This is the most deceptive of houses! Tucked quietly up a little side street in the pretty Borders town of Duns, its façade is pleasant but unimposing. Once inside, however, you will be most delightfully surprised.
The accommodation is bright and spacious, with a large, well fitted kitchen-diner, and a charming sitting room which extends into a sheltered conservatory with patio doors to a terrace. Upstairs (steepish staircase) there is versatile sleeping accommodation, double, twin and single rooms, the master bedroom with en suite shower. There is also a garage, accessed from the kitchen, with deep freeze and washing machine.
And the voyage of discovery is not finished yet. To the rear, steps up from the terrace lead to an elegant and quite secluded and enclosed west-facing parterre garden, perfect for evening drinks, or just for relaxing with a book in the sunshine.
Duns is a picturesque market town. Its attractive square, just a few minutes' walk from the cottage, has interesting shops, hotels and eating places. It is also the birthplace of Jim Clark, the world champion racing driver, and the Jim Clark Room with memorabilia is just round the corner from the cottage. Duns is also easily accessible from the fast A1 and within a half-hour drive of the excellent beach at Coldingham (13m). Berwick on Tweed (15m) and the Northumbrian coast, including Holy Island and Lindisfarne, also await your exploration. To the north east, there is good walking in the Lammermuir Hills - join the Southern Upland Way at Longformacus (7m); the splendid golf courses, (including famous Muirfield) on the Forth estuary coast, and Edinburgh itself, accessible in just over an hour by car. (As an alternative, you could drive to Berwick and take the scenic coastal train ride from there.)
In the immediate area, there is fishing, quad bike riding at the owner's centre near Abbey St Bathans, riding near Coldstream and plenty of stately homes, such as Paxton House and Manderston, with its silver staircase, to visit. Right on the doorstep you can enjoy walks in the grounds and round the lake at Duns Castle.
Gas central heating, electricity and bed linen are all INCLUDED in the rental and towels may be hired. Sorry, pets are not accepted and smoking is not permitted in the cottage.
