kelso

Kelso sits at the confluence of the rivers Tweed and Cheviot and is an extremely attractive town. Indeed, Sir Walter Scott described it as, 'the most beautiful, if not the most romantic, village in Scotland'.

The focal point of the town is the wide, cobbled market place, which is flanked by grand 18th and 19th century buildings. The 12th century abbey was once the most attractive in the border region but it was destroyed in 1545 by the Earl of Hertford. John Rennie’s attractive bridge was built in 1803 and was used as a model for the original Waterloo Bridge in London.

Less than a mile away is Floors Castle, which is the seat of the Duke & Duchess of Roxburgh. It was designed by Sir John Vanburgh in the early 18th century and is the largest inhabited castle in Scotland. The staterooms are open to the public and the grounds on the banks of the River Tweed are lovely too. Within the grounds a holy tree marks the spot where King James II of Scotland was killed at the Siege of Roxburgh in 1460.