Last day in Scotland, I mentioned to the staff at Traquair House that I was heading now to Melrose abbey, and they asked if I was going to visit Abbotsford. Abbotsford ? No idea.
Ok, there is a consequence to not doing too much planning. It’s too easy to rely on the Google top 5 or 10 for choosing an itinerary, which why chatting to locals as you travel, can reveal so much more.
Abbotsford was the home of Sir Walter Scott. Not a huge place, but the collection inside is amazing.
Entry gets you an audio tour, but not an ordinary one. You can choose between 3 types of commentary, one of which was more tongue in cheek, from the point of view of the house dog. Brilliant. History, with a twist of humour. An utter delight.
This is a visit which again, is subject to your level of interest. The main library is splendid, but if you take the time to explore the book spines, you will find some very unique titles, including the occult, witchcraft and much more which was probably quite controversial back then.
A ceiling adornment was dedicated to Rosslyn Chapel, and having visited that chapel helped me appreciate the reference to that inspired craftsmanship.
So, for a visit that was not on my radar, it was a fun hour or so stopover.
