The Scottish Borders

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The Scottish Borders is a region in south-eastern Scotland. Its ownership has been hotly contested throughout history, with countless battles being fought over the years. Despite this fierce past, when it comes to modern tourism, the area is often overlooked by visitors who travel straight through to Edinburgh and beyond. But by doing this, they're missing out on one of Scotland's most beautiful landscapes.

While much of the country's northern side is covered with huge mountains, the Borders is a much greener, calm-looking place, with rolling hills and open fields. This makes it a haven for walkers and hikers, who are free to enjoy nearly 2500 kilometres of dedicated routes. These are divided up into many different themed walks, such as St. Cuthbert's Way, which follows in the footsteps of the 7th century monk. He was one of the north's most famous religious figures. Walking in the Borders is popular throughout the year, in both the fresh greens of spring, and the oranges of autumn.

As you walk through the area, you'll notice that the frequent wars and skirmishes that once took place here have left their mark. The land is covered in the remains of castles, houses, and other buildings. This is most evident at the sites of the famous "Border Abbeys", which are now ruined husks of the impressive structures that they once were. However, the remains still give an impression of just how breath taking these buildings must have been to the Scottish citizens of the 12th century, who would have been the first to see them finished.

The four abbeys are situated within four different towns, which are among the most interesting places to visit. These include Jedburgh, which used to be the home of Mary Queen of Scots. Her old house, which is located in the aptly named Queen Street, is now a museum. The town also contains a castle and jail, which is open to the public.

The nearby town of Kelso has another of the Border Abbeys. It also boasts the largest market square in Scotland, which dates from the 18th century. Kelso is situated on the banks of the River Tweed, which some consider to be the best in the world for salmon fishing.

Further down the river is Melrose, a third abbey town. It is the burial place for the heart of Robert the Bruce, also known as King Robert I of Scotland. The town is also famous for being the birthplace of Rugby Sevens, a smaller, shorter version of the Rugby Union sport. In every year since 1883, the Melrose sevens tournament has taken place, attracting fans and participants from all over the globe. During the competition, the town's population swells to around six times its usual size!

The fourth and final abbey is in the town of Selkirk. This was where William Wallace, one of Scotland's national heroes, was officially declared the guardian of Scotland.

With so much to see and do, it would be a real shame for any visitor to Scotland to skip over the Borders. It's really worth making a stop, and discovering one of the most beautiful and historically rich areas in the country.

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