Local
Activities

The Scottish Borders offers a host of activities to suit visitors of all ages and enable them to explore our stunning beaches, historic cities and towns, heather clad hills, ancient woodlands and meandering rivers.  Whether its playing a round of golf, mountain biking or visiting our stately homes and castles there is something for everyone.

Walking

Melrose and the Scottish Borders are a destination of choice for walkers and the area is covered with paths including the Southern Upland Way, St Cuthberts Way and the Borders Abbeys Way.  The Melrose Paths Group and Earlston Paths Group produce excellent booklets of local walks.

www.walkmelrose.org.uk
www.earlstonpathsgroup.co.uk

Restaurants

There is no shortage of options for eating out in the area.  For special occasions we recommend Provender in Melrose and Hoebridge in Gattonside.  For a more casual night out we recommend Burts Hotel, The Townhouse and Montecasino in Melrose.  We recommend booking in advance of your visit.

www.thehoebridge.com
www.provendermelrose.com
www.burtshotel.co.uk
www.thetownhousemelrose.co.uk
www.montecassinorestaurant.co.uk

Edinburgh

A short train journey from Tweedbank Station (3 miles) Edinburgh offers a host of options including: Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh Zoo, National Museum, Royal Yacht Britannia, National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh Castle, Camera Obscura, Royal Botanic Gardens.

Beach

A day on the beach always creates a memory.  The Northumberland and Scottish Coast is only an hour’s drive away with Coldingham Beach recommended in Scotland and Bamburgh Beach and the Holy Island of Lindisfarne in Northumberland.

Heritage

The Scottish Borders is littered with Stately homes, Castles and Abbeys.

Stately Homes: Manderston, Abbotsford, Traquair, Mellerstain, Bowhill, Paxton
Castles: Floors, Alnwick, Lindisfarne, Bamburgh, Thirlestane
Abbeys and Churches: Jedburgh, Melrose, Dryburgh, Kelso, Rosslyn Chapel

Follies and Towers

If you want to explore something a bit different try some of our Follies and Towers such as Wallace Monument, Temple of the Muses, Smailholm Tower, Penielheugh Tower, Fatlips Tower, Hermitage Castle or the Monteath Mausoleum.

Golf

There are over 50 Golf courses within an hour’s drive of Old Melrose including our local nine hole course in St Boswells and 18 hole courses at The Roxburghe, Macdonald Cadrona, Minto, Hirsel, Woll and Torwoodlee.  There is also the Mounthooly Driving Range if you need a bit of practice.

Fishing

The River Tweed is Scotland’s premier Salmon River with over 6,000 Salmon caught each year.  Fishpal and Tweedbeats both offer Fishing on the River Tweed and its tributaries.  There are also local Angling Clubs which offer permits for Trout Fishing.  Borders Guns and Tackle in St Boswells offers plenty of advice.

www.fishpal.com
www.tweedbeats.com
www.bordersgunsandtackle.co.uk

Wild Swimming

Why not join the latest craze and go wild swimming in a Scottish Loch.  Lindean loch and Cauldshiels Loch both offer ideal venues for you to wild swim in.

Cycling

The Scottish Borders is home to some of the best Mountain biking trails and road cycling in the country.  Glentress 7stanes mountain bike trails offers bike hire and is recognised as one of the top venues in Europe.  Ebikes can also be rented locally in Melrose for more sedate sightseeing.

Melrose

You can while away a whole day in Melrose by browsing the gift shops and treating yourself to lunch in one of the many restaurants or just soaking up the history and nature with a visit to Harmony House Garden, Priorwood Garden, Trimontium Roman Museum and Melrose Abbey.  A cup of tea in one of the tearooms followed by a walk along the riverside completes the day.