Alnwick Castle & The Borders

Discover the rolling hills of the Borders...

The tour starts with a drive through the beautiful landscape of the Scottish Borders, the southern part of the country with its picturesque towns and villages. This is also the region where Sir Walter Scott lived. He was not only a famous writer and poet, but also a great believer in the Union between Scotland and England. In 1822 he invited King George 4th to Edinburgh, which was a great success with King George being the first monarch to visit in nearly 150 years. Sir Walter Scott rests in Dryburgh Abbey, not far away from Melrose where the first stop of our tour will be.


Stop off at Melrose Abbey...

In Melrose you have the chance to visit Melrose Abbey* -widely regarded as one of the most beautiful ruins in Europe. It was founded in 1136 by Cistercian monks at the request of King David I of Scotland and built in the Gothic manner, in the form of a St. John's Cross. Besides from being the final resting place to a number of Scottish kings and nobles, Robert the Bruce’s heart is thought to be buried in the Abbey as well. The lead container that is believed to contain the heart was found in 1921 below the Chapter House site and was reburied in 1998 with a plinth covering the burial site.


Discover the Magic of Alnwick Castle...

The next stop and star attraction of the tour is Alnwick Castle*. Here you will have maximum time to explore the castle and the gardens. As the seat of the Duke of Northumberland this is the second largest inhabited castle in England and has been lived in for over 700 years. 

It is full of fascinating things to see and mysteries to uncover. Wander around the medieval walls and be amazed by the large lavish state rooms, which amongst other things house a collection of 14,000 catalogued books in the Library. While you walk around the castle you may recognise it as a location from some of the Harry Potter films and Downton Abbey. You can even take part in a broomstick training session on the very spot where Harry had his first flying lesson – no matter what age you are! For those who want to stay on the ground there are various museums and exhibitions to discover inside the castle, ranging from a Downtown Abbey exhibition featuring photography, costumes and props from the show to the Castle Museum which tells the tale of Alnwick Castle’s most famous son Henry ‘Hotspur’ Percy. 


An Amazing Coastal Journey Home...

The road home takes you up the stunning east coast and stops at North Berwick, with its picturesque red sandstone harbour and views to the islands and world-famous Bass Rock. You'll have time for a walk on the beach here or perhaps a quick visit to the world-renowned Scottish Seabird Centre.

Departure days:

Every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday

Departs/Returns:

09:00 am / 17:00 pm

Meeting point:

1 Parliament Square, High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1RE