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Kelso has a magnificent setting on the River Tweed to the east of Melrose and north-east of Jedburgh, where the A698 meets the A699 and A6089. Its cobbled market square surrounded by Georgian buildings and narrow wynds, together with some interesting shops and a pottery, attracts many tourists and locals. The gardens and garden centre at Floors Castle, which is owned and inhabited by the tenth Duke of Roxburgh, are well worth visiting.
Historical Interest
The Benedictine Kelso Abbey was ruined in the 16th century but part of the Norman abbey church and abbey towers remain the latter sometimes being considered as one of the best examples of Romanesque architecture in Scotland. Nearby is the Old Parish Church, built in an octagonal design in 1773.
Floors Castle (about a mile north-west of the town) was designed by William Adam in the 1720s for the first Duke of Roxburgh and was extended in the 1840s. It is Scotland's largest inhabited mansion and contains some fine examples of 17th century Brussels and Gobelin tapestries, paintings by Augustus John, Odilon Redon and Henri Matisse, and oakcarvings in the ballroom. The tenth Duke of Roxburgh is a close friend of royalty and it is said that Prince Andrew proposed to Sarah Ferguson here in 1986. A walk towards the Tweed takes you to an old holly tree which marks the spot where James II was killed by a canon during the siege of Roxburgh Castle - his son aged nine was crowned at Kelso Abbey.
Mellerstain House, the home of the 13th Earl of Haddington, is situated about six miles north-west of Kelso off the A6089 and was designed by William Adam in 1725 and later extended by his son Robert. It is well worth a visit for its ornamental ceilings, library, art collection (which includes works by Constable, Van Dyck, Gainsborough, Ramsay and Veronese) and walks through the Edwardian gardens.
A couple of miles south-west of Mellerstain House, perched on a rocky knoll, is the 15th century Smailholm Tower (off the B6397) which was built to withstand raids by clans from both sides of the Scottish-English border. Sir Walter Scott, the famous Scottish poet and author, often visited his grandfather at the nearby Sandyknowe farm in the 1770s and the tower provided inspiration for some of his poems. The tower contains a small exhibition and the views from the top are extensive.
Activities and Events
For a peaceful stroll along the banks of the River Tweed from Kelso towards Floors Castle, follow the Cobby Riverside Walk which can be accessed off Roxburgh Street. Kirk Yetholm, six miles south-east of Kelso at the foot of the Cheviot Hills, marks the end of the Pennine Way and the second leg of St. Cuthbert's Way. Another walk is the 12-mile Kelso to Jedburgh section of the Borders Abbeys Way which passes the banks of the River Teviot. The grounds of Floors Castle provide gentle walks and there is an interesting walled garden and garden centre.
Salmon fishing at the junction of the rivers Tweed and Teviot is internationally renowned but permits need to be booked years in advance and cost thousands of pounds. Permits for less expensive stretches can be bought from Tweedside Tackle in Bridge Street. The Roxburgh golf course, about two miles south-west of Kelso, is a challenging championship course, owned by the Duke of Roxburgh and there is a further golf course in Dunion Road. There is a swimming pool in Kelso.
The main Kelso festivals are the Border Union Dog Show in June, the Border Union Agricultural Show and Riding of the Marches in July, and the Kelso Rugby Sevens in September.
Information
The Tourist Information Centre is in the Town House in the Square and is open daily, except Sundays between November and March. The library in Bowmont Street provides Internet access and is open Monday to Friday and until 12.30pm on Saturdays. The bus station is in Roxburgh Street with bus connections to other Border towns and Edinburgh.
There is a variety of restaurants on or near the square in Kelso, including the Cobbles Inn, the Queen's Head and the Cross Keys, with Ednam House Hotel and the Roxburgh Hotel (two miles south of Kelso on the A698 at Heiton) providing more expensive meals. The Border Hotel in Kirk Yetholm provides good food and interesting information about the history of local gypsies.
Sleeps: 2, Bedrooms: 1
In a secluded position just outside the pretty village of Yetholm, among the Scottish Border hills, a half hour drive from the coast at Berwick upon Tweed, and with great walking right on the doorstep, this charming conversion of a former grain store offers most cosy and comfortable accommodation.
Sleeps: 2, Bedrooms: 1
This enchanting little cottage in the picturesque village of St Boswells, 40 miles south of Edinburgh in the lovely Scottish Borders, would once have housed the groom, with his horses stabled across the courtyard. Now beautifully restored and furnished, it is an elegant and most comfortable holiday pied à terre which cannot fail to delight visitors to the area.
Sleeps: 3, Bedrooms: 2
Situated in a quiet courtyard off an equally quiet lane in the pretty Borders village of St Boswells, Stables Cottage is a delightful holiday home which has been discreetly configured to appeal also to less mobile guests.
Sleeps: 4, Bedrooms: 2
Lime Tree Cottage has a lovely open situation on a tree-lined drive, just three miles north of the pretty Border town of Kelso. Sublimely comfortable and most beautifully appointed, its enclosed garden and quiet location make it ideal for families and couples alike. It has also been discreetly adapted to make it wheelchair friendly and particularly suitable for visitors of limited mobility.
Sleeps: 4 (8) , Bedrooms: 4
This spacious and very well-appointed house stands quite alone among the fields on a country estate near Kelso amid the lovely countryside of the Scottish Borders. With games room, large garden and plenty of room to spread out, it will delight families and parties of friends who come to this area to walk, fish, cycle, explore, or simply enjoy the peace and beauty of the surroundings.
Sleeps: 5, Bedrooms: 3
Peacefully situated among the gentle parklands of Crailing House, near Jedburgh in the beautiful Scottish Borders, Crailing Cottage, with its own enclosed garden, is a traditional stone dwelling which has been meticulously renovated to make a quite delightful holiday home for up to five people. It's just the place for those wanting to relax and recharge their batteries in the most restful and attractive of surroundings.
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