The Eildon Hills dominate the landscape in this part of the Scottish Borders. Famed author and local resident Sir Walter Scott, whose home Abbotsford is a must visit, was said to have a favourite view of the hills. The Border town of Galashiels has a station on the Borders Railway line, while its last stop, Tweedbank has a bus link to Melrose. They are also served via express bus from Edinburgh making a visit via public transport a definite option.  

The area around Melrose has been inhabited for thousands of years with the Romans arriving in AD79 and building a fort nearby named Trimontium; ‘Place of the Three Hills’. Finds from the most recent excavations there can be found at the Trimontium Museum in town. The town marries history with legends at the nearby ruins of Melrose Abbey. Built in 1136 by David I, Melrose was the first Cistercian Abbey in Scotland. As it glows golden at sunset, visitors can ponder the veracity of the legend that it is burial site of the heart of Robert the Bruce. Across the street in the Harmony Gardens, modern day storytellers are celebrated annually as Melrose hosts the Borders Book Festival each June. 

Dryburgh Abbey sits near the town of St Boswells and is another of the great Borders Abbeys and burial site of Sir Walter Scott.

Galashiels is proud to sit at the heart of the Scottish Borders and of its illustrious history as a powerhouse of the textile industry. It has recently been named Happiest Place to Live! Its people and history are a superb reason to explore the town which should include a visit to the Great Tapestry of Scotland. This 5-star visitor attraction shows the history of Scotland in 160 panels of intricately worked tapestry. Stitched by more than 1,000 people across Scotland it is a remarkable art collaboration and not to be missed. 

The market town of Lauder is popular with walkers of the Southern Upland Way which passes nearby. Like Galashiels, it has a strong tradition of a Common Riding and is also home to the 16th century Scots Baronial Thirlestane Castle, which hosts a variety of events through the summer months.