Scottish Tour Guide's Blog

Kelso Abbey, Scottish Borders, Scotland

This evening, I am focusing on Kelso, a fascinating little gem of a town in the Scottish Borders which sits on the banks of the River Tweed. A visit here impressed me on three counts, viz:

1. The enornomous (by Scottish standards) town square surrounded by many-storied houses.  This video clip  illustrates the square and surrounds.
2. The ruined Abbey (above) which dates from the 12th century and was severely damaged by the Earl of Hertford’s forces in 1545 in context of the regular conflicts of the time between Scotland and England.
3. The nearby Floors Castle (below) which was built  for the 1st Duke of Roxburghe in 1721. Inside can be found an outstanding collection of paintings, tapestries and furniture. Outside there are well maintained grounds, gardens and woodlands to enjoy.

Strongly recommend inclusion of Kelso in context of a tour of the Scottish Borders. The sporting visitor can indulge in golf, fishing and other activities.  continue reading…

This evening, I am focusing on a sub-set of Scottish castles most of which would have had early origins as military/fortified buildings but which progressively evolved into grand mansions reflecting the increasing wealth and status of their owners.

Firstly, here is Culzean Castle situated on the Ayrshire coast and now owned by Scotland’s National Trust. It is a Robert Adam designed masterpiece of the Scottish Gothic Revival from the late 18th century built by the 10th Earl Cassilis who was bankrupted by the scale of the project. Post WW2 a suit of apartments was gifted to General Dwight Eisenhower for his lifetime in recognition of his contribution to winning the conflict. This castle is open to the public. There are very extensive grounds and gardens which are also open for public use.

Culzean Castle, Ayrshire

Below is Inveraray Castle, the seat of the Chief of Clan Campbell and Duke of Argyll which is close to the shores of Loch Fyne on the west of Scotland. The building was completed in 1789 and incorporates baroque, Palladian and Gothic influences. Interestingly, the Adam brothers ( John and Robert) were also involved in the design of this building. Inveraray Castle remains in private hands but is open to the public and very popular with tourists visiting the west of Scotland. The castle is full of antiques, armour, furniture and paintings.

Inveraray Castle

Balmoral Castle (below) is a private residence of Britain’s Royal Family being originally acquired by Queen Victoria in 1848 and helped to trigger a boom in Scottish tourism. Only the ballroom is open to the public but the extensive grounds and gardens are also open to visitors during the  summer months. Balmoral is situated in the valley of the River Dee in the Scottish Highlands.

Balmoral Castle

Dunrobin is located in the highlands, north of Inverness ands is the seat of the Duke of Sutherland. This is the largest castle in the northern Highlands. The original defensive structure has been masked by later modelling undertaken in the 1840s and in 1915. French chateau influences on the architecture are the work of Gothic Revivalist Sir Charles Barry between 1845 and 1851. This castle is open to the public and also features extensive gardens, a museum and a falconry exhibition.

Dunrobin Castle

Floors Castle is the largest inhabited mansion in Scotland. Once again an Adam (William) was involved in the original design but his work was subject to extensive re-modelling by William Playfair in the 1830s and 1840s. Floors Castle is located close to the banks of the River Tweed near Kelso in the Scottish Borders. It is the seat of the Duke of Roxburghe and is home to a considerable art collection.

Floors Castle

This evening, I am posting information and images concerning the Border Reiver era which lasted form the 14th to the 17th centuries . The Reivers were raiders who mainly resided in the Scottish Borders areas of Liddesdale, Redesdale and Tynedale. For a long period families like the Grahams, Elliots, Armstrongs, Bells, Nixons, Hepburns, Routledges and Scotts were left to rule in a no-mans-land buffer zone between England and Scotland. These families raided the property of others in the border areas of Scotland and England taking away mobile and transportable assets such as cattle and sheep. The end came when James VI of Scotland (James I of England) unified the two countries and ruthlessly exterminated the reiving families with penalties involving death and transportation. Firearms were also forbidden.

Nowadays, this formerly lawless area has been transformed into a charming tourist trail covering such notable sites as:

• Carlenrig, where Johnnie Armstrong met his death (hanging without trial).
• Clan Armstrong Trust Museum, Langholm. There is also a nearby castle attributed to the Armstrongs.
• Gilnockie Reivers Tower, associated with Johnnie Armstrong.
• Statue to Lang Sandy at Rowanburn Village,
• Tourneyholm and Kershopefoot, where prisoners were exchanged, disputes settled by combat and a summary form of justice administered.
• Milnholm Cross, an 8ft high relic of the Armstrong Clan.
• Liddesdale Heritage Centre, which holds much information on the Reiving era.
• Remains of Mangerton Castle, seat of the Armstrong chiefs.
• Hermitage Castle, a formidable fortress right in the heart of Reiving country. (See image above.)

Contact me for information on Border Reivers tours.