Melrose (Scotland)

Melrose is a town in the Borders Region of southern Scotland, with a population of 2,510 in 2016. It's nowadays a commuter town for Edinburgh, and service town for the Borders General Hospital. It's notable for the nearby Abbotsford House, and for two abbeys, in town and a few miles east at Dryburgh.

Get in
Trains run hourly from Edinburgh via Eskbank (for Dalkeith) and Galashiels, taking an hour to. This is 3 miles short of Melrose but only a mile's walk to Abbotsford House.

Borders Bus X95 runs hourly M-Sa from Carlisle along the A7, via Langholm, Hawick, Selkirk, Galashiels, Stow, Newtongrange and Eskbank to Edinburgh. On Sunday only four buses run between Carlisle and Hawick, but the rest of the route is still hourly. Change at Galashiels for local buses towards Melrose: there are several, so they're every 20-30 min.

Bus 68 runs hourly from Jedburgh, taking 30 min via Ancrum and St Boswells. Buses run hourly from Berwick-upon-Tweed taking 90 min, either via Duns and Earlston (Bus 60) or via Coldstream and Kelso (Bus 67). All these buses continue to Galashiels.

is where the bus brings you in Melrose, there isn't a bus station.

Edinburgh is 43 miles (69 km) north: follow A68 for Melrose, Dryburgh and Abbotsford House. This is quicker than taking A7 via Galashiels.

Get around
Buses are frequent along the main transport corridor, Galashiels-Tweedbank-Borders General Hospital-Melrose-Newton-St Boswells-Jedburgh. Cycling is good for the back roads.

See

 * is the site of the fort itself, in the fields to the east at Newstead. There's a monument and viewing tower, but you'll need to use your imagination.
 * is the triple peak (hence "Trimontium") just south of town, with the middle peak at 1385 ft (422 m). It's thought to be a laccolith, an upwelling or blister of magma beneath other rock, with no volcanic vent. Extensive prehistoric terraces are etched into its flanks, and the Romans had a signalling station. There are multiple access paths, and it's an after-dinner stroll rather than a proper hike.
 * aka Sir Thomas de Ercildoun (1220-1298) fell asleep under a tree at this spot, and was whisked away by the Queen of Elfland. At least that's what he told his nearest and dearest when he returned seven years later with the gift of prophecy. His wizardly renown outshone Merlin's, and many of his prophecies were spot on, since they were fabricated long after the event. Eventually (according to Scott) he returned to Elfland.
 * is by the A68 north of Melrose, an impressive 19-arch structure that once carried the Berwickshire Railway over the Tweed. They've blocked off the access path, and it's closed to the public.
 * is the site of the fort itself, in the fields to the east at Newstead. There's a monument and viewing tower, but you'll need to use your imagination.
 * is the triple peak (hence "Trimontium") just south of town, with the middle peak at 1385 ft (422 m). It's thought to be a laccolith, an upwelling or blister of magma beneath other rock, with no volcanic vent. Extensive prehistoric terraces are etched into its flanks, and the Romans had a signalling station. There are multiple access paths, and it's an after-dinner stroll rather than a proper hike.
 * aka Sir Thomas de Ercildoun (1220-1298) fell asleep under a tree at this spot, and was whisked away by the Queen of Elfland. At least that's what he told his nearest and dearest when he returned seven years later with the gift of prophecy. His wizardly renown outshone Merlin's, and many of his prophecies were spot on, since they were fabricated long after the event. Eventually (according to Scott) he returned to Elfland.
 * is by the A68 north of Melrose, an impressive 19-arch structure that once carried the Berwickshire Railway over the Tweed. They've blocked off the access path, and it's closed to the public.
 * Old Melrose: Mailros means "bare peninsula" and refers to the headland 3 miles east of town where the River Tweed makes a tight bend then flows south. Here in the 7th century was the original Melrose monastery and settlement, and St Cuthbert (634-687) who grew up in this area was its prior before moving to Lindisfarne. It was long abandoned by the 12th century when King David sought to re-establish it here, but the monks opted for the site further west of the present Abbey and town. Nothing remains of the first structure but a marker, but there are pleasant woodland riverside walks. Access via Old Melrose Estate which is private property, but you can drive in and park if you're a customer of their tea-room.
 * Dryburgh is a tiny farm settlement on a headland further south where the River Tweed makes another tight bend. It's on the east bank with no public transport, but from the main road outside St Boswells you can walk east down a lane to cross the river on a footbridge. (The lane is signposted "Donkey Sanctuary", but let that pass.) By car, take B6404 east from St Boswells, cross the river, then turn north onto B6356. A monument to William Wallace stands ahead of you, and another mile north is Scott's View, a grand westward panorama over Old Melrose and the Eildon Hills. But the reason to come is the Abbey.
 * : see Kelso for this ruined 15th-century tower, and for Mellerstain House 3 miles further north.
 * is an even older gnarly stump, 13th or 14th century, by the A68 to Lauder.
 * is an even older gnarly stump, 13th or 14th century, by the A68 to Lauder.

Do

 * Walk: OS Landranger map 73 covers Melrose and west as far as Peebles; map 74 covers St Boswells, Kelso and Jedburgh. Two long-distance trails pass along the valley here.
 * The Borders Abbeys Way is a circular 68-mile trail. It's usually done in five stages, in no preferred direction or order, Kelso-Jedburgh-Hawick-Selkirk-Melrose-Kelso. It's mostly lowland and easy going, with the highest point at 339 m (1113 ft).
 * St Cuthbert's Way is a 62-mile trail from Melrose Abbey, where the saint spent much of his life, east via St Boswells and Maxton to Kirk Yetholm, meeting the Pennine Way. Continuing east it crosses into Northumberland in England and runs down to the coast and by tidal footpath to Lindisfarne. It's all lowland in nature.
 * For a short walk nearby, head into the Eildon Hills.


 * Rugby: Melrose RFC play rugby union in National League 1, the amateur game's second tier in Scotland. Their home ground is The Greenyards (capacity 15,000) off High Street. They host the Melrose Sevens in April; the next are probably 10-12 April 2025, tbc. Earlston Sevens are next held on Sunday 5 May 2024.
 * Golf: Melrose GC is on Dingleton Rd half a mile south of town. It's 9 holes, so twice round is 5545 yards, par 70, visitor fee £20.
 * Borders Book Festival is held in Harmony Gardens, with the next on 13-16 June 2024.
 * Edgefest is a music festival in September: see Jedburgh, but the site at Lilliardsedge is almost as close to Melrose.
 * Three Peaks Ultramarathon in October starts and finishes in Jedburgh, but they run to Melrose to scale the triple Eildon Hills.

Buy

 * Co-op Food on High St is open daily 7AM-10PM. But for a big shop, head to the supermarkets in Galashiels.
 * Born in the Borders is a brewery and gin micro-distillery at Lanton Mill near Jedburgh. They have a cafe and outlet shop at Tweedbank railway station and at Galashiels Interchange. They are open M-F 6AM-6PM, Sa 8AM-4PM, and Su 10AM-4PM.

Eat

 * Melrose town centre has Marmions Brasserie, Provender and Monte Cassino.
 * St Boswells has Buccleuch Arms and Hunters Stables.

Drink

 * Ship Inn is on East Port at the head of Market Square in Melrose. It's open Su-Th noon-11PM, F Sa noon-midnight.
 * Dryburgh Arms is the main pub in Newtown St Boswells and has rooms. It's open M Th 5-10PM, F 2PM-midnight, Sa Su 11AM-midnight.
 * Buccleuch Arms is in a baronial-style hunting lodge. It's on A68 at the entrance to St Boswells old village and has rooms.
 * Tempest Brew is a small brewery on Tweedbank industrial estate just south of the railway station. Their shop is open M-F 10AM-5PM; no tours.

Sleep
Melrose has the most accommodation, with a few small hotels and B&Bs, there's less in St Boswells. Lauder has a small hotel, a caravan park, and you can even stay in Thirlestane Castle.


 * Lilliardsedge is a caravan park and campsite along A68 midway between St Boswells and Jedburgh. Open all year.

Connect
As of March 2022, Melrose and its surrounds have 4G from all UK carriers, though the signal from Three is patchy. 5G has not yet reached this area.

Go next

 * See the other Borders abbeys at Jedburgh and Kelso, and the sea cliffs of St Abb's Head.


 * Roads south lead into Northumberland, which is wilder than the bucolic Borders.


 * Edinburgh to the north and Glasgow to the west are both unmissable.