Shorter posts, starting with this one from lovely Melrose

I’ve just reviewed my last two posts, and as my son Daniel would say…”too many words.”   So my goal is to aim for more brevity, starting today.

Although I loved my two busy days in Edinburgh and appreciated the vibrancy, creativity, and friendliness of the city during the Festival, I was very happy to board a train this morning to travel south, through beautiful rolling countryside, to the town of Tweedbank, and then travel by bus a short distance to the pretty Borders town of Melrose.

Here is my lovely B&B at Dunfermline House, and I was lucky to have an early check-in so I could drop my bags and spend several wonderful hours at the historic Melrose Abbey, just steps away.

 

Melrose Abbey is one of the four famous Border Abbeys in Scotland.  It was founded in the early 12th century by the Ciscertians, a Catholic order of monks who follow the rules of Saint Benedict.  Their ethos was to be a self-sufficient community in a quiet and isolated place, to live in austerity and silence, and to work, pray, and give reverence to God.  Supporting the monks were the lay brothers who wished to live and work as part of a religious community.  They were the carpenters, farmers, builders, blacksmiths, millers, weavers, brewers and bakers who helped to support the life and economy of the abbey.

There was an excellent audio guide provided which detailed the life of the monks and the lay brothers, as well as the history of the abbey itself.  It was so interesting!  The abbey has undergone many changes over its 900 year history, and was damaged and rebuilt many times due to war.  Most of the structures that are standing today date from the between the 14th and 15th centuries, but some small sections of the original 12th century abbey remain.

Here are some exterior views of the beautiful ruins of Melrose abbey.

 

 

The photo above shows some of the excavated foundations of various outbuildings used by the monks and lay brothers.  The following two photos show remnants of the great ditch which brought water from the River Tweed to the abbey and priory, and of the lavatorium.

 

 

Here is a field adjacent to the Abbey, looking north.  The afternoon was so warm and peaceful, and the landscape here is so beautiful. I could see why the monks had chosen this place in order to feel closer to God.

On the other side of the Abbey lie the Eildon Hills.  (The tallest of the two was home to the largest hill fort in Scotland during the Iron Age.) My hike along Cuthbert’s Way will take me up and over the saddle between the two hills.

Next are some interior photos of the abbey.  The first is of the great East window, and a section of the magnificent roof.  There are horizontal iron bars supporting the very tall and thin stone columns that once held glass.  The iron bars were added only 100 years ago, but the stone columns stood strong on their own for 500 years before that!

 

 

A wonderful surprise was the opportunity to climb up a worn spiral staircase to have views from the rooftop.

 

 

After my educational and inspiring time at the abbey, I had a restful coffee break in the quiet of my room…

and then I headed back out to visit the Priorwood Gardens which are adjacent to the abbey.  It was another serene and beautiful place, and I had it all to myself except for the company of some bees and butterflies.

 

 

The Priory Garden is a informal walled garden with curved paths, shrubs, yew hedges, pretty flower beds, and some special spaces to sit and rest.

 

 

There was also a meadow and orchard, with many varieties of apples, and a lawned area with a view of the abbey, perfect for picnics.

 

 

After visiting the garden, I strolled along the High Street and some side streets of the small and tidy town of Melrose, and then I made my way to the banks of the river Tweed to see the Chain Bridge which is a beautiful pedestrian suspension bridge built in 1826.

Here are some photos taken from the south side of the river.

I crossed to the center of the bridge and took photos both downstream and upstream.

 

 

Then I walked for a while on the north side of the river, enjoying the late afternoon light and the sounds of the river.  Here is a view of the bridge from the north side, with the original toll house at its end, and one of the Eildon Hills clearly visible.

Then, I crossed back over, with a great view of both hills.  I was careful to follow the rule (original to 1826) posted at both ends of the bridge that said “No loitering, climbing, or intentional swinging of the bridge. Contravention is a fine of 2 pounds or imprisonment.”

My last photo of the evening was this sign which is the first of the St. Cuthbert’s Way signs that I will follow on my long distance walk.  The trail officially begins just in front of the abbey, and only a few steps from my B&B.

Now, if you have read this far (!), I know that you are probably thinking, “This post is not shorter!!” I agree, and it’s almost midnight (!) and I’ve been blogging since after dinner so I am too tired to go back and change the title and introduction, as well as add in some photos of Melrose to justify the “pretty Melrose” part of the title!

So, this non-shorter post will have to stand as it is. I will try harder for brevity tomorrow, I promise.  Goodnight!