The Best Things to See, Do and Experience in the Fascinating Scottish Borders

Not many travelers make it to the Scottish Borders.

We arrive in Edinburgh, spend some time there and typically head north.

But there are a wealth of travel treasures in The Borders of Scotland.

After all this is the area that saw lots of fighting between the Scots and the English.

So let’s learn a bit about the Scottish Borders and what there is to see, do and experience.

Where exactly are The Borders of Scotland?

The Scottish Borders, often called The Borders, are south of Edinburgh and the areas around Edinburgh — West Lothian, Midlothian, and East Lothian.

To the East is the North Sea and to the West is Dumfries and Galloway.

It’s one of the larger Council areas land mass wise.

However, population-wise the Borders are more in the middle of the pack.

This region does not have the dramatic landscape of some of the other areas of Scotland.

But its gentle rolling green hills, lovely coastline and the River Tweed make it a wonderful spot to visit.

Plus there is some intriguing history here.

Let’s look at some of the highlights for the traveler to experience.

Galashiels

One of the main towns, with a train station, is Galashiels.

Admittedly, I only drove through this town.

But it has something that many folks come to see — the Great Tapestry of Scotland.

This is not one piece but rather a collection of panels stitched by 1000 people from Scotland.

Each panel depicts different parts of Scottish history — from epic battles or moments in history to what everyday life was like at a certain point in time.

I’ve heard it’s incredible.

It’s definitely a good reason to visit the Scottish Borders.

Selkirk

I actually stayed in this Scottish Borders town.

It’s a bit more of a work-a-day town.

But it made a good base for exploring the area.

There is a manor home called The Haining that is being restored.

They have the stables part of the estate set up as holiday apartments.

This is where I stayed and why I chose to stay here as there was a wee lake with a trail around it and trails shooting off from the main lake trail.

It was quiet yet you could walk into the center of town.

I loved that the locals would come here to walk their dogs or bring their kids who would ride their little bicycles around the lake.

There are a couple of nice cafes in Selkirk as well.

While it may not be a place to go out of your way to visit at this point, once the Haining is opened, I think it will be a great place to visit.

And I think staying at the Haining Estate is a good option for basing yourself.

Melrose 

Melrose is definitely a jewel of the Scottish Borders.

It’s a pretty town with a slightly more touristy feel to it but it’s still delightful.

You’ll find a few more restaurants and cafes as well as hotels and guesthouses.

But the big attraction here is Melrose Abbey.

This is one of 4 abbeys in the Borders of Scotland.

Most of the abbeys are more ruins than intact buildings.

But they are stunning ruins.

Melrose Abbey is truly spectacular.

I’d put Melrose town and its abbey at the top of the list!

Dryburgh

The other abbey I visited in the Scottish Borders was Dryburgh.

These abbey ruins are different from Melrose in that there are more structures all around the grounds including a couple you can go into.

I thought these ruins were equally impressive, just different.

The area around Dryburgh is really lovely as well as it sits right by the River Tweed (see below).

I definitely spent some time wandering around all the different structures and taking in the surrounding landscape with its many trees.

This would make a nice spot for a picnic as well.

Jedburgh

The third abbey in the Scottish Borders is Jedburgh.

I didn’t make it to Jedburgh or to Kelso (see below).

From images, Jedburgh looks more like Melrose.

It gets good reviews from travelers as well and seems to be well worth the visit.

Jedburgh is firmly on my “next time” list.

Abbotsford

One of my favorite sites I visited during my time in the Scottish Borders was Abbotsford.

This is the estate of Sir Walter Scott.

Admittedly, I didn’t know much about this Scottish historical figure.

But I learned a bit about him by visiting his estate which sits between Selkirk and Melrose along the River Tweed.

I also found out that he truly loved his home here.

It’s a wonderful place to spend some time.

You get to tour the main rooms of his large house and you can wander through the gardens which are lovely.

I was there in autumn so I missed the flowers in full bloom (although there were still flowers here and there.

But boy, I bet the gardens are spectacular in late spring and summer!

You can also walk around the grounds at Abbotsford and along the River Tweed.

There are actually some nice paths to take advantage of.

I really love this site in the Borders of Scotland.

River Tweed

The River Tweed is the main river of the Scottish Borders.

It’s one of the best rivers for salmon fishing in the UK so you’ll see anglers along its banks.

You can also get out on it in a canoe or kayak.

Or you can simply walk along it.

It’s an important part of the Borders and it’s quite picturesque in spots.

Borders Abbeys Way

You know me — I love a long distance trail.

The Borders Abbeys Way is one I’d love to walk.

This circular trail in the Scottish Borders is about 109km (68miles).

It takes in the 4 aforementioned abbeys and their nearby towns.

The trail also passes Abbotsford and has some sections along the River Tweed and the River Teviot.

There are some rugged, hilly sections, but nothing challenging.

In fact, this is a perfect walk for long distance trail first timers.

I actually walked a couple of wee sections of this — one out of Melrose toward Dryburgh and another time out of Dryburgh heading east.

It seems like a very doable trail.

I’d love to walk the entire route!

Eildon Hills

While it’s often referred to as Eildon Hills, this is just one hill with 3 peaks.

Located in the Scottish Borders just south of Melrose, Eildon is 422m (1385feet) high.

It has a good path up it and it’s not overly long although steep in sections.

I’ve not climbed it, but would love to.

Just watch for muddy spots as this is Scotland!

St Abbs and St Abbs head 

There is a wee bit of coastline to take advantage of in the Scottish Borders.

St Abbs is the spot that intrigues me as it’s a wee fishing village that just looks very charming and picturesque.

Just north of the village is St Abbs head which is a nature reserve with a coastal headland and dramatic sea cliffs where you’ll find some sea birds.

It looks awesome!

Other things to see and do in the Scottish Borders

There are a nice handful of castles and stately homes such as Floor Castle, Traquair House and Thirlestane Castle.

The Borders of Scotland do have some nice homes and castles for those of you who love these kinds of sites.

I know when I return to this region that I’ll explore more of these stately homes.

They look amazing!

Final thoughts on the Scottish Borders

I was not 100% sure what to expect from this region of Scotland.

After having Bo Fraser of Scotland Your Way on the podcast back in 2021 and hearing her talk of this area, I became more and more intrigued.

That led me to wanting to include it on my Scottish Road Trip 2023.

And I have to admit that I ended up really liking this area.

No, it’s not as dramatic as much of the Scottish Highlands.

It has more of a gentle beauty.

But I loved the splendid abbeys, the charming villages and the bucolic scenery.

It’s definitely a region worthy of the time.

I will definitely go back!

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