Scotland: Historic Houses of the Scottish Borders10th Sep 2025

Scotland: Historic Houses of the Scottish Borders

From:£1,020

Summary

The Scottish Borders are often overlooked in comparison with the Highlands and Islands, whose grandeur and drama have an obvious attraction. Yet the Borders have a quiet, understated beauty of their own, with softly rolling hills draped in early morning mist, peaceful valleys dotted with sheep farms and the sinuous, salmon-filled River Tweed, which runs like a silver thread from the Lowther Hills to the sea at Berwick.

This prosperous region of Scotland is also home to a remarkable number of historic houses, ancient castles and stately homes, allowing the visitor to sample a huge slice of Scottish history and folklore in a short space of time.

These include Manderston House, described as ”The swansong of the stately home”, Traquair House, the oldest continuously inhabited house in Scotland, with a host of royal connections, Mellerstain House, an outstanding example of Georgian architecture and Abbotsford, home of Sir Walter Scott. Perhaps the grandest of all is Floors Castle, the magnificent home of the Duke of Roxburghe.

UK

4 Days

Gentle

Deposit£125

Full Price£1095

Today's Price£1,020

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    What to Expect

    • Georgian masterpieces at Mellerstain and Manderston
    • Regal connections at Traquair House
    • Sir Walter Scott’s personal collections at Abbotsford
    • The opulence of Floors Castle
    • Lunch in the Victorian Kitchen at Thirlstane Castle
    Floors Castle, Kelso

    Departure Routes

    LocationPickup TimeDropoff Time
    To be advised00:0000:00
    Aberdeen - Opposite Denburn Car Park, behind library where Spa Street meets Skene Street08:3018:20
    Stonehaven - Market Square09:0017:50
    Forfar - Bus stop off the A90, near McDonalds09:5516:55
    Dundee - Outside Discovery Point, Riverside Drive10:1516:35
    Perth - Broxden Park & Ride10:4516:05
    Kinross - Moto Services, M9012:0014:50
    Dunfermline - Halbeath Park & Ride12:2014:30
    Edinburgh - Outside Reception of the Delta by Marriott Hotel, Glasgow Road12:4514:00
    Joining at first visit14:00
    12:00

    ** Please note that all timings are approximate and subject to change. Final timings and pick-up points will be confirmed with your joining instructions approximately 10 days prior to departure. **

    Day by Day Itinerary

    We depart by coach from our local pick-up points and drive into the Scottish Borders for our visit to Manderston House. Legend has it that Manderston House was “The swansong of the stately home”, and although most legends are unfounded, Manderston is all that the legend claims, and probably more besides. Built in the finest Georgian country house style in the 1790s for Dalhousie Weatherstone, the elaborate house became the home of the Miller Family in 1855, who made their initial fortune from trading hemp and herrings with the Russians. A large-scale remodelling of the mansion was undertaken in the early-20th Century, and when the Edinburgh architect, John Kinross, asked how much he could spend on the work, he was told that “it simply doesn’t matter . . .”.

    We continue to our comfortable hotel where dinner is served this evening.

    Meals includedDinner

    Pink Dahlia At Manderston House

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