Places of Interest
We have listed some of the incredible and fantastic things to see and do in our local area and as you spend time with us in the Borders you will find many other interesting places to visit, and things to do through out the year.
We are sure this list will give you some great ideas and challenges to leave you needing more time than you have available………you should never ever be bored!! We are sure you will enjoy wherever you choose to visit.
Now, there are lots of links and we have placed them in no particular order (not got round to this yet), I have also included in brackets approximately how many miles or how long it will take from Bellevue Guest House to the attraction.
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Dunbar Leisure Pool
Dunbar (18 miles)
Telephone – 01368 865 456
Leisure pool with shallow end. Wave machine, flumes, gym, sauna and steam room.
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Eyemouth Swimming Pool
Eyemouth (8 miles)
Telephone – 01890 750 55725
metre pool and warm baby pool.
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East Links Family Park – Off A1087
heading into Dunbar (18 miles)
Telephone – 01368 863 607
Website – www.eastlinks.co.uk
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Museum of Flight
East Fortune Airfield (30 miles)
Telephone – 01620 880 308
Website – http://www.nms.ac.uk
Fascinating collection of aircraft, including Concorde, showing the history of aviation from airships to modern jet. Open all year.
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Off Road Driving School
(10 miles)
Website – http://www.ronniedale4x4.co.uk
a great day out!
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Golf lovers, you have come to the right place;
Eyemouth Golf Club – (8 miles)
Magdalene Fields (13 miles)
Goswicklinks Golf Club – (16 miles)
Hirsel Golf Club – (25 miles, a personal favourite)
North Berwick Golf Club – (25 miles)
Roxburghe Golf Course – (30 miles)
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Ballooning
Website – http://www.scotair.com/
Ever wanted to go up in a Hot Air Baloon, here’s your chance… (varies as stated on the site, at least an hour or so but well worth it for a special day out)
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Fishing
Website – http://www.fishpal.com
if you like fishing, its all here.
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Kelso Racecourse
Kelso, Roxburghshire (30 miles)
Telephone – 01668 280 800 or 01573 224 767
Website – www.kelso-races.co.uk
Hosts 13 fixtures in the season. Home of National Hunt Racing – voted Britain’s friendliest race course by Sunday Times readers.
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The Scottish Seabird Centre.Scottish Seabird Centre
The Harbour, North Berwick (25 miles)
Telephone – 01620 890 202
Website – www.seabird.org
Each year over 150,000 seabirds nest on the islands of the Firth of Forth, off the North Berwick coast, including more than 8,000 gannets on the Bass Rock. You can control remote cameras to explore the fascinating world of these amazing creatures. Open all year.
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Belhaven Brewery.Belhaven Brewery
Dunbar (18 miles)
Telephone – 01368 869 201
Website – www.belhaven.co.uk
Guided tour of Scotlands oldest surviving brewery dating back to 1719. Booking in advance is essential, either by telephone or you can book online.
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Glenkinchie Distillery Visitor Centre
Pencaitland (25 miles)
Telephone – 01875 342 004
Website – www.malts.com
Guided tours demonstrate the whole process in the making of whisky in the red brick building. After the tour you can enjoy a complementary dram in the distillery bar. Open throughout the year.
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Tweed Valley Ospreys
- Near Peebles – Glentress Forest and Kailzie gardens (50 miles)
Websites – www.forestry.gov.uk/tweedvalleyospreys, http://www.rspb.org.uk
Watch live pictures of Osprey on screen via CCTV cameras.
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Beaches, varies….
you can borrow one of our maps……….
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The coastline from Edinburgh to Northumberland is renowned for its beautiful beaches and stunning craggy cliffs.
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Here are some names of beaches for you to explore. Coldingham Bay, Pease Bay. Cove, Thorntonloch, Skateraw, Whitesands, Belhaven Bay, Ravensheugh, Seacliff, North Berwick, Yellowcraigs, Gullane, Longniddry.
The 40 mile stretch from Amble to Berwick upon Tweed is officially recognised as a ‘Heritage Coast’ and ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’. Spittal beach (south of the Tweed Estuary), Bamburgh beach (over looking Bamburgh Castle) and St Aidan’s beach, Seahouse (a sandy beach with good views of the Farne Islands).
Use this website http://www.xbordercurrents.com/ to find out more about the wildlife and marine life along the 115km coastline from Fast Castle Head (near Coldingham) in the south east of Scotland to Almouth in the north east of England.
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Edinburgh Castle
35 miles to city by pass
Website – www.edinburghcastletreasures.co.uk
Crown room with the honours of Scotland – the oldest royal regalia in the UK. The Stone of Destiny – ancient coronation seat of Scotland. Mons Meg canon. The 1 O’Clock gun, St Margaret’s Chapel – Edinburghs oldest building.
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Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh
35 miles to city by pass
Telephone – 0131 552 0606
Website – www.rbge.org.uk
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Edinburgh Zoo
35 miles to city by pass
Telephone – 0131 334 9171
Website – www.edinburghzoo.org.uk
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Abbeys, Historic Sites, Castles and Stately Homes, (varies, at most within an hour)
Historic Scotland manages the properties listed below.
For information visit www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
- Tantallon Castle – near North Berwick
- Dirleton Castle and Gardens – Dirleton, Near North Berwick
- Jedburgh Abbey – Jedburgh
- Smailholm Tower – Near Kelso
- Dryburgh Abbey – Dryburgh
- Melrose Abbey – Melrose
- Kelso Abbey – Kelso
The National Trust for Scotland manages the properties below. For information visit www.nts.org.uk
- Preston Mill and Phantassie Doocot – East Linton
- St Abbs Head – near Coldingham, Berwickshire
- Newhailes House – Musselburgh
- Inveresk Lodge Gardens – near Musselburgh
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Siccar Point – near Cockburnspath.
10 miles
Siccar Point was discovered by James Hutton in 1788 when on a journey round the Berwickshire coast on a fishing boat. The discovery lead to Hutton disproving the Biblical stance of the age of Earth. Siccar Point consists of a protrusion of vertical, dark rock that sits with a layer of horizontal, grooved yellow sandstone. Hutton calculated using the weathering processes that the world must be several hundred million years older. Siccar Point can be reached from The Swede Factory (R&K Drysdale) south of Pease Bay.
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Fast Castle.Fast Castle – near Coldingham.
8 miles
On the Coldingham road (Berwickshire coastal route) after Oldcambus there is a turning on your left for the farm Dowlaw. Follow the single track road to the sign posted car park. From there follow the path to the ruins on the coast (1.5km). Enjoy the stunning views of the coast towards East Lothian.
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Edin Hall Broch – near Grantshouse.
6 miles
This is one of the most southerly iron age broch towers to be found in Scotland. To get there follow the road from Grantshouse to Duns. 3 miles or so from Gransthouse there is a road sign posted for Abbey St Bathans and Edins Hall Broch. Park in the designated area and follow the signs to the Broch.
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Manderston House – Near Duns, Berwickshire
10 miles
Telephone – 01361 883 450
An Edwardian Country House with a silver staircase (only one in the world). This is the house that featured in Channel 4’s ‘The Edwardian Country House’.
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Mellerstain – Near Gordon
25 miles
Telephone – 01573 410 225
This is a great Georgian house begun in 1725 by William Adams and completed by his son Robert between 1770 and 1778. Borders home to the Earl and Countess of Haddington.
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Floors Castle – Kelso
30 miles
Telephone – 01573 223 333
This is the home of the Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe and is the largest inhabited castle in Scotland. The castle, walled garden and garden centre, gift shop, riverside and woodland walks, plus restaurant and café make this a great day out.
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Abbotsford – the home of Sir Walter Scott – Near Melrose
35 miles
Telephone – 01896 752 043
Website – www.scottsabbotsford.co.ukSituated on the banks of the River Tweed, Abbotsford was the home of Sir Walter Scott – the author of Waverley, Rob Roy, Ivanhoe and The Lady of the Lake. The house contains an impressive collection of items – even Rob Roy’s gun, dirk and sword.
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Thirlestane Castle – Near Lauder
40 miles
Telephone – 01578 722 430
Website – www.thirlestanecastle.co.uk
16th Century home of the Maitland Family, Thirlestane Castle has an exhibition of Border Country Life as well as many rooms full of history to discover. And home to the Scottish Championship Horse Trials.
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Traquair – Innerleithan
45 miles
Telephone – 01896 830 323
Home to the Stuarts, Traquair holds a fascinating and turbulent past. Supporters of the Jacobite cause, Mary Queen of Scots and refuge for Catholic priests. Explore the Maze planted in 1980 and a must is a visit to the Traquair House Brewery.
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Pot-a-Doodle Do – Scremerston, Berwick upon Tweed
15 miles
Telephone – 01289 307 107
A range of activities can be enjoyed from pottery, mosaics and glass painting, making ornaments, decorating plates to outdoor activities such as pony trekking and fishing.
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Conundrum Farm – Berwick upon Tweed
12 miles
Telephone – 01289 308 000
This is a farm shop/café serving excellent food, farm trail and fishery with lots of animals for children to see and feed.
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Lindisfarne Priory – Holy Island, near Berwick upon Tweed
20 miles
Telephone – 01289 389 200
A place of pilgrimage for 1300 years since the corpse of St Cuthbert was found undecayed here in AD 698. Cross the causeway to Holy Island at low tide details can be got from Berwick upon Tweed tourist information centre 01289 330 733.
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