Love the Borders

A few highlights of our past 10 days in the Borders of Scotland.

Walking a section of the old pilgrimage route, St Cuthberts Way near St Boswells which has a wonderful bookshop-cafe.

Lunch in the Chapter Room at Dryburgh Abbey, with the heavenly peaceful (recorded) singing of monks playing from somewhere unseen.

A very affectionate horse lowering his head in bliss when I rubbed between his ears.

Traquair House, the oldest continally inhabited house in Scotland, over 900 years old, visited by 27 Scottish kings and queens. 

History made real. Mary Queen of Scots actually slept in this bed and her son James slept in the wooden cradle half a century ago. 

Narrow winding stairs. These ones in Traquair House were wide compared to the one in the abbey buildings at Melrose and Dryburgh.

Walking in the rain. Leaderfoot viaduct once carried trains over the Tweed River. Near Melrose where my 4xgreatgrandfather was a blacksmith in the 19th century.

The Eildon Hills before it started to rain.

Robins. We keep seeing them everywhere.