Christmas Book tree...

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This is our third visit to Abbotsford, the home of Sir Walter Scott and we've enjoyed each visit so much, I doubt it will be our last.  We have now visited in Spring, summer and Autumn/winter.  

Agnes and Adrian hadn't been before and were keen to see it, given our high recommendation.  I'm always concerned when I've been enthusiastic about something then others experience it for themselves, that they will be disappointed.  Thankfully that wasn't the case for Agnes and Adrian.

We arrived in time to have lunch in the cafe before spending some time in the Visitor Centre, going though the exhibition, then making our way down to the house.  We all took the audio guided tour that is spoken by an actor in the voice of Walter Scott.  D and I did the same on our first visit and found it to be a very personal, moving and humourous guide.  

I love Abbotsford because it is not a grand stately house, but a real home, that was clearly loved by its occupants, who loved each other and enjoyed each others' company.  

My favourite room is the dining room (centre pic in the collage in extras)as I can easily imagine all the jovial family meals around the table and when entertaining guests such as Wordsworth, Byron and Washington Irving (Irving’s home in New York state still has ivy growing upon it which came from a cutting he was given at Abbotsford).

But the main reason I love it is the view over the garden and fields to the river Tweed.  A view that remains the same since Scott's day.  It's very moving to stand in the bay window knowing I am sharing a view enjoyed all those years ago by such literary giants.  

The view is also what Scott gazed upon on his death bed after he returned very ill from a trip abroad.  He was unable to climb the stairs to his bedroom so a bed was made up in the bay window in the dining room to allow him his favourite view of the Tweed.  He died there on 21st September 1832 aged 61.

It was dark when we got back to the cottage and we settled in for a relaxing evening watching tv, reading and chatting whilst nibbling cheese, crackers, crisps and hummus.