Melrose (Scotland) - town in Scottish Borders, Scotland, UK

Melrose is a town in the Borders Region of southern Scotland, with a population of 2510 in 2016. It's nowadays a commuter town for Edinburgh, and service town for the Borders General Hospital. It's notable for the nearby Abbotsford House, and for two abbeys, in town and a few miles east at Dryburgh.

Get in

Trains run hourly from Edinburgh via Eskbank (for Dalkeith) and Galashiels, taking an hour to Tweedbank 📍. This is 3 miles short of Melrose but only a mile's walk to Abbotsford House.

Borders Bus X95 runs hourly M-Sa from Carlisle along the A7, via Langholm, Hawick, Selkirk, Galashiels, Stow, Newtongrange and Eskbank to Edinburgh. On Sunday only four buses run between Carlisle and Hawick, but the rest of the route is still hourly. Change at Galashiels for local buses towards Melrose: there are several, so they're every 20-30 min.

Bus 68 runs hourly from Jedburgh, taking 30 min via Ancrum and St Boswells. Buses run hourly from Berwick-upon-Tweed taking 90 min, either via Duns and Earlston (Bus 60) or via Coldstream and Kelso (Bus 67). All these buses continue to Galashiels.

Market Square 📍 is where the bus brings you in Melrose, there isn't a bus station.

Edinburgh is 43 miles (69 km) north: follow A68 for Melrose, Dryburgh and Abbotsford House. This is quicker than taking A7 via Galashiels.

Get around

Buses are frequent along the main transport corridor, Galashiels-Tweedbank-Borders General Hospital-Melrose-Newton-St Boswells-Jedburgh. Cycling is good for the back roads.

See

• Melrose Abbey, Melrose TD6 9LG (By town centre), 55.5989°, -2.7178°, +44 1896 822562. Daily Apr-Sept 09:30-17:30, Oct-Mar 10:00-16:00. Founded in 1136 as a Cistercian abbey, it grew rich and renowned - and a tempting target for every army that passed through. It fell into ruin after the 16th century Reformation. Several Scots kings and nobles are buried here, and a lead casket buried in the Chapter House contains a heart, believed to be that of King Robert the Bruce. Adult £3.50, child £2, conc £2.75 2022-03-24
• Priorwood Garden, Abbey St TD6 9PX, NA°, NA°. Daily Apr-Oct 10:00-17:00. South flank of the Abbey in what was its walled garden, this has three sections: a garden cultivating herbs and flowers for dried-flower displays, an orchard (with over 70 heritage cultivars), and a woodland. It's run by NTS. Free 2022-03-24
• Harmony Garden, St Mary's Rd TD6 9LJ, NA°, NA°. Daily Apr-Oct 10:00-17:00. Opposite the abbey and also run by NTS, this is a more formal affair, with lawns, herbaceous borders, and a veg and herb garden. It surrounds a Georgian House, which can be rented, and the Borders Book Festival is held here in June. Free 2022-03-24
• Trimontium Museum, Market Square TD6 9PN, NA°, NA°, +44 1835 342788. Apr-Oct 10:30-16:30. Trimontium was a large fort occupied from 79 AD to 184 AD, where many Roman artefacts have been found. Adults £6, conc £5, child £3 2022-03-24
• Trimontium 📍 is the site of the fort itself, in the fields to the east at Newstead. There's a monument and viewing tower, but you'll need to use your imagination.
• Eildon Hill 📍 is the triple peak (hence "Trimontium") just south of town, with the middle peak at 1385 ft / 422 m. It's thought to be a laccolith, an upwelling or blister of magma beneath other rock, with no volcanic vent. Extensive prehistoric terraces are etched into its flanks, and the Romans had a signalling station. There are multiple access paths, and it's an after-dinner stroll rather than a proper hike.
• Thomas the Rhymer 📍 aka Sir Thomas de Ercildoun (1220-1298) fell asleep under a tree at this spot, and was whisked away by the Queen of Elfland. At least that's what he told his nearest and dearest when he returned seven years later with the gift of prophecy. His wizardly renown outshone Merlin's, and many of his prophecies were spot on, since they were fabricated long after the event. Eventually (according to Scott) he returned to Elfland.
• Leaderfoot Viaduct 📍 is by the A68 north of Melrose, an impressive 19-arch structure that once carried the Berwickshire Railway over the Tweed. They've blocked off the access path and officially it's closed to the public.
• Abbotsford House, Melrose TD6 9BQ (Off A6091 two miles west of Melrose), 55.5997°, -2.7819°, +44 1896 752043. Daily Mar & Nov 10:00-16:00, Apr-Oct 10:00-17:00. The former home andgardens of the great late Georgian novelist Sir Walter Scott. (Gardens only half-price, dogs welcome.) He earned a fortune from writing, but spent an even bigger fortune extending and extending this place into a grand Baronial mansion, all mock-castellations. He was a huge collector of books, armour and other relics - even today they haven't finished cataloguing them all. His descendants lived here till 2004 but the house is now owned by a trust. The Chapel, added in 1855, has mementoes of the Oxford Anglican movement. Adult £12.50, conc £11.50, child £5.50 2022-03-25
• Old Melrose: Mailros means "bare peninsula" and refers to the headland 3 miles east of town where the River Tweed makes a tight bend then flows south. Here in the 7th century was the original Melrose monastery and settlement, and St Cuthbert (634-687) who grew up in this area was its prior before moving to Lindisfarne. It was long abandoned by the 12th century when King David sought to re-establish it here, but the monks opted for the site further west of the present Abbey and town. Nothing remains of the first structure but a marker, but there are pleasant woodland riverside walks. Access via Old Melrose Estate which is private property, but you can drive in and park if you're a customer of their tea-room.
• Dryburgh is a tiny farm settlement on a headland further south where the River Tweed makes another tight bend. It's on the east bank with no public transport, but from the main road outside St Boswells you can walk east down a lane to cross the river on a footbridge. (The lane is signposted "Donkey Sanctuary", but let that pass.) By car, take B6404 east from St Boswells, cross the river, then turn north onto B6356. A monument to William Wallace stands ahead of you, and another mile north is Scott's View, a grand westward panorama over Old Melrose and the Eildon Hills. But the reason to come is the Abbey.
• Dryburgh Abbey, Dryburgh TD6 6RQ, 55.5771°, -2.6494°. Daily Apr-Sept 09:30-17:30, Oct-Mar 10:00-16:00. This was founded in 1150 by the "Premonstratensians", a monastic order similar to the Cistercians. Built in Gothic style, it often struggled financially: its lands weren't as rich as other abbeys, its patrons had other priorities, and English armies found it burned ever so well. It ceased to function by the end of the 16th century and fell into ruin. Sir Walter Scott and Field Marshal Earl Haig are buried here. Adult £6, child 5-15 £3.60, conc £4.80 2019-01-01
• Smailholm Tower 📍: see Kelso for this ruined 15th century tower, and for Mellerstain House 3 miles further north.
• Whitslaid Tower 📍 is an even older gnarly stump, 13th or 14th century, by the A68 to Lauder.
• Thirlestane Castle, Lauder TD2 6RU (off A68 15 miles north of Melrose), 55.723°, -2.74°. May-Sept Su-Th 10:00-16:00. Built from the 16th century but greatly extended in the 17th and 19th, this is a grand mansion set in parkland. You see the interior by guided tour. The scraps of its 13th century predecessor can be seen a mile away. It often stages events such as show-jumping, open air theatre and classic car rallies. Adult £15, conc £12.50, child £5 2022-03-25

Do

• Walk: OS Landranger map 73 covers Melrose and west as far as Peebles; map 74 covers St Boswells, Kelso and Jedburgh. Two long-distance trails pass along the valley here.

The Borders Abbeys Way is a circular 68-mile trail. It's usually done in five stages, in no preferred direction or order, Kelso-Jedburgh-Hawick-Selkirk-Melrose-Kelso. It's mostly lowland and easy going, with the highest point at 339 m (1113 ft). St Cuthbert's Way is a 62-mile trail from Melrose Abbey, where the saint spent much of his life, east via St Boswells and Maxton to Kirk Yetholm, meeting the Pennine Way. Continuing east it crosses into Northumberland in England and runs down to the coast and by tidal footpath to Lindisfarne. It's all lowland in nature. For a short walk nearby, head into the Eildon Hills.

• Rugby: Melrose RFC play rugby union in National League 1, the amateur game's second tier in Scotland. Their home ground is The Greenyards (capacity 15,000) off High Street. They host the Melrose Sevens in April; the next is probably 8 April 2023, tbc.
• Golf: Melrose GC is on Dingleton Rd half a mile south of town. It's 9 holes, so twice round is 5545 yards, par 70, visitor fee £20.
• Borders Book Festival is held in Harmony Gardens, with the next on 16-19 June 2022.

Buy

• Co-op Food on High St is open daily 07:00-22:00. But for a big shop, head to the supermarkets in Galashiels.
• Born in the Borders is a brewery and gin micro-distillery at Lanton Mill near Jedburgh. They have a cafe and outlet shop at Tweedbank railway station and at Galashiels Interchange. These are open M-F 06:00-18:00, Sat 08:00-16:00 and Sun 10:00-16:00.

Eat

• Melrose town centre has Marmions Brasserie, Provender and Monte Cassino.
• St Boswells has Buccleuch Arms and Hunters Stables.
• Seasons (formerly Chapters), Gattonside TD6 9NP (North bank of Tweed, two miles east by B6360 from Melrose). W Th 18:00-21:30, F-Su 12:00-14:30 & 18:00-21:30. Emphasis on fresh, locally sourced food. 2019-01-02

Drink

• Ship Inn is on East Port at the head of Market Square in Melrose. It's open Su-Th 12:00-23:00, F Sa 12:00-00:00.
• Dryburgh Arms is the main pub in Newtown St Boswells and has rooms. It's open M, Th 17:00-22:00, F 14:00-00:00, Sa Su 11:00-00:00.
• Buccleuch Arms is in a baronial-style hunting lodge. It's on A68 at the entrance to St Boswells old village and has rooms.
• Tempest Brew is a small brewery on Tweedbank industrial estate just south of the railway station. Their shop is open M-F 10:00-17:00; no tours.

Sleep

Melrose has the most accommodation, with a few small hotels and B&Bs, there's less in St Boswells. Lauder has a small hotel, a caravan park, and you can even stay in Thirlestane Castle.

• Lilliardsedge is a caravan park and campsite along A68 midway between St Boswells and Jedburgh. Open all year.
• Burts Hotel, Market Square, Melrose TD6 9PL, +44 1896 822285. Comfy small hotel, has a restaurant and a bar. They also run Thistledo self-catering cottage. B&B double £150 2022-03-25
• Townhouse Hotel, Market Square TD6 9PQ, +44 1896 822645. Small hotel with brasserie and restaurant. B&B double £90 2022-03-25
• George & Abottsford Hotel, High St, Melrose TD6 9PD (Market Square), +44 1896 822308, enquiries@georgeandabbotsfordmelrose.co.uk. Small friendly 2-star in town centre. B&B double £85 2022-03-25
• Dryburgh Abbey Hotel, St Boswells TD6 0RQ (next to Abbey), +44 1896 822261. 4-star country house hotel in Victorian building next to Dryburgh Abbey. B&B double from £90 2022-03-25

Connect

As of March 2022, Melrose and its surrounds have 4G from all UK carriers, though the signal from Three is patchy. 5G has not yet reached this area.

Go next

• See the other Borders abbeys at Jedburgh and Kelso, and the sea cliffs of St Abb's Head.

• Roads south lead into Northumberland, which is wilder than the bucolic Borders.

• Edinburgh to the north and Glasgow to the west are both unmissable.