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Scottish Borders

Photo: David Dixon  (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons

Holidays in Scottish Borders

From first-visit essentials to local favourites, this is our honest guide to holidays in Scottish Borders: where to stay, what it costs and what not to miss. Abbeys, tweed towns and rolling border hills.

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The Scottish Borders is a region of river valleys, hill roads and unexpectedly grand houses, and it rewards people who don't try to do too much in one day. Distances feel short on the map but the roads wind, so two or three stops is a sensible target. There are 84 places to stay on BritStays across the region, which makes it easy to base yourself somewhere and fan out over a long weekend rather than driving back and forth.

Castles and country houses: the heritage backbone

If you only have time for one grand interior, make it a choice between Floors Castle and Thirlestane Castle — both are the sort of place where the house, the setting and the grounds are the day out rather than a quick walk-through. Traquair House is the other heavyweight, with a long history that tends to hold the interest of people who normally find stately homes a chore.

Smaller and more atmospheric are the towers and keeps. Greenknowe Tower and Fatlips Castle are the kind of ruins you come upon rather than queue for; Ferniehirst Castle and Jedburgh Castle both carry the region's border-warfare history, while Gilnockie Tower tells the reiver story plainly. Glen House and Askerton Castle round out a long list of heritage stops — far more than you can manage in a weekend, which is a good problem to have.

Rainy-day museums

The Borders does its share of weather, so it helps to know where the indoor hours are. A few reliable options:

  • Trimontium Museum — the Roman story of the area, and a good one for anyone who likes archaeology explained properly.
  • Sir Walter Scott's Courtroom — small, specific and genuinely interesting if you've read any Scott at all.
  • Old Gala House — a house museum that doubles as a gallery space.
  • Commendator's House Museum — compact, and easy to pair with a nearby heritage site.
  • Robert Smail's Printing Works — the one National Trust property on our list, and a working printing works, which makes it far more engaging than it sounds on paper.

Outdoors and good for children

Go Ape Glentress Forest is the obvious half-day for older children and teenagers, and the forest setting means the non-climbers in the party have somewhere to walk while they wait. Jacksons at Jedburgh is the wildlife option, and a gentler one for younger children. Just over the border near Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hay Farm Heavy Horse Centre is a good pick for small children who want animals at close quarters, and Lady Waterford Hall is a quick, quiet stop for adults in the same direction.

If you're arriving from the Edinburgh side, Go Ape Dalkeith Edinburgh is the equivalent at that end, which can work as an outbound stop on the day you travel down.

Grouping it into a sensible day

Pair one big house with one small museum and leave the rest of the day loose. A heritage day might be Floors Castle in the morning and Greenknowe Tower or Fatlips Castle on the way back. A family day might be Go Ape Glentress Forest followed by something short and indoors like Robert Smail's Printing Works. A wet day works well as Trimontium Museum, lunch, then Old Gala House or Sir Walter Scott's Courtroom. Avoid stacking two large houses in one day — you'll rush both.

Where to eat

We don't currently have any eating places in the Scottish Borders with confirmed five-star food hygiene ratings on file, so we'd rather not point you at somewhere we can't stand behind. In practice this is easy to work around: several of the larger attractions, including Floors Castle, Thirlestane Castle and Traquair House, are the sort of estates that usually have a tearoom on site, so check before you travel and plan lunch around your main stop. Otherwise, carry something for the car — picnic spots are not in short supply here, and rural kitchens often stop serving earlier than you'd expect.

Turning it into a short break

Three nights is the sweet spot. Give one day to the big houses, one to the outdoors, and keep the third flexible for weather. With 84 BritStays properties in the region, you can choose a base that suits your plans rather than trying to be central to everything.

Before you go

Check opening days directly with each attraction — many Borders houses and small museums run seasonal or part-week hours, and some of the towers are open structures rather than staffed sites. Book Go Ape Glentress Forest ahead in school holidays. Take boots and a waterproof even for a castle day, as the grounds are usually the best part, and expect patchy phone signal on the hill roads, so download your route before you set off.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best attractions in the Scottish Borders for a rainy day?

Trimontium Museum, Sir Walter Scott's Courtroom, Old Gala House and Commendator's House Museum are all indoor museum stops in the Scottish Borders. Robert Smail's Printing Works, a National Trust property, is another good wet-weather option as it is a working printing works rather than a static display.

Which castles and houses should we prioritise in the Scottish Borders?

For a full visit with grounds, choose between Floors Castle, Thirlestane Castle and Traquair House. If you prefer smaller, atmospheric sites, look at Greenknowe Tower, Fatlips Castle, Ferniehirst Castle, Jedburgh Castle, Gilnockie Tower, Glen House and Askerton Castle. Try not to do two large houses in the same day.

What is there for children in the Scottish Borders?

Go Ape Glentress Forest suits older children and teenagers, with forest walks nearby for anyone not climbing. Jacksons at Jedburgh is a wildlife attraction that works well for younger children. Near Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hay Farm Heavy Horse Centre is good for small children who want to see animals up close.

Where should we eat in the Scottish Borders?

We don't currently have any places to eat in the Scottish Borders with confirmed five-star food hygiene ratings on file, so we don't name specific restaurants. In practice, larger estates such as Floors Castle, Thirlestane Castle and Traquair House are the sort of places that usually have a tearoom on site, so check before you travel. Packing a picnic is a reliable fallback.

How many days do you need in the Scottish Borders?

Three nights works well. Give one day to the big houses such as Floors Castle or Traquair House, one day to the outdoors at Go Ape Glentress Forest or Jacksons at Jedburgh, and keep the third day flexible so you can move indoors to Trimontium Museum or Old Gala House if the weather turns.

Is there anywhere to stay in the Scottish Borders on BritStays?

Yes, there are 84 places to stay in the Scottish Borders listed on BritStays. With that many options you can pick a base that suits the attractions you most want to see rather than trying to find somewhere central to everything.

Scottish Borders on the map

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🎭 Theatres near Scottish Borders

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The Wynd Theatre

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