Scott's View
Encyclopedia
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
, overlooking the valley of the River Tweed
River Tweed
The River Tweed, or Tweed Water, is long and flows primarily through the Borders region of Great Britain. It rises on Tweedsmuir at Tweed's Well near where the Clyde, draining northwest, and the Annan draining south also rise. "Annan, Tweed and Clyde rise oot the ae hillside" as the Border saying...
, which is reputed to be one of the favourite views of Sir Walter Scott
Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet, popular throughout much of the world during his time....
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The viewpoint can be located directly from a minor road leading south from Earlston
Earlston
Earlston , formerly Ercildoune, is a civil parish and market town in the county of Berwickshire, within the Scottish Borders. It is situated on the River Leader in Lauderdale, Scotland.-Early history:...
just off the A68
A68 road
The A68 is a major road in the United Kingdom, running from Darlington in England to the A720 in Scotland.From Darlington, the road runs north, bypassing Bishop Auckland, and running through West Auckland, Toft Hill and Tow Law, past Consett and Corbridge...
and by travelling north from the village of St. Boswells
St. Boswells
St Boswells is a village on the south side of the River Tweed in the Scottish Borders. It lies about 1 mile SE of Newtown St Boswells on the A68 road....
up the slope of Bemersyde Hill. The view is around 3 miles east of Melrose
Melrose, Scotland
Melrose is a small town and civil parish in the Scottish Borders, historically in Roxburghshire. It is in the Eildon committee area.-Etymology:...
. The view is to the west, and is dominated by the three peaks of Eildon Hill
Eildon Hill
Not to be confused with Eldon Hill, EnglandEildon Hill lies just south of Melrose, Scotland in the Scottish Borders, overlooking the town. The name is usually pluralised into "the Eildons" or "Eildon Hills", because of its triple peak....
. To the south west the view is extensive and open, taking in rolling farmland beyond the village of Newtown St Boswells. Immediately below the viewer is a meander of the Tweed itself. Often a fly fisherman
Fly fishing
Fly fishing is an angling method in which an artificial 'fly' is used to catch fish. The fly is cast using a fly rod, reel, and specialized weighted line. Casting a nearly weightless fly or 'lure' requires casting techniques significantly different from other forms of casting...
can be seen fishing the river. To the north west the viewer looks along the Tweed valley to Melrose. Towards the north-west the viewer can see the Black Hill, a Marilyn
Marilyn (hill)
A Marilyn is a mountain or hill in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland or Isle of Man with a relative height of at least 150 metres , regardless of absolute height or other merit...
near Earlston
Earlston
Earlston , formerly Ercildoune, is a civil parish and market town in the county of Berwickshire, within the Scottish Borders. It is situated on the River Leader in Lauderdale, Scotland.-Early history:...
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Immediately below the view point, on the cliffs above the River Tweed, is one of the few remaining fragments of semi-natural woodland in the area. The oak trees that remain are the descendants of trees used to supply wood for the manufacture of coffins in the area.
According to a popular story, Sir Walter Scott stopped at this point so often on the way to his home at Abbotsford
Abbotsford House
Abbotsford is a historic house in the region of the Scottish Borders in the south of Scotland, near Melrose, on the south bank of the River Tweed. It was formerly the residence of historical novelist and poet, Walter Scott...
, that his horses would halt without command. After his death in 1832, his funeral cortège passed this way en route to his burial at Dryburgh Abbey
Dryburgh Abbey
Dryburgh Abbey, near Dryburgh on the banks of the River Tweed in the Scottish Borders, was nominally founded on 10 November 1150 in an agreement between Hugh de Morville, Lord of Lauderdale and Constable of Scotland, and the Premonstratensian canons regular from Alnwick Abbey in Northumberland...
, and his horses stopped at his favourite view to allow their master a last look at the Borders landscape. In fact, although the funeral procession did pass this way, the halt was due to 'some accident'.
- The William Wallace StatueWilliam Wallace Statue, BemersydeThe William Wallace Statue in the grounds of Bemersyde House, near Melrose in the Scottish Borders is a statue commemorating William Wallace. It was commissioned by David Stuart Erskine, 11th Earl of Buchan, and it protected as a category B listed building....
in the grounds of Bemersyde HouseBemersyde HouseBemersyde House is a historic house in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, formerly in Berwickshire.The nearest towns are Newtown St. Boswells, Melrose, and Dryburgh. The William Wallace Statue, Bemersyde is on the Bemersyde Estate...
is a larger than life statue of Scotland's hero, Sir William WallaceWilliam WallaceSir William Wallace was a Scottish knight and landowner who became one of the main leaders during the Wars of Scottish Independence....
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