Take A Road Trip To Drummohr And Herding Hill Farm
Connect our stunning East Lothian camping and glamping site with the history of Hadrian’s Wall Why not take a fabulous and leisurely drive through the Scottish Borders and visit two wonderful campsites Drummohr and Herding Hill Farm? Combining a stay at our two campsites is the perfect way to enjoy a Northumberland road trip connecting Edinburgh and the East Lothian coast with the beautiful Northumberland National Park and Hadrian’s Wall. With our road trip you don’t need to choose between city, coast or countryside – you can have it all!!
There are two wonderful routes to cover the 100 miles or so between Drummohr and Herding Hill Farm. The Borders Historic Route from Herding Hill Farm to Drummohr along the A7 passing through Longtown, Langholm, Hawick, Selkirk and Galashiels, named by Visit Scotland as one of Scotland’s best scenic driving routes.
The other route to follow from Drummohr, East Lothian to Herding Hill Farm, Northumberland is the A68, a journey of around 2.5 hours if you drive directly but which can easily be explored over the course of a day or even longer if you wish to stop off on route.
Driving South after leaving Drummohr there are a number of border towns and villages worth a stop in their own right. If it has opened, our first stop would be Bird Gardens Scotland which has a leading conservation bird breeding program and Visitor Centre. Nearby Carfraemill has a number of eating and drinking options.
The town of Lauder is located on the edge of the Lammermuir Hills with plenty to occupy the passing traveller. The Lauder Town Trail is a good way to explore the history of the town. Nearby Thirlestane Castle has been the home of the Maitland family for over 400 years and the castle and grounds are worth a visit. The 19 arch Leaderfoot Viaduct crosses the River Tweed near Melrose and there are a number of picturesque walks in the area including one to the Roman site at Trimontium (known as the Place of the Three Hills) and the Diamond Jubilee Path. The height of the arches makes this a very impressive and photogenic stop especially when the arches are reflected in the River Tweed. On the hillside above the viaduct is Scott's View, a panoramic viewpoint favoured by Sir Walter Scott, who lived at nearby Abbotsford, a historic house and estate also worth a visit.
A short diversion along the A6091 is picturesque Melrose which is well worth a visit. Located at the foot of the Eildon Hills, there is wonderful walking from this area, a selection of walks are highlighted in a leaflet provided by Scottish Borders Council. By far the most spectacular attraction in Melrose is Melrose Abbey, one of the most famous ruins in Scotland. Now ran by Historic Environment Scotland, Melrose Abbey is the final resting place of Robert the Bruce’s heart and is well worth the short diversion from the A68 route to view. Melrose is home to fabulous selection of independent stores and the Rugby Sevens.
Green-fingered travellers can visit two National Trust for Scotland gardens in the area. Priorwood has a historic apple orchard and is Scotland’s only dedicated dried flower garden. Harmony Gardens is a beautiful walled garden with magnificent views over Melrose Abbey and the Eildon Hills.
Dryburgh Abbey is a well-preserved medieval ruin by the River Tweed located close to St. Boswells and is home to one of Scotland’s oldest trees, the Dryburgh Yew. It is also the resting please of Sir Walter Scott.
The Royal Burgh of Jedburgh is just 10 minutes north of Carter Bar, the official England/Scotland border and has a rich history as a border frontier town. The imposing red sandstone Augustinian Jedburgh Abbey, ran by Historic Scotland, is well worth a visit as is the old Jedburgh Castle Jail and museum, a free family friendly attraction. Experience what life was like in an 1820’s prison. The town has a lovely riverside walk by the Jed Water and there are plenty of colourful buildings housing independent stores, antique shops, boutiques and cafes in Market Place and Canongate. Jedburgh was the place where Mary Queen of Scots became seriously ill during her visit in 1566 and the Mary Queen of Scots Visitor Centre is surrounded by a wonderful pear tree garden and is free to enter. The Jedburgh Town Trail is well worth a wander to discover the history of this amazing small Border town. At 1,371 feet, the pass at Carter Bar is a popular photo stop with the Scottish Borders and Cheviot Hills being visible. The flags of Scotland and Northumberland are both displayed at the England/Scotland border.
Hindhope Linn at Kielder Forest is a spectacular waterfall and a diversion through Bellingham to Kielder Water and Kielder Forest is well recommended for those with additional time on their hands. From Kielder it is a short drive to the market town of Hexham and along the attractions of the Unesco World Heritage site of Hadrian’s Wall. At the turn off the Military Road to Cawfields Quarry you will see the signs for Herding Hill Farm.
