amelie

Hi! I haven't been around much lately, but my husband and I are planning our visit back home (well his home, not mine) for next year, June. I think this trip we want to focus on The Borders area and/or Dumfries & Galloway with the time we will have not set aside for visiting family/friends in Aberdeen and Edinburgh.

I am wondering how much time we should allot or what the bare minimum would be? I read in the Fodors book that 5 days is good, 3 in The Borders and 2 in Dumfries and Galloway. I think five days is the absolute most I'd want to dedicate to this portion of our trip. Would 4 (nights) be enough?

Could we stay in one location (leaning towards a specific B&B near Melrose) for all five days, or would it be advisable to move to a new B&B for the Dumfries & Galloway portion. There's a lot I want to see in The Borders, but I'm not so sold on Dumfries & Galloway. These are the sites I wrote down from one guidebook (The Rough Guide to Scotland), it's not to say we have to go to all these places, or that we even want to (still need to look them up online), just a rough idea. Maybe I missed something as well. (Will have car.)

Caerlaverock Castle
Sweetheart Abbey(?)
Colvend Coast: Threave Garden and Castle, Castle Douglas(?), town of Kirkcudbright (stay here?), MacLellan's Castle?
Mull of Galloway

and my Borders rough list (am I missing anything, anything that should be crossed off? which is a MUST?):
St. Abb's head
Manderston House
Floors Castle
Mellerstain House
Dryburgh Abbey
Melrose Abbey
Abbotsford
Traquair House
Peebles
Jedburgh Abbey
Hermitage Castle (Liddesdale)

Thank you!

Michael

I would consider Traquair and Mellerstain a must. Clmbine that with Culroos "castle" on your way to Inverness and you have three centuries of castle construction. You might want to take a look at the second half of my trip report on Scotland; click on my name to find it.

amelie

Thanks will do.

janisj

5 days should be OK. I'm spending 6 days in the area starting next Sunday. No, there really isn't really one place you could base for both areas.

2 nights 2-ish days near Dumfries and 2 or 3 nights 3 days between Peebles and Kelso would do it. For a splurge/special experience you can actually stay AT Traquair House.

I wouldn't cross anything off your Borders list. I've been to all of them (a few several times) except Mellerstain. Tried twice - once I goofed and it was a day it is normally closed, and the other it was closed for a special event. I'm rectifying that next Sunday or Monday.

amelie

Thanks, have a good trip! Tell us all about it when you get back.

sheila

We did a week in Dumfries and Galloway a couple of years ago, and could have spent longer. I struggle with the Borders for an area to spend much time in. I think I like my countryside wilder than it is there.

You can certainly see a lot in 5 days, but as janis says, not from one base. This is a big skelp of land.

In D&G,the things I liked were:-Mersehead RSPB reserve (the WWT have one at Caerlaverock, which is just next door, Kirkcudbright, just to hang out in; it's beautiful with lots of lovely galleries and studios; Wigtown for the second hand book shops; New Abbey; Dundrennan: Mull of Galloway- which was fantastic; Whithorn- the single thing I would advise you not to miss; the Galloway Forest park with the Red Kite Trail; Portpatrick is lovely; Cairnholy Chambered Cairns. Being a Murrican, you might want to do the whole John Paul Jones thing as well?

Oh, and the gardens. It's a mild climate so there are stunning gardens to see, including Threave where all the National Trust gardeners train.

The Borders are more douce; big, posh houses. The only ones I'd care about going back to are Abbotsford and Traquair. And Abbeys.

You missed Eyemouth off your Borders list. It's worth a trip; and you should know about the Eildons and Thomas the Rhymer. If you go in June you should look out for some of te Common Ridings, which take place about then.

amelie

Thanks Shelia.
Where did you stay?

sheila

we rented a cottage from the RSPB on their Mersehead reserve, Amelie. Sorry to take to long to reply. I've been MIA for some time

Dickie_G

Hi Amelie

We live in Rockcliffe, let me know if you still need any help.

sheila

Been to Rockcliffe, I have. Fabulous views

amelie

Hi Dickie_G,
Do you think Castle Douglas is a good base for the D&G portion?
Thanks

amelie

I was also looking at the Millbrae House in Rockcliffe...

sheila

yes, but not as nice as Rockcliffe.

amelie

Thanks, went with a B&B in C. Douglas based on reviews. We won't be spending that much time at the B&B anyway.

sheila

Hope you like it