As well as beautiful countryside, history abounds in the Borders. Traquair House, only one mile from our home, is the oldest inhabited house in Scotland dating from the 15th Century. Mary Queen of Scots visited Traquair and a copy of her death warrant is still held at the house! The history of the house reflects much of Scottish history and the 21st Lady Of Traquair is still a major figure in the town. The house can be visited and within the grounds are the largest hedge maze in Scotland, Traquair Brewery and several craft workshops.

For those interested in golf, there are three courses within a six mile radius and numerous others in East Lothian and Fife including North Berwick, Muirfield and St Andrews. All are within a days return journey.

There are numerous walking trails in the area including part of the Southern Upland Way and the John Buchan Way. Cycling and mountain biking are also very popular. Innerleithen trails and Glentress Forest, three miles away and linked by a path, are one of the 7 Stanes trails which have national renown,

Within easy reach of Innerleithen there are a number of historic houses including Floors Castle in Kelso, Manderstain In Gordon, Bowhill House in Selkirk and Abbotsford in Melrose, the home of Sir Walter Scott the world famous Scottish author. All these attractions are within easy travelling distance though some are closed during the winter months.

Then of course there's EDINBURGH, a World Heritage Site and Capital City of Scotland, an hours drive away and easily accessible by bus. Edinburgh is a beautiful city also known as the "Athens of The North". It has a number of major cultural attractions in its museums, art galleries and concert halls.

In addition, the annual summer festivals attract visitors from all over the world. The International Festival, Fringe Festival, Jazz and Blues Festival, Book and Film Festivals take place over the summer months and combine to make it the biggest cultural festival in the world.
Over Christmas and New Year the German markets and fireworks display add to the vibrancy of the city.

Edinburgh Castle and its annual summer Tattoo is also a major attraction, as is Holyrood Palace, the official Scottish residence of the KIng.

The Royal Mile leads from the Castle to Holyrood which is also opposite the Scottish Parliament building.

The" New Town" has beautifully preserved Georgian buildings (17 and 18th century) but Edinburgh's history dates from the 7th Century with some centuries old buildings still remaining.

For those interested in further exploring Scotland, the highlands and islands offer great scenery and we can recommend many other places to visit, some quieter than major tourist destinations. In our little country you can also view major film locations used in the 2019 version of Mary Queen of Scots, Outlander, Harry Potter, and Braveheart to name a few, After a hectic day of travel, there is, of course always a wee dram of whisky waiting for you.

Edinburgh International airport has direct flights from the U.S., Canada, many countries of Europe and the Middle East as well as within the U.K. There are frequent connections from London by air, train and bus.