Abbotsford is the home of Sir Walter Scott, the 19th century novelist and poet. It’s located near Melrose, in the Scottish Borders and easily accessible even without a car.
Getting there without a car is very easy and straightforward. Take the bus X95 from Edinburgh Bus Station towards Hawick and get off at “Archies Walk” bus stop and from there follow the signs to Abbotsford, about a 16-minute walk. The bus company is Border Buses and a day ticket costs £8.40 which you can purchase through their mobile app. When you get on the bus, let your driver know where you want to go and they will be happy to help you with where to get off.
The ticket costs £12.50 for the house, chapel and gardens or £6.50 for only the gardens. However, I definitely think it’s worth going into the house and chapel too as it’s very interesting to learn about it with their self paced audio tours.
There is also a gift shop where you can find loads of lovely souvenirs and gift ideas, as well as a cafe upstairs with gluten free and vegan options too. I had the vegan haggis roll and my mum had one with vegan sausages. We also shared a side of chips. There is also a little takeaway spot where you can enjoy your coffee and food at one of the picnic benches.
After your visit to the house, chapel and gardens, you can also explore the estate’s grounds with the way marked trails. I really enjoyed the walk along the river as it was very peaceful and it also gave me a different view of the house too.
Note: make sure you check the bus times coming back, as they many different on week days and weekends.
Would you like to visit this stunning house? Let me know in the comments below.
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