the A72, in Glentress forest , is one of the 7stanes
mountain-biking hubs ( Click here ) , as well as osprey viewing and marked walking trails.
A cafe ( 01721-721736; www.thehubintheforest.co.uk ) hires rigs and will put you on the
right trail for your ability. These are some of Britain's best biking routes. There are also
camping huts here (see www.glentressforestlodges.co.uk ) . In town, you can hire bikes to