Oh Scotland.....We sure have missed you!

 When I made the plans for this September getaway,  I was hoping to rekindle that special feeling that this beautiful country has made on our hearts.  How could I possibly know that I would find myself arriving when the entirety of the United Kingdom is under mourning, due to the sudden passing of their beloved queen?

I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I'm happy to say that our arrival was stress free,  and we have been treated to the usual Scottish welcoming that we have come to know and love. 

We rented our car through Celtic Legend, which was a smooth transition, and in short time we were on the road, heading to our first destination:  NewHailes Estate. 

It is located on the edge of Musselburgh, not far from the Firth of Forth.  The house dates from 1686 when the original structure was built.   In the early 1700s, it was purchased by Sir David Dalrymple, and it remained in that family until it was donated to the National Trust for preservation. During that time, it had two major additions, one on either side of the original house.  It also has a stable area, which has been converted to a cafe as so many of these trust sites do. 

You know that we wasted no time treating ourselves to some home made scones and some coffees. After all, we both managed about two hours of sleep on the plane. Some refreshment certainly made sense. 

Those scones were melt-in-your-mouth-tender!  Just what we needed for a quick jump start. 

I had prebooked a house tour for 11:00AM, and the timing was perfect.  Our guide was an enthusiastic woman who was a wealth of information. I'd say that she is the expert on the happenings of the Dalrymple family.  We can thank that family for keeping detailed and meticulous journals that outlined everyday life in this family.  

The tour begins in what is now the entrance of the house but had originally been the back.  

The owner wanted his guests to be awed by the view upon entering the house,  and he certainly was able to achieve that desired affect. 

Each of the rooms have been preserved rather than restored, which was the goal of the New Hailes Trust committee.  They are filled with many artifacts that had been held by the family. 

Apparently the dining room was used in one of the episodes of Outlander, and our guide told us that many people had come on the tour just to view this very room. 

There are three unique fireplaces in the house.  They were added in the mid 1700s, and the trust has the original invoices for all three, which were installed in the house at the same time.

The library was devoid of books, having been donated to the National Library in Scotland, but there is a stunning fireplace that is ornately decorated.

One of the unusual features of the house, is this wrought iron ornamentation that stands on the family staircase. The house had two full staircases:  one in the middle for the family and a second along the side of the house for the servants to run up and down. 

The tour took and hour and a half, after which we spent some time walking the grounds. 

There were bunches of blackberries ripening along the edges of the property.  

Someone could have a field day making pies!

Here you see an obelisk, erected in 1746, in memory of Sir James Dalrymple cousin, John, the 2nd Earl of Stair.  

From the trail, you can see the beautiful Firth of Forth.

and a view of what once stood as the front of the house, before it being reversed.

As you can see, the weather was extremely accommodating, and just perfect for walking. 

But it was time to head on, so we decided to drive along the coast to St. Abbs.

We had visited here in 2018, our last fall trip to Scotland.  At that time, we had walked along the northern cliffs, but we decided to head down into the village for a different viewpoint. 

It was certainly worth making the stop.

Now it was time to head to our night's destination:  Berwick upon Tweed. This town is actually in northern England, but just a few miles from the Scotland/England border.  

We are staying just one night here, at a B&B called the Walls.  I must say, this place is delightful!

The house stands along the walls that surround the city, with the river Tweed just a few hundred feet away.

You can see the bridges over the river in the distance.

And here is the view from our room.

We headed to the Queens's Hotel Restaurant for dinner, which was a great choice.  I had the foresight to pre-book.

Then we headed back to the B&B to enjoy some in-room treats and tea before hitting the sack. 

And, on that note, I've got a lot of sleep to catch up on! 

Tomorrow's another full day.  Would you expect anything less?