Scottish Borders

The Scottish Borders combine market towns, abbey ruins and a stretch of dramatic coastline. Kelso and Melrose are handsome towns built around their ruined abbeys, with Melrose also serving as a good base for walkers tackling the surrounding hills. Peebles offers a lively High Street and riverside walks along the Tweed, while smaller towns such as Lauder, Duns and Coldstream make for quieter stops with plenty of local history, the latter sitting right on the border with England.

Further south, Jedburgh, Selkirk and Hawick reflect the region's woollen heritage, each with its own market character and easy access to open countryside. On the coast, Eyemouth is a working fishing harbour with sandy beaches nearby, and neighbouring Coldingham suits those after cliff walks and a slower pace. Tiny Allanton, tucked among farmland, rounds off the area's rural charm, appealing to travellers keen to explore beyond the main towns.

Hotels and B&Bs across the Scottish Borders tend to reflect the region's mix of market towns and quiet countryside, with country houses like Fauhope House and Glenternie House offering a more secluded stay alongside town-centre guest houses in Melrose, Kelso and Jedburgh. Peebles has a good spread of options for those wanting shops and restaurants within walking distance, while Allanton suits travellers keen to base themselves near the river and the surrounding farmland.

Many properties here are converted period houses rather than chain hotels, so expect individual character at places such as Bowden House, The Old Priory and Braidwood Guest House. Those touring the abbeys or walking the Southern Upland Way often choose Jedburgh or Kelso for a central base, while Hundalee House and St Ola work well for a slower pace closer to the hills.

The Scottish Borders mixes grand houses, wildlife reserves and coastal walks with a scattering of family days out, so a trip here can be shaped around whatever pace you fancy. Melrose and Lauder have their share of historic sites, including Thirlestane Castle, while the Bowhill Stables area near Selkirk gives a sense of the region's country estates.

Peebles has become something of a hub for active pursuits, with Go Ape Glentress Forest and treasure trail routes like the Peebles Spy Mission adding a different kind of outing. Further east, Eyemouth and Coldingham Bay lead towards the cliffs of St Abbs Head, one of the best spots for seabirds and seals, while Tweed Valley Osprey Watch offers a rarer sighting inland.

Elsewhere, smaller attractions such as Bird Gardens Scotland and the Trimontium Heritage Centre near Newcastleton and Hawick fill in the gaps, making it easy to combine a castle visit with an afternoon outdoors.

Eating out across the Scottish Borders tends to mean warm, unfussy places rather than anything showy: hotel dining rooms in market towns, pubs with a good fire, and cafes that double as the local meeting point. Melrose and Kelso hold a good concentration of options, with Burts Hotel and Ednam House Hotel among the more established names, while smaller towns and villages have their own bakeries, coffee shops and family-run kitchens.

Choice runs from quick stops like Waffles N Brew and The Rialto Coffee Shop to sit-down meals at places such as Monte Cassino or Taj Tandoori for something different from the usual Borders fare. A few, including the cafe at Ian Stark Equestrian Centre, reflect the area's rural, outdoor character. Given the spread across the region, it is worth picking somewhere close to whatever you are doing that day rather than travelling far for dinner.

The Scottish Borders offers a wide spread of camping and glamping, from simple grassy pitches to well-appointed pods and shepherd's huts. The coastal stretch around Coldingham suits those wanting cliff walks and beach days, while inland towns such as Melrose, Kelso and Jedburgh put you close to abbeys, rivers and the rolling hills that define this part of Scotland.

Further west, around Peebles, Innerleithen and West Linton, sites tend to favour cycling and forest trails through the Tweed Valley, with places like Tweed Valley Pods and Wilding on a Whim giving easy access to the woods. Quieter rural spots near Hawick, Duns and Bonchester Bridge, including Beirhope Alpacas and Ruberslaw Wild Woods Camping, are better suited to those after peace, wildlife and dark skies over comfort alone.

Styles vary considerably, from the fitted-out huts at Stouslie Snugs and Milldown Glamping to the more unusual Roulotte Retreat and Feather Down at Chesters, so it's worth deciding whether you want a working farm stay, a woodland base, or somewhere near the market towns.

Self-catering is the natural way to see the Scottish Borders, a region of quiet river valleys, market towns and rolling farmland that rewards a slower pace than a single overnight stop allows. Cottages range from converted farm steadings and estate buildings, such as Paxton House - The Old Bakery, to simple town apartments like the one in Peebles, giving a choice between rural isolation and easy access to shops and pubs.

Many properties sit on working farms or smallholdings, among them Swinton Mill Farm Cottage and Ploughman's Rest, which suit those wanting space, gardens and views over open country. Others, including the various Haven Cottages options and The Annex At Fernyrig, offer more compact bases handy for exploring the Tweed valley, the Cheviots or the coast around Eyemouth.

With over a hundred properties spread across the county, it is worth thinking about which part of the Borders suits your plans, whether that is walking and fishing near a river, cycling the quieter lanes, or using a cottage like The Bothy or Heather Cottage as a base for visiting the abbeys and border towns.