The Brilliant Aesthetic of Abbotsford House

The amazing tulips at Abbotsford House in Melrose, Roxburghshire, Scotland are just one colorful draw that brings visitors from all over Scotland (and the world) to the historic home of novelist and poet Sir Walter Scott (author of “Waverley”, “Ivanhoe”, and “Lady of the Lake”). Today, Sir Walter Scott’s Abbotsford “one of the most famous houses in the world” according to Visit Scotland‘s listing of top destinations in the country. The house, they write, “reflects, almost as no other place, the mind, enthusiasms and preoccupations of the man who built it.”

Located on the banks of the River Tweed in the Scottish Borders, Abbotsford estate is a brick and mortar castle nestled in a lush, green, flower-covered landscape that harkens to the romanticism Scott helped define as a writer. A church adjoining the villa-like balustrades and open-air garden give the rounded doors and even more enchanting, magical quality. In the heart of one of Scotland’s most beautiful landscape’s, Abbotsford is a quick afternoon drive from nearby Edinburgh, which is about an hour away via A68.

The quaint crystal greenhouse overlooks a wild tulip garden atop a hill on the Eastern side of the house. Ochiltree’s Dining (named after Edie Ochiltree, a character from Scott’s The Antiquary) is situated on the first floor of the Visitors Centre nearby, with stunning views over both the greenhouse and the Walled Garden.

Hidden views across the property reminisce of fairy tales and Downtown Abbey (it’s also true that J.K. Rowling was inspired by the rolling hills and ruins of Scotland in writing her famous Harry Potter book series). At Abbotsford House, visitors are encouraged to roam the garden freely without shying way from poking around its crevices– some of the walls even have hidden portholes filled with gargoyle statues!

Designed as a wild counterpart to the estates pristine gardens, the Family Play Trail compliments the woodlands surrounding the historic house by following a winding route through the trees, past a “medieval woodcutter’s village” complete with playhouse on stilts, a slide with a cradle swing, and various playground-like balancing apparatuses for kids (and adults) to climb on.

A striking view of Abbotsford House on a quiet weekday in Spring. Moss-speckled walls covered with climbing ivy give the destination a fairytale-like charm.

For those particularly enchanted with Abbotsford House, private accommodation is available to offer visitors a unique opportunity to understand what it would have felt like to be a guest in Scott’s home during his lifetime. Queen Elizabeth II’s aunt, Princess Alice, was a regular visitor to these luxury en-suite bedrooms, which are now individually styled and named after distinguished guests who stayed there. Here, the luxuries of modern day comfort collide with the hidden mysticism that comes with discovering a beautiful off-the-beaten path destination.

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For more information on Abbotsford House, visit the estate’s website.