Scottish Borders

Explore the serene Scottish Borders, a region where rolling hills meet picturesque valleys and tranquil rivers. This area is a haven for history enthusiasts, outdoor adventurers, and those seeking a peaceful retreat. Discover ancient abbeys, stately homes, and traditional market towns, each with its own unique story. The Scottish Borders offers a blend of cultural heritage and natural beauty, making it an ideal destination for those looking to immerse themselves in Scotland's quieter, yet equally captivating, side.

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<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/people/fotos_by_findlay/">FotoFling Scotland</a> posted a photo:</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/fotos_by_findlay/55107645309/" title="Melrose Post Office, Buccleuch Street "><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55107645309_ca814d88ec_m.jpg" width="174" height="240" alt="Melrose Post Office, Buccleuch Street " /></a></p>

<p><br />
The former Post Office on Buccleuch Street, Melrose — a handsome early-20th-century civic building distinguished by its arched entrance, oculus window, and dressed sandstone detailing. This was the town’s principal Post Office after services moved from earlier premises in Market Square during the Edwardian period, reflecting Melrose’s growth as a Borders administrative and tourist centre.<br />
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Following the closure and relocation of modern postal services later in the 20th century, the building passed into retail use and now houses a craft and gift shop, while retaining its architectural character and familiar streetscape presence. The adjacent red telephone box — itself now a heritage object — reinforces the site’s long association with public communication in the town.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/people/198417294@N07/">Alan Ewart</a> posted a photo:</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/198417294@N07/55098033442/" title="Beach reflections"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55098033442_59432c74bf_m.jpg" width="240" height="160" alt="Beach reflections" /></a></p>

<p>Coldingham Bay, Scottish borders, Scotland, UK</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/people/cessna152towser/">cessna152towser</a> posted a photo:</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/cessna152towser/55097835224/" title="Borthwick Water from Borthaugh Footbridge"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55097835224_e4b3b968da_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Borthwick Water from Borthaugh Footbridge" /></a></p>

<p>14th February, 2026.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/people/cessna152towser/">cessna152towser</a> posted a photo:</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/cessna152towser/55097559681/" title="Borthaugh Ford"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55097559681_d4190b7c0c_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="Borthaugh Ford" /></a></p>

<p>14th February, 2026.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/people/dark-dave/">Dark-Dave</a> posted a photo:</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/dark-dave/55095999505/" title="Landscape IMG_0626"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55095999505_9603d9de64_m.jpg" width="240" height="126" alt="Landscape IMG_0626" /></a></p>

<p>Hutton Mains Farm</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/people/184126505@N03/">marcel.herpin</a> posted a photo:</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/184126505@N03/55093953307/" title="DAWYCK HOUSE."><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55093953307_2405d30efc_m.jpg" width="240" height="160" alt="DAWYCK HOUSE." /></a></p>

<p>Situated in the Upper Tweed Valley, Dawyck Botanic Garden is a botanic garden and arboretum covering 25 hectares (62 acres) at Stobo south-west of Peebles in the Scottish Borders region of Scotland.<br />
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Many of the plants at Dawyck were among the first to be collected and introduced to Scotland. <br />
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Situé dans la haute vallée de la Tweed, le jardin botanique de Dawyck est un jardin botanique et un arboretum couvrant 25 hectares (62 acres) à Stobo, au sud-ouest de Peebles, dans la région des Scottish Borders en Écosse.<br />
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Bon nombre des plantes de Dawyck ont été parmi les premières à être collectées et introduites en Écosse. <br />
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Stobo. Peebles. Scottish Borders. Scotland.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/people/62445171@N00/">arjayempee</a> posted a photo:</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/62445171@N00/55094989819/" title="Fairnilee Tower (6)"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55094989819_8f7ca4eaf7_m.jpg" width="240" height="160" alt="Fairnilee Tower (6)" /></a></p>

<p>Another view from the south, <br />
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Alison Cockburn, nee Rutherford (see previous photo), died in 1794. As well as being a poet, she was a society hostess and correspondent, and entertained many notables of the day at her house in Edinburgh including David Hume and the young Walter Scott. She supported the government during the 1745 Jacobite Rising and wrote a verse lampooning Bonnie Prince Charlie. When the Jacobites took Edinburgh that year, this proved awkward when her coach was stopped by Jacobites at the gates, though she was eventually released without incident.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/people/62445171@N00/">arjayempee</a> posted a photo:</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/62445171@N00/55094926133/" title="Fairnilee Tower (2)"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55094926133_17aca1c75b_m.jpg" width="240" height="140" alt="Fairnilee Tower (2)" /></a></p>

<p>Known as Fairnilee Tower, Old Fairnilee and by various other spellings, these are the remains of a long oblong towerhouse. MacGibbon & Ross date it to the 16th century, although the Rutherfords, who are believed to have built it, are said not to have bought the estate until "around 1700". If so, it would have been built at the very end of the castle building era, although it looks earlier than 1700 to me.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/people/62445171@N00/">arjayempee</a> posted a photo:</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/62445171@N00/55093836607/" title="Fairnilee Tower (3)"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55093836607_f4feed0098_m.jpg" width="240" height="162" alt="Fairnilee Tower (3)" /></a></p>

<p>When a building like this has been partly or entirely demolished, it's nice to have a record of what it once looked like. This drawing by MacGibbon & Ross shows what Old Fairnilee looked like c.1890. The righthand two-thirds were demolished in 1911, shortly after the 'big hoose' beside it was built. Presumably the remaining third was re-roofed at the same time. <br />
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Unusually for a 'fortified house', the entrance door was in the centre of the this, the south-west front. The only defences it was provided with, were the two angle-turrets - which as you can see from the nearer one, had gun-loops below the windows (part of the reason that I think some or all of the building was built somewhat earlier than 1700). <br />
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There is a panel shown above the doorway containing the Rutherford coat-of-arms, which was relocated to the other-side of the surviving part of the building when this end of it was demolished. The gable above and to the left of the doorway is where the upper-floors of the building now ends and the window at bottom-left is now a doorway.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/people/62445171@N00/">arjayempee</a> posted a photo:</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/62445171@N00/55094929483/" title="Fairnilee Tower (1}"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55094929483_36856f90a2_m.jpg" width="240" height="100" alt="Fairnilee Tower (1}" /></a></p>

<p>Now here's a beautiful scene! I's the view looking up the River Tweed towards Caddonfoot, which is hidden in the trees round the bend. The impressive mansion is Fairnilee House. Built in the Scottish Baronial style, it could reasonably be assumed to be centuries old, but was in fact only built in 1904. The tower this side of the mansion, is what I am here to look at.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/people/62445171@N00/">arjayempee</a> posted a photo:</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/62445171@N00/55094718731/" title="Fairnilee Tower (4)"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55094718731_4930266109_m.jpg" width="240" height="151" alt="Fairnilee Tower (4)" /></a></p>

<p>Contrary to what Coventry's 'Castles of Scotland' states, the basement evidently was vaulted, as can be seen from this angle.<br />
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'Fernylee' was held by the Kerrs of Linton in the 16th century, Sir Thomas Kerr of Fairnilee being on record in the 1660s. Around 1700 the Kerrs sold to the Rutherfords, Robert Rutherford of Fairnilee being mentioned in 1704. Whether this sale resulted in the construction of the castle is uncertain. My opinion (for what it's worth!) is that the Kerrs had already built some or all of it!</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/people/62445171@N00/">arjayempee</a> posted a photo:</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/62445171@N00/55094931853/" title="Fairnilee Tower (5)"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55094931853_19d95d49f8_m.jpg" width="240" height="160" alt="Fairnilee Tower (5)" /></a></p>

<p>If you go to a funeral and there is a piper playing, the chances are that the lament he/she is playing, will be 'Flowers of the Forest'. A particularly memorable recent example was at the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh in 2021. <br />
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It was written to commemorate the disastrous defeat of the Scottish army, and the death of King James IV, at the Battle of Flodden in September 1513. While the melody is known to date to at least as far back as 1615, the best-known version of the words was written in this building, by Alison Rutherford. By the time she wrote them, she was married and hence known by her married name, Alison Cockburn. Her father was Robert Rutherford, the 1st Rutherford laird of Fairnilee. Alison's version of the words, while not the earliest, was published in 1765, although probably written 35 years earlier.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/people/22401713@N04/">D R Swift</a> posted a photo:</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22401713@N04/55091820040/" title="Monteviot"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55091820040_0b7bf887f8_m.jpg" width="240" height="187" alt="Monteviot" /></a></p>

<p>Monteviot Mpntevieot House was built by the Marquis of Lothian on a hillside above the River Teviot near Jedburgh on the Scottish Borders. It was originally a small fishing lodge but was expanded by later generations. This resulted in a number of different styles of building comprising the present property owned by Lord Lothian. The extensive gardens were constructed using the shape of the hillside and an area of flat land at the top of the hillside. They include a Rose Garden, extensive lawns, some perennial borders, Water, and River Garden Gardens with a riverside walk. There are views across the countryside. The property is known for its deer one of which is represented by a statue by the Water Gardens. .</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/people/22401713@N04/">D R Swift</a> posted a photo:</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22401713@N04/55091449111/" title="Monteviot"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55091449111_02ea47857a_m.jpg" width="240" height="186" alt="Monteviot" /></a></p>

<p>River Teviot</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/people/22401713@N04/">D R Swift</a> posted a photo:</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22401713@N04/55091717759/" title="Monteviot"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55091717759_72bcb00d3d_m.jpg" width="240" height="172" alt="Monteviot" /></a></p>

<p>Rose Garden</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/people/22401713@N04/">D R Swift</a> posted a photo:</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22401713@N04/55091812550/" title="Monteviot"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55091812550_2694e2e9da_m.jpg" width="240" height="171" alt="Monteviot" /></a></p>

<p>Water Garden</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/people/22401713@N04/">D R Swift</a> posted a photo:</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22401713@N04/55091719119/" title="Monteviot"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55091719119_9761b3fa36_m.jpg" width="240" height="178" alt="Monteviot" /></a></p>

<p>Monteviot House</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/people/22401713@N04/">D R Swift</a> posted a photo:</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22401713@N04/55091814815/" title="Monteviot"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55091814815_e9ff2a73f5_m.jpg" width="240" height="173" alt="Monteviot" /></a></p>

<p>Monteviot House</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/people/22401713@N04/">D R Swift</a> posted a photo:</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22401713@N04/55091653963/" title="Monteviot"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55091653963_9e061888c1_m.jpg" width="160" height="240" alt="Monteviot" /></a></p>

<p>Woodland Garden</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/people/22401713@N04/">D R Swift</a> posted a photo:</p>

<p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/22401713@N04/55091812445/" title="Monteviot"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55091812445_dfdc4b3834_m.jpg" width="240" height="190" alt="Monteviot" /></a></p>

<p>Monteviot Fawn</p>

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