Scottish Borders, Jedburgh, Kelso, Hawick, Coldstream, Scotland UK

Jedburgh, Scottish Borders

With a pretty village centre and a choice of historic attractions including one of the Scottish Borders' famous abbeys, Jedburgh has much to offer the visitor. A selection of craft and other fine shops can also be found around Market Place and Canongate.

Situated as it is on the Borders main A7 route north upto Edinburgh, Jedburgh makes a superb base to break a journey, with a choice of fine pubs, cafes and restaurants alongside historic Borders Abbey, Jedburgh Castle and Jail and the Mary Queen of Scots house which serves as a comprehensive museum on Mary, drawing attention to her visit to Jedburgh in 1566. Robert Burns also stayed in Jedburgh (a plaque on a village pub denotes where he may have stayed). Whether your stopping off or planning a longer stay in the Scottish Borders, Jedburgh offers a superb base especially for families. Green spaces in the area include Harestanes Countryside Visitor Centre, Jedforest Deer and Farm Park and Monteviot House Gardens.

Jedburgh Tourist Information Centre, Murray's Green, Jedburgh TD8 6BE. Tel. 0870 6080404. (Pick up Jedburgh Town Trail guide leaflets here).

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Hawick, Scottish Borders

The first of the largest of the Scottish Borders towns you'll arrive at on the A7 main route up to Edinburgh, Hawick is a popular stopover base close to the English border. Hawick today (much like Gretna Green) is particularly renowned for its budget woollen mill outlets where bargains galore are to be had in knitwear and fabrics. Behind this superb choice of woollen mill outlets is an internationally acclaimed history of fine quality knitwear producion in the Hawick and general southern Scottish Borders area. Quality knitwear names such as Peter Scott are still operating here in Hawick.

Hawick, being so close to the English Border, has seen a turbulent history. In the 16th century cross Border warfare was rife in the area and in March annually Hawick reflects on its Border Reivers history during the Hawick Reiver's Festival. Hawick's town museum and restored Drumlanrig's Tower in the heart of Hawick town also digs into Border Reivers history in the area, and legendary Border Rider families such as the Armstrongs, Turnbulls and the Scotts.

Hawick Tourist Information Centre, 1 Toweer Knowe, Hawick, Roxburghshire TD9 9EN, Scottish Borders, Scotland. Tel. 08706 080404.

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Kelso & Coldstream Scottish Borders

"The most beautiful, if not the most romantic village in Scotland", said Sir Walter Scott of Kelso. Elegant market town Kelso, with its historic 12th century Benedictine Kelso Abbey, sits where the two rivers the Tweed and Teviot meet. Attractive indeed is Kelso, with its cobbled streets and stylish 18th century homes. The five arched bridge here over the Tweed dates from 1803 and the design by John Rennie was inspiration for Waterloo Bridge in London.

To the north of Kelso, Coldstream is close to the English border and saw a fair few runaway marriages like Gretna in the past. Reowned for its famous Coldstream Guards Regiment, now the oldest serving regiment in the British Army dating from 1650 you can find out more at the Coldstream Museum on Market Square in Coldstream. A choice of historic Borders attractions in the Kelso and Coldstream area also include Smailholm Tower, Hume Castle and Floors Castle and Gardens.

Kelso Tourist Information Centre, Town House, The Square, Kelso TD5 7HF.

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