After breakfast we set off through the pretty countryside to Traquair, stopping along the way to photograph the River Tweed. We managed to arrive a little early but the gate was open and the kiosk manned so we were able to go in. One again the weather was glorious so we chose to look around the grounds and tackle the maze before going into the house.

Photo taken by Mr C

There are a few animals in the grounds which are kept behind wire. One of the goats kept trying very hard to push through the wire stretching his head towards us as far as it would go. There were also two very sleepy, snoring pigs, or they were until Mr C inadvertently spooked them by accidentally snapping his glasses case loudly whereupon they charged towards him with great commotion and noise.

We managed to conquer the maze after a few false starts. This has to be one of the best mazes I have been in, it has three sub centres that you have to pass through before finding the middle.

Next we enjoyed a look around the house although later we realised that we had managed to miss out one of the floors (the one I particularly wanted to see) and neither of us could figure out how we had done so. Traquair has its own brewery so sampled the ale and bought a few bottles to enjoy at home, probably with slow cooked beef in beer. We had lunch in the cafe where I couldn’t resist a piece of citrus, coconut and pecan cake. It was delicious!

On our journey back towards the hotel we stopped off at Trimontium Roman site to find that there was only an information point. Before returning to the hotel, we thought we would try and pick up some Doddington Cheese, which, we remembered from a previous occasion was purchased from an honesty table outside the farm. We found the farm but this time there was no table so we came away empty handed.

This evening we dined with Toby and Leona who used to run the Coach House. Earlier in the day the duty manager double checked that four of us would be dining and asked which table we would prefer. We had chosen a round table in the window. In the evening a different duty manager was on shift and was very attentive, making sure that we received the best service. We had a lovely evening in good company. Before we retired for the evening the duty manager told us he wouldn’t be back on duty before our holiday finished, said goodbye and hoped he would to see us again.

After breakfast we set off into Scotland to visit Rosslyn Chapel. For some time it has been on my location wish list, because of the carvings within.

When we arrived we found out that the next introductory talk of the chapel would take place in half an hour. We explored the outside of the chapel until it was time to go inside the chapel for the talk. The talk was extremely interesting, pointing out various carvings and features of the church including the Dan Brown mystery tale and the chapel’s own mystery story regarding two intricately carved columns.

We were directed to carvings on the outside of the church (including one of a camel). When the talk had finished we walked round the chapel before looking at the carvings mentioned. The inside of the chapel was  too crowded to enjoy at its best, we had to wait and pause whilst others were looking at the many interesting features within the chapel.

I quite understand why photographs are not allowed in the chapel; there would be a roadblock! The crowds did not allow for quiet contemplation and perhaps a feeling of spiritual presence. The volunteers are quite proud of the fact that the Dan Brown novel has brought in visitors from all over the world. Entry fees and sales of merchandise helps with restoration and maintenance of the chapel.

We hope to return when the chapel is less busy…

The fisherman we had chatted to a couple of days ago, advised that we should go on a coastal drive along the Scottish coastland. So after visiting Rosslyn Chapel, we took his advice, albeit from North to South, stopping off for lunch in Dunbar where I had a delicious poached salmon sandwich. Whilst in the town browsing the shops, I noticed just the right lampshade for Mr C’s recently refurbished office.

Dining and shopping complete we returned to the coast road, enjoying wonderful views. The amazing colour of the sea, and the fluffiness of the clouds seemed unreal, almost as if someone had painted the scene. Along the way had hoped to find a suitable establishment for afternoon cake but sadly this was not to be, even a detour into Berwick did not reveal afternoon cake.

We dined in the hotel, where I asked for chips rather than fries to accompany my meal. The fish and chips were delicious.

Overnight, the wind had subsided and we awoke to brilliant sunshine. After breakfast we set off across the border to Thirlestane Castle, home to the Maitland family who have lived there for over 400 years. We had an interesting introductory talk and the room guides provided us with extra information as we toured the house. There are connections with the Royal family and the upper rooms of the house are quite stunning. When we reached the last room of the house we had an interesting conversation with two of the room guides regarding Major General Maitland who commanded the Brigade of Guards at the Battle of Waterloo and also Captain Maitland, Commander of HMS Bellerophon. HMS Bellerophon was the Royal Navy warship that transported Napoleon Bonaparte to England from France immediately after his abdication. It is interesting that the two Maitlands had a part to play in his downfall.

Next we went to Abbotsford, the former home of Sir Walter Scott where our first port of call was the cafe for lunch; I chose a cheese scone with chutney. The house which looks more like a fairytale castle reveals itself as you walk along the path to the visitor centre. By this time the sky was overcast so we chose to walk round the gardens first in case there was a change in the weather.

The inside of the house is museum like with the historic rooms having been left as it was before Walter Scott’s death. We were greeted by a gentleman who advised us to take the audio guide as this was the best way to understand the items displayed. Then we were asked if we would like a male or female voice; I opted for the male voice and Mr C opted for the female voice. It became obvious as we walked around that the male guide had a lot more to say than the female guide, Mr C kept getting ahead of me. Unfortunately the chapel was closed due to Storm Ali having caused a flood in the adjoining property cutting off the power supply. Before departing from Abbotsford we had afternoon tea in the cafe where I indulged in a slice of lemon and poppy seed cake.

We took the scenic route back to the hotel, first stopping in Melrose where purchased a teapot to go with the tea cosy we had purchased in Arundel earlier in the year. We also had a look round  Prior Wood gardens which were a hidden delight.

We continued on our journey, heading towards Dryburgh Abbey, stopping briefly to take in the spectacular scenery at ‘Scott’s View’. We decided not to go into the Abbey grounds as it was a little late in the afternoon. Instead we headed back to the Collingwood Arms to freshen up before we dined in the Bluebell pub at Crookham. The Bluebell serves good honest pub food and I opted for scampi and chips. After dining we returned to the hotel for a nightcap.

Situated next to the marble dairy featured in a previous post is the Head Gardener’s House.

Beside the dairy is the ornate Scottish seventeenth-century style Head-Gardener’s House of 1897, directly inspired by Argyll’s Lodging in Stirling, and surrounded by its neat garden behind a fine wrought-iron gate. The high status of the head-gardener in the estate hierarchy is obvious from such a residence, including even a decorative dolphin fountain and sundial.

On the south side of the house, Kinross designed four formal garden terraces still planted in Edwardian style. A geometric terrace is now stocked with floribunda roses and hostas, To one side is a small grass terrace, edged by four large stone vases. Below it, through a wrought-iron gate with griffins adorning the piers, is a tennis lawn, and below that, a croquet lawn. There is a stone dovecote on the far side of the elevated terrace provided for.

The lower terraces are surrounded by a bank of rhododendrons down to the lake, smoothly achieving the transition from nineteenth-century formal gardens to eighteenth-century picturesque landscape.*

The lower terrace and the lake can be viewed in my previous post.

*From the Manderston guidebook

The Home of Lord Palmer, Manderston is the Edwardian House par excellence. It was built with no expense spared and with every modern convenience of that  era. Here you can see sumptuous staterooms and a silver staircase, the only one in the world. Coupled with the elaborate domestic quarters, it gives an intriguing insight into the daily life of the Edwardian Country House.

Outside there a princely stables, octagonal marble dairy and fifty six acres of garden immaculately kept to enjoy.*

*From a leaflet advertising the house

Heraclitus, Fragment 10

• Footnote – A short passageway near the entrance of Melrose Abbey features this ceiling boss ‘The carved Head of Christ’.

An intricate pattern of ribs and bosses adorns the vaulted ceiling of the presbytery.  The central boss positioned directly above the high alter is a representation of the Holy Trinity attended by two angels.  To the west is St Andrew holding the cross and reading clockwise are St Bartholomew holding the flaying knife, St Peter with the keys, St Thomas with the spear, St James the Less grasping the bludgeon, St James the Greater holding his staff and a scrip or costrel, St Paul with a sword, and St Matthias with an axe.  To the south of St Andrew is a saint holding a book.  Another boss has an angel and other bosses are carved with roses and leaves.*

*From the Historic Scotland guidebook to Melrose Abbey.

Melrose Abbey, in the heart of the beautiful Scottish Border country, was founded in the twelfth century by the Cistercian order of monks. They were drawn to this fertile spot beside the River Tweed through its intimate associations with the holy men St Aidan and St Cuthbert. The Abbey grew to be one of the most wealthiest and most majestic medieval monasteries of Scotland, and its abbey church is one of the finest expressions of the order’s ‘architecture of solitude’.*

*From the Historic Scotland guidebook to Melrose Abbey

This maze was designed in 1980 by John Scofield and planted with 1500 Leyland Cypress trees donated by NICHOLAS SAUNDERS.  The first tree was planted by Anna Vaughan, the youngest child in the Traquair school.  In 1982 after an extremely severe frost two thirds of the Leyland Cypress died and were replanted with Beech.

The maze consists of four subcentres which must be visited in turn before reaching the middle – a distance of a quarter of a mile from the entrance.  To leave quickly a shorter route may be used.  On Easter Sunday an Easter Egg hunt for  younger children is held here.

We were lucky enough to have the maze all to ourselves when we took the challenge.  You can see a picture of  the FOOLS EXIT (the short route) here.