Category Archives: Tantallon Castle

Dryburgh Abbey, Greenknowe Tower, Hailes Castle, Kelso, Kelso Abbey, Scotland, Sir Walter Scott, Smailholm Tower, Tantallon Castle

#Scotland 2015 Day 14 – Dunbar to Kelso

October 15, 2015 Melanie Leave a comment

#Scotland 2015 – Sept 24, 2015

This morning we were off to Kelso but we had some unfinished business in this area. We had said after visiting Tantallon Castle in the rain if it was nice the day we were headed south, we would go there first since we had plenty of time to get to our final destination.

Everything looks better in the sunshine. We got rid of the rain but it was still blustery up at the castle.

I’m really glad we did go back to Tantallon because had we not, we would have missed the opportunity to see Hailes Castle. It was signposted as straight ahead where we turned right to go to Tantallon.

After our repeat visit here, hubby found Hailes Castle the Historic Scotland satnav maps that he downloaded to our Garmin before we left home and off we went.

There’s a face in this wall – intentionally or otherwise – the way the stones are strategically missing. Two eyes, a nose and a lopsided mouth.

After our visit to Hailes Castle, we set out for the village of Gordon and Greenknowe Tower.

We weren’t far from Dryburgh Abbey so headed there (another bathroom break was needed). On the way, we passed Scott’s View and made an out loud mental note that we would stop there on our way back.

While in the shop at the abbey, I bought a guidebook for Smailholm Tower because I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to get one when we got there. Chatting with the man who was working, he asked where we were from. He went on to say that there were two girls there at the moment who were also from Ontario. They came back in before we went on out into the grounds so had a chance to say hi to fellow Canadians.

During our time at the abbey, the light had changed significantly and the Eildon Hills weren’t lit as they had been when we passed by the first time. Still, it was a dramatic view and easy to see why Sir Walter Scott was so enchanted with it.

If I said getting to Smailholm Tower was an adventure, it would be an understatement. The single track roads were okay. I don’t mind driving on them. But you come to a farm and have to drive through the farmyard and out onto a gravel track to go the rest of the way to the carpark at the bottom of the hill. At least, there was a sign on the fence post guiding us beyond the barns and other outbuildings.

After you navigate through the farm to the car park, you still have to hike up a hill to get to this castle. The sign at the bottom indicated two paths – the easy one and the more difficult one. We took what was labelled as the easy one. It wasn’t as steep as the hill to Dunideer which we’ve done in the past, but with the wind, it might as well have been. We thought it was blustery at Tantallon in the morning… it was nothing compared to here!

The entrance to the castle is on the side opposite the gravel track. When we got to this point, there were a few gusts of wind that almost blew me off my feet.

We toured the three floors of displays, a lot related to Sir Walter Scott, and despite the high winds, it wasn’t considered windy enough to not allow access to the ramparts on either side of the earth roof. It did, however, make it difficult to open or close the door depending on what side you were standing on.

When we left, we chose the ‘difficult’ path to return to the car. It was far easier to traverse than the one we ascended.

The rest of the drive to Kelso was uneventful. We came in a slightly different way than we did in 2013 but once I got close to the square, I didn’t need the satnav anymore. I knew exactly where I was going.

This is the same room we stayed in before at Duncan House. The only difference was the bed now had a wooden headboard and footboard and the wall colour changed.

On our way to abbey it started to rain and of course, we left our umbrellas back at our room. We were sorely disappointed that The Empress of India had closed since our last visit to Kelso so, not knowing the area well, were at a loss as to where to go for supper.

I approached a woman in front of Glendale Paints and asked if she could recommend a good place for a meal. I mean who better to ask than a local? She ushered us into the store out of the rain and suggested if we wanted a good meal at a good price we go to The Waggon Inn and told us how to get there from where we were at that moment.

We thanked her and continued to the abbey which was closed when we were here in 2013 (arrived too late). This time we were able to get inside the gate and get some good photos from there despite the rain.

By the time we got to The Waggon Inn for our meal, the rain had stopped.

It’s hard to see from this angle looking up the driveway, but our room was the first dormer at the closest end of the house and our en-suite bathroom was the middle dormer.

From this angle you can see the middle dormer much better and barely see the one at the far end of the house.

We’ve been to Kelso twice but have never managed to get any closer to Floors Castle than Duncan House. We’ll have to rectify that.

The next time we come to Kelso and stay at Duncan House, we’ll spend more than one night and get to Floors Castle and visit/re-visit some of the Historic Scotland properties that are nearby.

Tomorrow… shh… don’t tell anyone, we’re heading south of the border to Barnsley. Long story, but for now I’ll just say it’s for research for another novel I’m working on.

Broughty Ferry, Dirleton Castle, Dunbar, Kelpies, Scotland, Tantallon Castle

#Scotland 2015 Day 12 – Broughty Ferry to Dunbar with Kelpies

October 13, 2015 Melanie 2 Comments

#Scotland 2015 – Sept 22, 2015

While we were disappointed to be leaving Broughty Ferry, we were excited to be moving on to our next destination. At least this morning the sun was shining. We had hoped to be after the rush hour but no such luck. I think we were smack in the middle of it.

After being held up at a stop for petrol (the place was a zoo) because the person at the pumps ahead of us had left her car there (she was already nowhere to be seen when we pulled up) and we waited for ages for her to return and get a less than sincere ‘sorry’. But at least she pulled her car away from the pumps before going back in to get whatever else it was she was after.

Finally, we were out of heavy traffic and onto single carriageways. The scenery through here was pretty but unfortunately, the laybys with the best views were filled with lorries and and other cars already. I finally did find one but had to walk back a bit because the trees blocked the view.

After getting some photographs, we moved on again but not far. We both thought the boot hadn’t closed properly so at the first opportunity, we pulled into a carpark for a church. And never being one to pass up the opportunity to wander through a graveyard, we took a brief time out for a look. I went around by the front of the church (more photo ops that direction) and Don had a look around the back.

When we reached the area near our destination, “Satnav Sally” turned us in to the carpark at the Falkirk Football Stadium. Come to find out, it was overflow parking for The Kelpies. Don’t think that would happen if there was a match taking place.

We got back onto the road and the turn we wanted was at the next set of traffic lights. It cost £2.00 to park which was more than reasonable because you could spend the entire day there. If you wanted to take the tour inside one of the two giant Clydesdale heads, there was an additional fee but we only wanted to see them from the outside.

We did look inside the one that was used for the tours (head down) and it looked like you stayed on the ground level. There were no stairs visible from our vantage point. Can you imagine being able to climb up and look out one of the eyes?

I wanted to stop at two castles on the way to our hotel – The Royal Mackintosh – in Dunbar so we had to get a move on.

The further away from the kelpies we got, the cloudier and gloomier it became and before we reached the first of the two castles I wanted to visit (Dirleton), it was raining. Not super hard but hard enough to be miserable and have to keep the cameras under cover.

These two trees in the gardens at the castle remind me of the ones in the Haunted Forest in The Wizard of Oz. What do you think? They’re definitely spooky looking. And maybe being there on an overcast, rainy day made them look even spookier.

Coming in the direction we did from the gardens, this was the entrance to the castle we took. By the time we reached the top step, my knees were burning but I didn’t let it stop me from enjoying the views in and around the castle – upstairs and downstairs.

I love the stone seats in the window alcoves of this room. Even on a cool, damp day, this room didn’t feel it. But then that could have been the sweat we’d worked up with all the step climbing and walking.

This section of the castle was the Haliburton’s construction. The intricate stone buffet was in the end wall of the Great Hall.

North Berwick Law is a massive mound visible from almost everywhere in the area because the ground is so flat… well except for it.

By the time we reached Tantallon Castle, it was raining harder and the wind had come up. There were times when I thought my umbrella and I were going to do our best Mary Poppins impression.

Bass Rock is home to a huge colony of gannets. From every vantage point looking out to see here at the castle, this formation is visible.

Despite the rain, wind and slippery, wet stones we climbed up to the top and walked on the ramparts of the castle. Mind you, this would have been so much more pleasant on a sunny, dry and less windy day but, hey, it was all part of the experience.

And remember North Berwick Law? Well, here it is again… kind of like the Price Building in Quebec City.

By now we really had to get a move on and to our hotel but we decided that on the day we left Dunbar for Kelso, if it was nice, we would come back to the castle and see it in a different light.

After checking in and getting our goods and chattels into our room, we walked down to the train station to get an idea how long a walk it was. I knew where it was from google maps and the hotel’s website said it was a short walk but a body still has to measure it themselves.

When we returned from our timing of the train station walk, we had a meal in the hotel bar – a Bigger Mack. I swear the hamburg patty was two inches thick! OMG! It was delicious, juicy and cooked all the way through… but way too much. Should we have one of these on a future trip, we won’t each order one. We’ll order one and cut it in two and get an extra order of chips.

Now that we’d stuffed ourselves, we went upstairs got the cameras and went out for a walk along the high street then down to the water where we watched the tide come in before walking back up the hill to our hotel.