Back Roads Great Britain (Eyewitness Travel Back Roads)

DRIVE 21: History and Romance in the Borders 215

PLAN YOUR DRIVE

Start/finish: Edinburgh to Rosslyn

Chapel.

Number of days: 2–3 days, with at

least half a day in Edinburgh.

Distance: Approx 362 km (225 miles).

Road conditions: Generally good

roads and signposting; some Border

roads can be very narrow and the

scenic B709 to Traquair House often

gets snowbound in winter.

When to go: Best for birdlife in spring

and early summer, best for colour in

the autumn.

Opening times: Museums and

attractions are generally open

10am–5pm, but may close earlier

(or are closed altogether) Nov–Easter.

Shops are often open longer.

Churches are usually open until dusk.

Main market days: Kelso: Farmers’

Market, 4th Sat of month; Traquair

House: Peebles Farmers’ Market, 2nd

Sat of month.

Shopping: Shop for fine cashmere and

woollens in the Borders – especially

around Selkirk and Kelso, the heart of

Scotland’s knitwear industry.

Main festivals: Edinburgh: Festival

and Festival Fringe, mid Aug–early

Sep; Manderston House: Duns

Summer Festival, Jul; Dryburgh

Abbey, Abbotsford & Traquair House:

Selkirk, Melrose & Peebles: Common

Ridings, Jun.

KEY

Drive route

DAY TRIP OPTIONS

Familes staying in Edinburgh will enjoy

looking around a royal palace and

some haunted alleyways, before

exploring the ancient bastion of

Edinburgh Castle. Then drive off to

North Berwick to see the puffins and

seals at the Scottish Seabird Centre

and go on an island boat trip, before

relaxing on the beach. History-lovers

should head to Kelso to see the local

abbey and magnificent castle, then on

to the abbey at Dryburgh and Sir

Walter Scott’s characterful house,

Abbotsford, before enjoying the

glorious countryside on the way to a

historic country house, dating back to

1107. For full details, see p219.

Right Field of rapeseed on the drive from St

Abb’s Head to Manderston House, see p217

Above Princes Street as seen from Calton

Hill, Edinburgh, see p216

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