Summer Outing: Saturday 1st June 2014

The Society's annual Summer Outing will be to Abbotsford, Sir Walter Scott's house near Melrose. As always, the outing will be on the first Saturday in June, which in 2014 is 1st June. The coach will leave Sainsbury's car park at 9.30 am and head for Selkirk with a short break at Dobbies, Dalkeith which is also the home to Butterfly World. There will be sufficient time in Selkirk for having lunch (bring your own or buy locally) and looking around before reaching Abbotsford at 2.00 pm for a guided tour of the house. Afterwards, the party will eat at The Green Tree Hotel, Peebles at 5.15 pm.


This year is the bi-centenary of the publication of Waverley, Scott's first novel, which was soon followed by Rob Roy and Ivanhoe, his other best known works. Abbotsford was built in 1824 to the design of William Atkinson and reopened in 2012 following extensive restoration. It is beautifully situated by the River Tweed and contains an interesting and varied collection of exhibits while in the extensive grounds are a Visitor Centre and a Gift Shop.

If anyone is interested in participating, please contact the Society as there may still be some places available on the outing.