The Scottish Borders don’t get nearly enough credit. Everyone goes to the Highlands or the islands when they want to escape the city, and I understand why. But the Borders offer something different: rolling hills, quiet market towns, history soaked into every stone, and none of the tourist crowds. I spent a weekend there recently, and it reminded me why this part of Scotland deserves more attention.
I based myself in Melrose, which is the perfect size for a weekend base: small enough to be charming, big enough to have decent pubs and places to eat. The town sits in the shadow of the Eildon Hills, which dominate the skyline and give you a walking challenge if you’re up for it. I climbed all three peaks on the Saturday morning, and the views from the top were worth every step.
Melrose Abbey and Abbotsford House
Melrose Abbey is the obvious attraction, and rightly so. It’s one of the most beautiful ruins in Scotland, Gothic and crumbling and atmospheric. The heart of Robert the Bruce is supposed to be buried there, which adds to the mythology. I spent a good hour just wandering around the cloisters and trying to imagine what it must have been like when it was still standing.
Abbotsford House, a few miles outside Melrose, is where Sir Walter Scott lived, and it’s a fascinating glimpse into the mind of a man who was obsessed with Scottish history and romance. The house is stuffed with medieval armour, old manuscripts, and curiosities that Scott collected throughout his life. It’s eccentric and slightly overwhelming, but in a good way. You can see why Scott wrote the novels he did. He was living inside his own historical fantasy.
Kelso and Jedburgh
I drove over to Kelso on the Sunday, and it’s a lovely little town. The square is one of the most handsome in Scotland, cobbled and spacious, with the ruins of Kelso Abbey sitting quietly at one edge. There’s a good farmers’ market on certain weekends, and the pubs do decent food. It’s the kind of place where you could happily spend a few hours without feeling like you need to be rushing off to the next attraction.
Jedburgh was my final stop, and it’s worth visiting just for the abbey alone. Like Melrose, it’s a ruin, but it’s remarkably intact, and you can still get a sense of how grand it must have been. The town itself is pleasant enough, with narrow streets and old stone buildings, though it doesn’t have quite the same charm as Melrose or Kelso.
Walking, Pubs, Peace
What I loved most about the Borders was the pace of it. There’s no pressure to see everything or tick off a list of attractions. You can just walk, eat well, sit in a pub with a pint, and enjoy the quiet. The countryside is gentle rather than dramatic, but that’s part of the appeal. It’s soothing in a way that the Highlands sometimes aren’t.
The pubs are excellent, by the way. Proper old Scottish pubs with fireplaces and local ale and menus that don’t try too hard. I had a steak pie in Melrose that was up there with the best I’ve ever had, and the beer selection was solid. The Borders know how to do hospitality properly.
If you’re looking for a weekend away and you’re tired of the usual Highland haunts, give the Borders a try. It’s underrated, uncrowded, and quietly wonderful. Exactly what a weekend break should be.
