Scotland: Historic Houses of the Scottish Borders10th Sep 2025
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.
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
Departure Routes
Location | Pickup Time | Dropoff Time |
---|---|---|
To be advised | 00:00 | 00:00 |
Aberdeen - Opposite Denburn Car Park, behind library where Spa Street meets Skene Street | 08:30 | 18:20 |
Stonehaven - Market Square | 09:00 | 17:50 |
Forfar - Bus stop off the A90, near McDonalds | 09:55 | 16:55 |
Dundee - Outside Discovery Point, Riverside Drive | 10:15 | 16:35 |
Perth - Broxden Park & Ride | 10:45 | 16:05 |
Kinross - Moto Services, M90 | 12:00 | 14:50 |
Dunfermline - Halbeath Park & Ride | 12:20 | 14:30 |
Edinburgh - Outside Reception of the Delta by Marriott Hotel, Glasgow Road | 12:45 | 14:00 |
Joining at first visit | 14:00 | |
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