Upon leaving Edinburgh, we headed south towards the Borders region of Scotland. Throughout history, this region was notoriously unsettled, with raiding parties from both England and Scotland venturing into the others land to steal cattle, damage property, and stir up trouble. A large number of abbeys were located here, and over the centuries they were built and rebuilt time and again after successive English invasions, until Henry VIII ordered them all razed during his destructive “Rough Wooing” of the Scots in 1545. This resulted from the failure of the Scots to ratify a marriage treaty between Henry VIII’s son and the infant Mary, Queen of Scots. 

One of the most pleasant of the Border towns, Melrose is notable for the mellow rose-pink ruins of its abbey, where the heart of Robert the Bruce is buried. “What remains of the abbey are the outlines of cloisters, the kitchen and other monastic buildings and the shell of the abbey church with its soaring east window and profusion of medieval carvings. The rich decorations of the south exterior wall include a gargoyle shaped like a pig playing the bagpipes. An embalmed heart, found here in 1920, is probably that of Robert the Bruce, who had decreed that his heart be taken on a crusade to the Holy Land. It was returned to Melrose after its bearer, Sir James Douglas, was killed in Spain. If it weren't for the abbey's location in the frequently devastated Borders, this would be one of the world's most spectacular ecclesiastical complexes. Today, it's one of the world's most beautiful ruins, a site immortalized by Robert Burns, who advised people to visit it only by moonlight.”

The second stop on our tour of the Borders was to Dryburgh Abbey. “Founded in the 11^th century and built in soft red sandstone, it was frequently damaged in the Border wars between the Scots and the English. However, its beauty is still evident, making for a delightful stroll around the ruins: the refectory’s ornate rose window, for example, is still intact. Two famous Scots are buried here: the historical romance writer Sir Walter Scott, and WWI commander Field-Marshal Earl Haig. Their graves are in the ruined north transept chapel. Begun in 1150 along a meandering curve of the River Tweed, Dryburgh was once home to thousands of monks who transformed the surrounding forests into arable fields, and drained many local swamps.” I was particularly taken with the ruins of Dryburgh Abbey, and the way the sunlight played through the trees to strike the crumbling stones. Its setting is so peaceful, so tranquil, that I felt deep in the countryside, far from civilization. I could easily understand why the monks built and continued to rebuild their abbey there, and why those famous Scots chose it for their eternal resting place.

Upon leaving the abbey, we side-tracked to a path leading into the hills. About a half a mile from the road stands a statue of William Wallace, as well as a monument to a long ago battle, with sweeping views of the surrounding countryside. We drove east into the town of Kelso and past the ruins of the abbey there before continuing on over a bridge over the River Tweed into England. I was enchanted by the tiny village of Carham and the quaint shops and houses. The weather, though chilly, was ideal for our rambling, country drive, putting us in high spirits.