Heading North!

Back Blip
After a super night's sleep in a lovely quiet spot, surrounded by trees, see extra, we had a nice leisurely walk then set off for Jedburgh to explore the abbey.  

It surpassed every expectation!  Really interesting, lots of interpretation boards and the audio description was excellent.  Terrifically well done, it brought the whole thing to life.  Ollie was able to come with us and enjoyed himself too!  

In the afternoon we went to another stunning place, Traquair House.  Dating back to 1107, a strong hold of the Jacobites, with an amazing history and lots of wonderful memorabilia from past Stuart generations.  And yes, of course Mary Queen of Scots stayed there, and 26 other Scottish kings and queens have visited over the years.

It was fascinating and we were able to explore on our own, taking our time, taking everything in, examining all the rooms and display cases, the pictures and the letters, all the items which had been gathered together over centuries, unhurried, until we realised the staff were quietly and discretely locking each door behind us, gently herding us towards the exit!  We'd been in there for ages!  The brewery, gardens and maze will have to wait until the next visit!

Chose a proper camping site at Carfraemill for the night.  A lovely spot by the river, with super showers, laundry facilities, hair dryer and a great place to walk Ollie.  All spruced up for visiting Shelagh tomorrow.