P-Day in Scottish Borders

This was the most sunny P-day we've had since we arrived and we took full advantage. It was still very cold but the SUN WAS OUT! We have become sun worshippers in this season and country of many clouds. We headed south. Scottish Borders lies between England and Edinburgh. The Borders took the brunt of many conflicts between England and Scotland (particularly during the reign of Henry VIII) and all the abbeys were destroyed, some several times. But the ruins are fascinating.

This was Sir Walter Scott's favorite view of the Borders, looking down on the River Tweed between his home at Abbotsford House and Dryburgh Abbey. During his funeral, the hearse stopped here briefly as Scott had done so often in life. Can't wait to see it when the trees have leafed out.

Dryburgh Abbey remains. Peaceful, quiet setting along the River Tweed and burial place of Sir Walter Scott.

Dryburgh Abbey and some Scottish bloke leaning on the intricate stone carvings of this arch. These abbeys' stonework date back to the 12th Century, when most of them were started during the reign of David I. This abbey had a cool tower with tiny stone spiral steps that took us to the top of the abbey and the height of the bell tower. We can't imagine the time it took to carve the stones and build these edifices.

Melrose Abbey - The richest abbey in all Scotland in its day and among the most popular to visit now. The audio tour gave history about the use of lay monks for labor by the canon monks of the Cistercian order to grow crops and raise sheep, which resulted in great wealth. Lay monks also supplied much of the labor to build the abbey. It is here that Robert the Bruce's heart is supposed to be buried. A must see abbey just an hour south of Edinburgh.