Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
exploding cannon during the siege of Roxburgh Castle. His son, also James, was
crowned James III at the age of 9 at Kelso Abbey.
Mellerstain House
6 miles northwest of Kelso signposted off the A608 • May-Sept Fri-Mon 12.30-5pm (gardens open 11.30am) • £8.50; gardens only £5 •
T
01573 410225,
W
mellerstain.com
Mellerstain House
represents the very finest of the Adam family's work: William
designed the wings in 1725, and his son Robert the main mansion house fifty years
later. Inside, it has an elegant, domestic air, lacking in pomposity. Robert Adam's love
of columns, delicate roundels and friezes culminates in a stunning sequence of
plaster-moulded, pastel-shaded ceilings, which still preserve the original colours; the
library
is the architectural highlight, with four unusual long panels in plaster relief of
classical scenes relegating the topics to second place. Perhaps the most intriguing Adam
creation is the bathroom in the basement, the only one known to have been designed
by him. Notable among the paintings are works by Constable, Gainsborough, Ramsay
and Veronese. he house remains the home of the Earl of Haddington, descendant of
the Baillie family who acquired the estate in 1642. After the tour you can wander the
formal Edwardian gardens, which slope down to the lake, or venture further afield to
the Fairy Glen. here's also a children's play area and an excellent tearoom.
2
Smailholm Tower
Sandyknowe Farm; signposted from Smailholm village and 7 miles west of Kelso • April-Sept daily 9.30am-5.30pm; Oct-March Sat &
Sun 9.30am-4.30pm • £4.50; HS
Perched alone on a remote rocky outcrop, craggy and evocative
Smailholm Tower
inspired Walter Scott, and conjures up the era of Reivers' raids and border skirmishes.
he fifteenth-century tower was designed to withstand sudden attack: the rough rubble
walls are 6ft thick and both the entrance - once guarded by a heavy door plus an iron
yett (gate) - and the windows are disproportionately small. Inside, make your way up
to the roof, where two narrow
wall-walks
, jammed against the barrel-vaulted roof and
the crow-stepped gables, provide panoramic views. On the north side the watchman's
seat has also survived, stuck against the chimney-stack for warmth and with a recess for
a lantern.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
KELSO AND AROUND
By bus
The bus station is on Roxburgh St, a brief walk from
The Square.
Destinations
Berwick-upon-Tweed (Mon-Sat 8-10 daily, 5 on
Sun; 50min); Galashiels (Mon-Sat 8-10 daily, 5 on Sun; 50min);
Hawick (Mon-Sat 9 daily; 1hr); Jedburgh (Mon-Sat 9 daily;
30min) Melrose (Mon-Sat 8-10 daily; 5 on Sun; 30min).
KELSO FESTIVALS AND EVENTS
Held between Duns and Kelso over three days from the end of May, the
Jim Clark Rally
(
W
jimclarkrally.com) is mainland Britain's only on-road rally, and the five races are a major event
on the sporting calendar; the best position from which to watch is nearer to Duns at the
Langton splash, where the cars soak spectators by belting through a large puddle.
In Springwood Park during one weekend in mid-June, the
Border Union Dog Show
(
W
buas
.org/dogs) is a canine festival and Crufts qualifier, takes place. Over a hundred horse riders in period
regalia canter cross-country from Kelso to Yetholm and back for the
Civic Week Sat
(
W
kelso
.bordernet.co.uk/civic-week), a Borders tradition in mid-July. Prior to the ride there are week-long
festivities including a Ceilidh, fireworks and a torch-lit procession. Early September sees the
St James' Fair
(
W
kelsocommunityevents.co.uk) in The Square. With roots going back a millennium,
this event is effectively now a family-orientated weekend of entertainment, funfairs and stalls plus a
degree of pomp and ceremony culminating in the novelty coronation of a local child. During
October to May at Golf Course Road just north of town, the
Kelso Races
(
W
kelso-races.co.uk; £10
entry) feature a small-jump horse-racing circuit with race meets mostly at weekends.
