Dairy Cottage lies at the heart of Ale Water Valley, an excellent visitor attraction with plenty of exciting activities including golfing at Woll Golf Club, horse riding at Ian Stark's Equestrian Centre offering hacking and trekking across the beautiful rolling Borders countryside. The Clerklands Fishery, just a mile along the road, has a huge 4-acre loch for fly fishing against a beautiful backdrop, or try fishing on the famous River Tweed.

You can fish on a 3 mile stretch of the shallow Ale Water on the estate not far behind the cottage. There is a well-stocked trout loch with fishing platforms at Clerklands Fly Fishery (2 miles) and boat hire is available so you can venture further out onto the loch. You can also try fishing the famous River Tweed with Tweed Guide, experienced local guides that know the river incredibly well and can show you the best places to get a catch.

Air rifle, rifle, clay pigeon and virtual reality shooting are available nearby with Bisley at Braidwood (4 miles), where afterwards you can make a stop at Oscar's Café. You can also simply cycle the Ale Water Valley routes or take an excellent countryside walk; there's something for any mood during your stay at Dairy Cottage.

Riddell Estate itself has become recognised as a species-rich, biodiverse natural environment, meaning wonderful hills, lochs, wetlands and grasslands to wander during your stay. When strolling round the estate, the Riddell Tower (the General’s Tower) can be seen standing at an impressive 82 feet high, with parts of it dating back to the 14th century.

The Buccleuch Arms in St Boswells (8.6 miles) offers delicious meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Mainstreet Trading Company Bookshop (9 miles) holds author talks, has a wide variety of books and a brilliant deli and café to refuel after your shopping.

Selkirk (5 miles) is the nearest town to Dairy Cottage and holds a long history in the textile industry, which you can discover on a tour around the working mill at the Lochcarron Visitor Centre, as well as exploring plenty of eateries and shops as well.

Melrose (9.3 miles) is a pretty town with a rich history and a 12th-century abbey. Visit the Trimontium Museum to discover Roman artefacts found at a nearby Roman fort.

There are countless magnificent walking routes around the Scottish Borders, most notably St Cuthbert's Way, recently noted by Lonely Planet as one of Europe's essential walks. Guests can join in on part of the Southern Uplands Way, which part of passes from Melrose to Lauder. Try the Borders Abbeys Walk and wander the historic Abbeys at Melrose, Dryburgh, Kelso and Jedburgh. The Eildon Hills that tower over Melrose make for a brilliant walk and hold the same tremendous views that Walter Scott once cherished. For thrill seekers there 7stanes mountain biking centres at Innerleithen (20 miles) and Glentress (24 miles) which have excellent facilities.

Take a tour of Bowhill House and Country Estate (8 miles), where you can enjoy a tour of the house and its superb art collection. Half an hour from Bowhill is the delightful St Mary’s Loch at the head of the Yarrow Valley. The largest natural loch in the Scottish Borders, at over 3 miles long and half a mile wide, with part of the Southern Upland Way running along the shoreline, you wouldn't want to miss it during your stay at Dairy Cottage.

Edinburgh City Centre can be reached in around an hour by either car or train from the station at Tweedbank (11.6 miles).