Berwick, Floors Castle, and The Scottish Borders

Description
Photos
About Your Guide
Where & When
Activity Level
FAQs

Discover on This Tour

Berwick-Upon-Tweed
Norham Castle
Floors Castle
Melrose Abbey
Scott’s View

About This Tour

This is a private, full day, driver-guided tour. Your guide will pick you up and drop you off at your Edinburgh accommodation with their vehicle.

Tour Itinerary

From Edinburgh we head to the Scottish Borders, making a stop at the picturesque traditional fishing village of Eyemouth. Sheltered from the sea and near to the continent, this little village was once notorious as a smuggler’s paradise.

We next visit Berwick upon Tweed, a border town just south of the Scottish border. Exploring this town that was once Scottish, we will learn about the area’s tumultuous history and see the great walls that were constructed to keep out invading Scots.

Delving deeper into this history of conflict, we continue to nearby Norham Castle. The ruins of this stronghold lie almost directly on the border between England and Scotland – a location that once gave it the title of ‘the most dangerous place in England’. Here we will walk in the footsteps of Scottish warriors of old, discovering the key role the castle played in 400 years of Scottish history.

Our next stop is Floors Castle, where we will also have lunch. This striking fortress-style residence has been the family home of the Duke of Roxburghe since the 1720s. Incredibly preserved, it is the largest inhabited castle in Scotland. Featuring collections of fine art, grand rooms and splendid views, our visit here will offer a rare and extensive glimpse into the private lives of past and present nobility.

Continuing our journey, we will drive to Melrose Abbey, an ancient, ruined monastery almost 900 years old. Here, it is believed, is buried the heart of Robert the Bruce, who led Scotland to victory against the English after the death of Scottish national hero William Wallace. As we discover the intriguing history of this stately building, make sure to take a closer look at the intricate stone carvings around you, brought to life by master masons of the past who definitely had a sense of humour.

From the Abbey we begin our return to Edinburgh, with a final stop at Scott’s View, one of world-renowned Scottish writer Sir Walter Scott’s favourite places for reflection. Afterwards we return to Edinburgh and finish our journey.

Photos: Berwick, Floors Castle, and The Scottish Borders

About Your Guide

Our local, expert guides are simply the best in the business, and the primary ingredient in what makes our tours great.

As passionate ambassadors for Scotland, our guides bring Scotland to life through their knowledge, personal stories and life experiences, allowing you to truly immerse yourself into the best our country has to offer. In their safe and capable hands, you can rest assured you’re being well looked after from start to finish. So relax as we take you on an unforgettable journey to discover our rich history, proud heritage, unique culture, and breathtaking landscapes.

All of our guides are passionate expert freelance tourist guides. They are trained to the highest level of tourist guide certification in Scotland by the Scottish Tourist Guides Association, meeting European Standards CEN EN15565:2008 and accredited by both the European Federation of Tourist Guide Associations and the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations.

Where & When

Start: Your guide will meet you with their vehicle at your Edinburgh accommodation at 9AM.

Finish: At the end of the tour your guide will drop you off at your Edinburgh accommodation at approximately 6PM.

Activity Level

Easy Activity: Driver-Guided tour by private vehicle with some walking involved to visit attractions.

FAQs

What is Included and Not Included?

Included:

- Pick up from and drop off at your Edinburgh accommodation
- Private Blue Badge Tourist Guide
- Private Transport

Not Included:

- Meals and drinks
- Entry to Floors Castle and Melrose Abbey. These can be purchased on arrival at each site.

What Entrance Fees are Required?

Floors Castle 2020 Entrance Fees
Adult (16-59): £11.50
Senior(60+): £10.50
Child (5-15): £6.00
Infant(0-4): Free

Melrose Abbey 2020 Entrance Fees
Adult (16-59): £6.00
Senior(60+): £4.80
Child (5-15): £3.60
Infant(0-4): Free

All visits to venues and attractions are optional.

What is the Cancellation Policy for this Tour?

Cancellation Policy
Cancellation by you 21 or more full days before tour departure: 100% refund.
Cancellation by you less than 21 full days before tour departure: No refund.

What Happens If I’m Late or If I Miss the Tour?
If you are running late, please contact the guide directly using the contact details we have provided to you after booking. Your tour finish time does not change. No refunds are issued for ‘no shows’ or missed tours.

Terms & Conditions
For further information please see our full Terms, Conditions, and Cancellation Policy.

Can I Customise This Tour?

Yes, all of our tours can be customised to an itinerary or specification that suits you. Please contact us before booking to discuss further.

Is This Tour Suitable for Children?

All of our tours are suitable for children but please do bear in mind the following when booking this tour:

- This tour is a 9 hour long tour.
- Any children on this tour who are who are both under the age of 12 and under 135cm/4ft 5in tall will require child car seats. Please indicate during booking how many child car seats you require.

What About Travel Insurance?

We recommend that participants on our tours arrange for themselves suitable travel, medical and cancellation insurance in advance.

What Does On-Request Booking Mean?

This Tour is Booked On-Request. We will seek to confirm your booking as soon as possible and endeavour to do so within 3 days of you making the booking. In the unlikely event that we are unable to confirm your booking after 3 days we will inform you of this by email.

At this point you will then have the option of either: