Jedburgh

Backblip
Ah yes, Jedburgh.  It was cold, it was spitting with bitter rain.  It is an attractive town,  but it is not dog friendly.  There were some interesting closes with the remains of old stone work incorporated into the more recent buildings.  We'd seen the Abbey on a previous visit so went to visit Mary Queen of Scots' House.  We took it in turns go round it while the other had to stand outside in the elements with Lottie.  She wasn't allowed to be carried, even inside the gift shop.  There was an information board in the garden which explained the importance of pear growing in Jedburgh.  I had no idea, it was really interesting to think they were grown in such numbers so far north.

We tried several other places and cafes but they weren't welcoming either.  With the weather turning wetter, we decided to head for Kelso. 

Oh joy!  What a wonderful friendly place Kelso is, to humans and dogs!  We were welcomed into cafes, shops, Lottie was given biscuits, water, petted and admired!  We had a lovely lunch and coffee and cakes and had a wander round the abbey.  Getting a bit damp and chilly, we headed back to the van and as luck would have it, passed the Heart, Chest and Stroke charity shop, which was open, and welcomed dogs.  If you are ever in Kelso it is well worth a visit for it's amazing decor!  It is a boutique shop, with good quality second hand clothes, shoes, bags etc for sale, and of course I found something I loved, a Kaliko jacket with a furry collar!  Perhaps not the thing for dog walking, but I know it will come in useful one day!  Mike was taken with a tweed jacket, but it was too short in the arms . . . . . 

Looking for somewhere to stay overnight, we chose a caravan site on a stud farm.  It turned out that it had been a stud farm until about ten years ago, when the last horse had died.  That was not the only disappointment.  The toilet block was built of breeze blocks and cold, damp, mouldy and horrid.  As well as paying for our stay, there was no toilet paper provided but the owner would sell us some, there was no soap either, but there was a damp, smelly and dirty towel hanging in each cubicle. You could also buy tokens for the shower, but we declined!  

We left first thing in the morning!