Make time to wander through bustling and thriving market towns such as Galashiels, Melrose and Jedburgh.

Stop off at a traditional Scottish pub to sample some great home cooking and a drop of whisky.

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In 1812, Scott bought a farmhouse on the banks of the Tweed, which he renamed Abbotsford. He devised some plans for redeveloping the house but this was not carried out until 1818. In 1822 the old house was completely demolished and was replaced by the main block of what we see today. It is splendid dwelling -- a castellated mansion with turrets, battlements, and corbie-stepped gables. It seems to me a particularly fitting style of house for Scott given the romantic style of his literary works (Ivanhoe, Waverley, etc).

The house contains a fine collection of historic relics, amassed by Scott himself. This collection includes Rob Roy McGregor's gun and Montrose's sword, as well as vast amounts of armour and other weapons. There is also an exensive library which contains some rare and valuable volumes also collected by Scott. What I found disaapointing was the limited number of rooms which are open to view -- the study, library, entrance hall and armouries and the dining room with its views over the river -- the room in which Scott died in 1832.

Outside there is a pretty walled garden and extensive grounds. Look out for the beautiful peacocks which dart out from the privet when you least expect it. They too seem apt for this house with it's romantic and almost fairy-tale atmosphere. There is also a quaint private chapel built in memory of the author. Abbotsford is open from March until October. In March, April, May and October hours are limited on Sundays (2-5pm), otherwise the daily opening hours are 9am-5.30pm. Entrance for adults is £4.20 and for children, it's £2.10.

There is a small gift shop and a cafe, but none of the other features you might find at similar properties (e.g. children's play area, etc.). For this reason, I would suggest that this is really a place for adults as children might find limited interest in the exhibits and the former owner of the house.

Here you can watch the craftsmen make beautiful glass paperweights and small ornamental vases using traditional methods. If you check in advance you may also be able to coincide your visit with one of the occasional opportunities for visitors to try their hand (closely supervised, of course).

The Centre is open from around 9am each day and closes at 5pm or 4pm, depending on the time of year (check leaflets or with the Centre for details). You can walk around independently so you don't have to wait for a tour to start. Visitors stand behind a low wall and you get a really good view of the craftsmen at work.

Selkirk glass is instantly recognisable for it's beautiful and delicate swirls of colour inside (usually) clear glass. Because the whole process is done by hand, no two items are exactly the same although new designs are created and catalogued each season.

Next to each workers station sits a tray of coloured slivers of glass, which will be worked into the molten glass to produce the design. As each colour is added you magically see the piece take form before your eyes but it's not until you see the finished article that you fully appreciate the amount of work that goes into a piece of Selkirk glass.

Alongside the workshop are cases of Selkirk glass for you to view and you can then make your purchase in the shop. If the piece you want is not in stock you can make arrangements to have it sent to you and if you're buying something as a gift you can have it specially engraved too.

Selkirk Glass Visitor Centre also has a very pleasant coffee shop/restaurant serving traditional homemade cakes and scones and also a selection of main meals. While not cheap the surroundings are nice and the service is good.

Admission to the centre is free and I would certainly recommend a visit.

Sadly after floods in the 1940s passenger trains stopped coming to Jedburgh so your best bet is to come by bus or by car. A fairly good bus service links Jedburgh with Edinburgh some 50 miles away and Newcastle and also other nearby Borders towns. However to really get to see the area it's a car or your own legs!

However a short break in Jedburgh alone would offer plenty to see and do without the need to go too far afield.

Some of theses I will describe in further journals, but just to mention a few now is a good idea.

Jedburgh is dominated by the imposing ruins of the town's 12th century abbey. As such they are a fitting reminder of the town's turbulent history where life was nowhere near as peaceful as the Jedburgh you visit today!

Another attraction is Mary Queen of Scots House which is now a museum and visitors centre. Mary visited the house in 1566 and stayed there for four weeks. The beautiful Jedforest Deer and Farm Park is well worth a visit - as a child I loved to go there and could sit quietly mesmerised watching the deer.

Jedburgh offers lots of walking opportunities and there has been alot of work and investment put into creating Town Trails and scenic country walks of various lengths to suit everybody.

The Jethart Callant Festival which is held each year in July is a very popular event. The Callant leads his men on horseback in ceremonials treks to places linked with the town's history.

This is followed by the Jedburgh Border Games with competitors from the region and all over Scotland tossing the caber, etc.

The town centre itself is fairly compact and easy to walk around. It is centred around the Marketplace and Canongate where the old stone buildings (possibly partly constructed from stone from the abbey) have been restored and cleaned. Some people have said that they think the town is a little old-fashioned. Certainly if you are looking to buy the latest fashions you will be disappointed in Jedburgh but I think the style of the shops and restuarants is a reflection of the community it serves. Young people are finding it necessary to leave rural areas and find work in the towns and so Jedburgh has become a town of older people.

Although there are some dedicated restaurants the main places to eat are the restaurants attached to pubs or hotels. However in the main these serve great food at good prices although not budget bargains. The Royal Hotel has an excellent restaurant, the Tall Ships, serves excellent seafood including some local salmon.

Although I've never spent the night in Jedburgh, the town seems to have a good number of hotels and guest houses and there are lots of camping opportunities signposted. This would lend Jedburgh well to being a base from which to explore the borders further.

You'll leave Jedburgh with a warm feeling: the people are very friendly and hospitable and there is a nice laid back feel to the town which is unusual for such a popular tourist spot. Even in the height of summer Jedburgh doesn't feel too crowded and so retains its charm.

Another famous Scotsman with Selkirk connections was Sir Walter Scott, who was Sheriff of the town for 33 years. You can visit his former courtroom, where there is quite a good audiovisual presentation which tells about Scott's association with the area.

The visitors' attractions in Selkirk are fairly low-key and understated, but worth a visit all the same. One such place is "Halliwell's House," which is Selkirk's oldest house and has been turned into a local history museum. Its main feature is a faithful recreation of an ironmonger’s store with its shelves lined with goods in the original packaging.

Each year in June, the Selkirk Common Riding takes place. Up to 500 riders saddle their horses early in the morning and ride the Marches, reenacting the story of the Battle of Flodden (1513) when the town sent out 80 men with the Scottish King. Only one returned.

The town has all the shops you might need and, like other towns in the area, has the obligatory woolen mill shops selling knitwear, tartans and tweeds. There are a couple of bigger hotels but bed and breakfast establishments abound. There are plenty of places to eat, but I think the best value meals are to be found in pubs.

This small town has a gentle air about it; whilst there is no lack of things to see and do, the place doesn't get too busy but visitors still find themselves well catered for.