Things to see and do Kelso

William Adam is at the origin of this seductive witness of 18th century Scottish architecture. Begun in 1725, the construction of Mellerstain House was completed by his son, Robert Adams. The interiors are elegant and harmonious, thanks to a very accomplished Georgian décor and several works by great painters, such as Aikman, Gainsborough, Ramsay and Van Dyck. The beautifully landscaped gardens offer pleasant views of the lake and the Cheviot Hills. A contemporary sculpture park offers another dimension to the ensemble. Superb!

Floors Castle is a flagship of Scottish heritage and is also currently the largest castle still inhabited. Built in 1721 by William Adam for the Duke of Roxburghe, it was embellished by William Playfair in the 18th century. To say the least, the two renowned architects have done an admirable job. Everything here is an ode to greatness and good taste. For more than 40 years, visitors have been admiring the rich 17th and 18th century French furniture, 17th century Belgian tapestries, but also Gobelins tapestries, refined porcelain and fine art pieces of all kinds... Lovers of master paintings will love to come across two paintings by Henri Matisse, one by Augustus John and one by Pierre Bonnard. On the literary side, an original by the poet Robert Burns is also kept here. In all, there are 154 rooms, the most beautiful of which can be visited, and no less than 365 windows: one for each day of the year. The walled garden is also very attractive. Indeed, it contains one of the most beautiful Victorian vegetable gardens, and the floral spaces are regularly recomposed, thus offering landscape paintings by masters, varying according to the seasons and topiary inspirations. You will no doubt also be charmed by the summer pavilion, named Queen's House, following the visit of Queen Victoria in 1867. Finally, you will have to treat yourself to a lunch or an afternoon tea in this superb setting! Exactly, two nice cafés are there for that...

Sir Walter Scott came here regularly as a child and Smailholm Tower was then on the grounds of his grandfather's farm. She has inspired the artist a lot and appears in his poem Marmion. This 15th century fortified tower, perched on a rock above a lake, is a very evocative image of the Borders, of which it is a symbol. It is 20 metres high and has walls 2.50 metres thick, spread over four floors. From its imposing summit, you can see as far as the English castle of Bamburgh on a clear day.

Taken out of the ground in 1128, Kelso Abbey was one of the wealthiest in the country during the Middle Ages. Its Romanesque style was of great quality and it had many churches, schools and farms in the Cheviot Hills. Unfortunately, the raids of the English King Henry VIII caused him much damage in the 1540s, when his son's union with the young Mary Stuart had been annulled. Although only a part of its former glory remains, you can still enjoy its unique architecture and cloister.