Melrose have to be feeling good about itself.
The brand new railway (or, at the least, the revival of the outdated railway) opens subsequent month, linking this gorgeous Borders city to Edinburgh, some 50 minutes up the road, making it an ideal spot for these looking for a quiet weekend in spectacular environment.
And the right spot for the remainder of us, wherever we’re from.
One of the best issues are available in twos: The Townhouse is one half of Melrose’s stylish resort couple. Burts is the opposite
There’s the distinctive Eildon Hills to the south (full with a monument to Sir Walter Scott on prime of the best peak), the fast-flowing River Tweed to the south and mesmerising Melrose Abbey within the centre, the place the guts of Robert the Bruce is claimed to be buried.
The buying isn’t dangerous, both, however, luckily, we arrive on a Saturday night after most are closed and — hallelujah! — most stay closed on the Sunday.
Half manner down the Excessive Road, simply off the market sq., is The Townhouse: a family-run institution with a sister resort referred to as Burts throughout the highway.
Each are immaculate, with white-washed exteriors and window-sills given over to shows of geraniums at their summer time greatest.
‘What’s the distinction between the 2 lodges?’ we ask the well mannered, targeted man who reveals us to our room on the primary ground. He seems to be the proprietor.
‘That is maybe a bit of extra modern,’ he says, knowingly.
We just like the biscuit-coloured partitions and thick, swishy beige curtains. There’s no muddle, you’ll be able to open the home windows and all the pieces is pristine. The household clearly takes nice delight in its lodges. Excessive requirements — and a excessive diploma of service from well mannered, cheerful workers.
There’s a number of sisterly love occurring. We’re advised we will eat dinner both at The Townhouse or Burts. Too lazy to shuffle throughout the highway, we keep put at The Townhouse, the place my timbale of crab starter is a triumph, and no complaints both about my sea bass most important course. My spouse doesn’t get on fairly so effectively together with her sirloin.
At first, she says it has an unlucky aftertaste however then decides it doesn’t have a lot style in any respect — shocking on this a part of the world the place the cattle graze in superb pastures.
We sleep soundly within the large mattress, showing at breakfast simply earlier than the 10am cut-off. Thank goodness, as a result of the Full Scottish comes with haggis which, when eaten with a runny egg and correct English mustard, is nectar.
Happily, Melrose is the type of place the place strolling off gastric excesses is an unbridled pleasure — regardless that we don’t fairly make the highest of the best of the Eildons.
