This historic old village is highly accessible and boasts stunning architecture, lush landscapes, and even contains the heart of a legendary national hero
If you’re looking to explore Britain’s beautiful old towns but don’t want to trek to the middle of nowhere, then you’re in luck. This picturesque village is considered one of the UK’s most charming and is also extremely accessible for travellers.
In a country famous for its quirky, atmospheric towns that have inspired many murder mysteries (think Sherlock Holmes, Midsomer Murders) the one deterrent towards visiting them is that they can be difficult to reach. Often they are located in the countryside, far away from any major towns or cities, which means you either need to book accommodation in the village, or spend a lot of money on transport.
Fortunately, there are some villages that are relatively convenient to get to. The UK travel experts at Dreamers Who Travel put together a list of the 10 prettiest villages in the UK for a fairytale getaway, based on each town’s community charm and “quaint beauty”. And awarded number two on the list was Melrose, Scotland – located just two hours from the Scottish capital of Edinburgh.
Melrose lies in the valley of Tweed below the triple peaks of Mount Eildon. Surrounded by lush green fields, the small dwelling features a charismatic town centre, homely inns, scrumptious restaurants and the medieval ruins of Melrose Abbey. One of the village’s main attractions, the abbey was founded in the twelfth century by Cistercian monks. Famously, Robert the Bruce’s heart is buried there: a Scottish king and hero who fought for independence against the English.
The town is also famous for hosting the annual Rugby Sevens event in the Melrose Rugby club, the oldest rugby sevens competition in the world.
Dreamers Who Travel wrote on their website: “Perhaps the best thing about Melrose is how accessible it is to the out-of-town traveller. Located not far from Edinburgh, you can easily reach Melrose in a quick couple of hours, meaning you can make this your full-week destination, or merely somewhere to visit on a sunny afternoon. Melrose is a lush, country village sprawled out amongst acres of gardens and orchards. Besides historical significance, the quiet ambiance is what attracts guests time and time again. The village is best known for the Melrose Abbey, which is the best-preserved Abbey in all of Scotland- and you’ll be thankful it is as you take in the stunning architecture.”
If you’re looking to take a trip to Melrose from Edinburgh, you can travel by train from Edinburgh Waverley to Galashiels station, which typically costs between £10 to £21. Then you simply take a twenty minute bus to the village.
