Ani

Alrighty! I need to cut 2 of the following:<BR>Crichton castle<BR>Kelso Abbey<BR>Floors Castle<BR>Melrose <BR>(Going to Jedburgh and Mary's house for sure)<BR>Which is the best choice?

janis

Kelso Abbey isn't really a destination. It is a minimal ruin standing in the middle of Kelso with a railing around it. Nothing like the other three Border Abbeys (Melrose, Dryburgh, Jedburgh) which are extensive and take a lot of time to explore. You don't need to schedule any time to see it - - if you are in Kelso or drive through it you will have seen all there is to see.<BR><BR>All the rest are wonderful - but Dryburgh is not on your list - it is very near Melrose and the setting is wonderful - especially in the spring w/ thousands of daffodils and the river running nearby.<BR><BR>It is so easy to see Melrose and Dryburgh (and Scott's view) - a 6 mile loop covers all three. Then drive down to Jedburgh - a very easy<BR><BR>of your list I guess I'd skip Kelso completely and that would eliminate Floors.

Ani

Thanks Janis..we are actually stayingin Kelso which is one reason I thought about Floors.

janis

(I am having trouble getting things to post this morning . . . )<BR><BR>Ani: If you are staying in kelso you can just walk around in the evening and see the Abbey illuminated - it is sort of a town square. That is when it looks best anyway. I enjoyed Floors - it was the first time I stayed in Kelso and my friend and I walked over from our B&amp;B but got there just after the castle closed. They let us in anyway and we had a wonderful private tour - just the 2 of us and a couple of their staffers.<BR><BR>What I would do - since you are staying right there - leave it and IF you are back in town before thay close or have time in the morning before you head back north - then go to Floors. <BR><BR>But you are going to probably find that things take longer than you anticipate. Like the fellow on one of your other threads that said Tantallon takes an hour at most. That could be right - especially if the weather is bitterly cold since there is no shelter from the wind off the sea. But if it is a nice day and you climb the walls - do so, the high tower and the views are amazing - you might stay much longer. If it is a nice day I would put togthere a picnic lunch (most B&amp;Bs will do that for you) and plan on eating on a bench in the grounds of tantallon looking out ove Bass Rock, the Forth and the North Sea.<BR>

Rick

To give you a little idea on timing we started first thing in the morning at Jedburgh (spent the night there) then hit Melrose, Scott's View and Dryburgh and made it into Edinburgh all on a single day in May without feeling rushed.